Los Angeles Kings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
Toronto tries to end a two-game home losing streak and three-game overall skid Thursday night when it welcome the Los Angeles Kings for the only time this season. The Maple Leafs are slight -105 underdogs on the NHL odds with a total of 5.5 goals.
Kings vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
Toronto returns home for just this one game sandwiched in between trips to Original Six teams Boston on Tuesday and then Chicago on Sunday. It’s the second of a six-game trip for the Kings, who generally are always a threat in the Western Conference but haven’t been to the Stanley Cup Finals since winning their last title in 2014.
In fact, they have lost in the first round every playoff appearance since, including in the past four post-seasons. Los Angeles is -240 to return to the playoffs with No at -220 but is a +1600 longer shot to win the West. Just not enough scoring yet again with the club averaging 2.885 goals per and no one with more than eight goals or 18 points. Deep team, though.
Thursday is the first of two regular-season meetings with Toronto in Los Angeles near the end of the regular season on April 4. They had split four straight series until the Leafs swept in 2024-25, including 6-2 at home. Auston Matthews (2G, 3A) led Toronto with five points, while John Tavares had three goals. Anthony Stolarz started both in net and had a 1.50 GAA and .957 SV. No Kings player had more than one point last season in the series. Darcy Kuemper, David Rittich and Pheonix Copley all saw action in net. Rittich is now with the Islanders.
Toronto is 6-4 in the past 10 meetings overall, and the over-under is 6-4.
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles is 2-0 on a six-game trip after a 5-1 upset victory in Montreal on Tuesday night – road teams seem to be doing quite well in the league of late. The Kings have now gotten at least one point in eight straight road games (6-0-2), the longest run by any team this season and longest for the franchise since a 12-game run in 2023-24. Trailing 1-0 early in the second, the Kings scored three times in 4:05, their fastest three away goals since Dec. 14, 2024, at the New York Rangers. Winger Quinton Byfield was the No. 1 star with a goal and assist. He had gone 12 games without a goal. It was the ninth straight win for L.A. over Montreal, its longest active run against one opponent. Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves to improve 6-3-3 with a 2.40 GAA and .908 SV overall, and it likely will be him again Thursday as No. 2 Anton Forsberg has been quite inconsistent and this is not part of a back-to-back. The team is 2-6 in its past eight vs. the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto dropped a third game in a row Tuesday, 5-3 in Boston after also losing at home to the Bruins last Saturday to start this skid. Each opponent during it has scored at least five goals. Anthony Stolarz started Tuesday but had to leave and replaced by Dennis Hildeby on Tuesday, and he stopped 19 of 21 shots. Thus, it seems likely Hildeby gets the call here. Morgan Rielly had an assist in the losing effort to pass Tomas Kaberle (437) for the second-most assists by a defenceman in Maple Leafs history. Borje Salming (620) won’t be caught anytime soon. The helper came on the power play, marking Rielly’s 175th career power-play point to tie Doug Gilmour for the ninth most in franchise history. John Tavares tied a single-game career second-best with 20 face-off wins. The Maple Leafs dominated in the face-off circle but were 1-for-5 on the power play and allowed three Boston goals with the man advantage. And to make matters worse, Auston Matthews also left injured Tuesday with a lower-body injury. Too soon to know if he can go but I am going to assume no. The American has nine goals and five assists in 17 games. The over is 10-0 in Toronto’s past 10.
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