Detroit Red Wings vs Seattle Kraken Picks and Predictions for Tuesday October 20 2026
Seattle got its doors blown off by Florida on Saturday. Eight goals against. That’s the kind of night where the goalie wants to get out of the building before anybody starts asking questions. Detroit didn’t exactly put on a clinic in its last game, either, but the Red Wings at least managed to beat San Jose in a shootout. Now these two get together Tuesday, and I’m not expecting a whole lot of pretty defensive hockey.
Detroit heads to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The puck drops at 9:40 PM ET. The total is sitting around 6.5 goals, and Seattle gets the home-ice advantage. Neither club has been particularly convincing in its own end, which could make this an interesting game for bettors. Check out our free NHL picks for more predictions.
Detroit Red Wings Still Have Some Work To Do
Detroit is 3-3-2, and that record tells you quite a bit about how the season has gone. The Red Wings haven’t been terrible every night. They’ve just had trouble putting everything together. Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over San Jose was a good example. Detroit got the two points, which is what matters, but it still needed extra hockey to get past a Sharks team that has been giving up plenty of scoring chances.
The defense has been the headache. Detroit keeps allowing opponents to get comfortable in the offensive zone, and that’s not a great way to help your goaltenders. San Jose scored three Saturday. The Red Wings managed to survive it, but they can’t keep expecting their offense to bail them out. Seattle has been putting up enough goals to win games, and the Kraken will have the last change at home. Detroit needs to do a better job clearing the front of the net and getting the puck out when it has the chance.
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The Red Wings have been getting some offense from different parts of the lineup, which is encouraging. The trouble is that the scoring hasn’t been consistent enough to cover for the defensive mistakes. Detroit needs its better offensive lines to spend more time with the puck instead of chasing it. The goaltending hasn’t exactly stolen many games, either. If the Red Wings give Seattle the same kind of chances they’ve been allowing lately, they’re going to need four or five goals just to hang around.
Seattle Kraken Need To Forget Saturday Night
Seattle is 5-2-1, and that’s a pretty decent start. You wouldn’t know it from watching the Florida game. The Kraken lost 8-3, and there wasn’t much to like about that performance. Florida got rolling, Seattle couldn’t stop it, and the whole thing got ugly. But I’m not going to pretend one bad game wipes out everything the Kraken did in their first seven. They were collecting points before that mess, and now they’re back home.
Seattle’s offense has been doing enough to keep the club competitive. The Kraken have shown they can score, and they’ve been getting contributions from more than one line. The issue is what happens when opponents start putting pressure on their defense. Florida exposed that in a big way. Eight goals against isn’t something you shrug off. The Kraken need better coverage around the crease, and the goaltending has to be sharper. Detroit isn’t Florida, but the Red Wings have enough offense to take advantage if Seattle starts giving away chances again.
The Kraken also need their top offensive group to set the tone early. Detroit has been vulnerable when opponents get established in the offensive zone, and Seattle should be able to make something happen if it keeps the pressure on. The home crowd will help, but the bigger thing is getting back to playing the way the Kraken did before Saturday. They don’t need to score six or seven. They need to avoid another night where every mistake ends up in the back of their net.
Detroit Red Wings vs Seattle Kraken Picks and Predictions
Seattle Kraken Moneyline
I’m taking Seattle. That Florida game was ugly, no argument there. But the Kraken are still 5-2-1, and Detroit has only two wins through six games. The Red Wings needed a shootout to get past San Jose, and their defense hasn’t been giving the goaltenders much help. Seattle gets this one at home, where it can dictate the matchups a little better. The concern is the goaltending after giving up eight Saturday. If that carries over, we’re in trouble. I think the Kraken settle down enough to beat a Detroit team that hasn’t figured out how to play a complete game.
Over 6.5 Goals
Give me the over 6.5. Seattle just allowed eight, and Detroit gave up three to San Jose. I’m not saying every game is going to turn into a shootout because of what happened Saturday, but neither defense has earned much trust. The Red Wings have enough offense to score a couple, and Seattle should get chances against a Detroit team that keeps letting opponents spend too much time in its zone. The biggest worry is both clubs deciding to tighten everything up after their recent defensive problems. That’s possible. But I can see Seattle winning 4-3, and that’s enough to cash the over.
Final Picks: Seattle Kraken Moneyline and Over 6.5 Goals
This preview was completed October 19, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, starting goaltenders, and other game information may change before puck drop.
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