Seattle Kraken vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds, Picks and Preview - 10/16/2021

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH

Where to watch: ESPN+

DraftKings: Kraken -110, Blue Jackets -110

BetMGM: Kraken -110, Blue Jackets -110

Caesars: Kraken -110, Blue Jackets -110

Kraken: 1-1-0, 2 points

Blue Jackets: 1-0-0, 2 points

Kraken: won 4-3 at Predators on Thursday

Blue Jackets: won 8-2 vs. Coyotes on Thursday

The Seattle Kraken are on the board as an NHL team. But of course the real fun is they have to go through a long road trip before we actually see what Climate Pledge Arena looks like.

But the Kraken are in the win column after winning 4-3 against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night for the newest NHL team’s first ever win.

Seattle’s six-game road trip continues on Saturday when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team mired in its own rebuild but still with plenty to feel good after annihilating the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

Seattle has shown through two games that it’s going to be a competitive team, which means hockey fans in the Pacific Northwest are going to enjoy this group when an NHL game actually takes place in Seattle rather shortly.

Philipp Grubauer made 27 saves for his first Seattle victory. The Vezina Trophy finalist from the Colorado Avalanche last season signed a six-year deal with Seattle on July 28, and is the one offseason acquisition the Kraken are hoping for that will carry them through the dreaded Western Conference (albeit a weak Pacific Division) and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs when all is said and done.

But that roster needs to establish itself a bit more before we can anoint the Kraken as October contenders, but so far, this group is off to a solid start. Alex Wennberg and Jared McCann had a goal and an assist each, and Brandon Tanev scored twice -- including the empty-netter for the game-winner -- to pace Seattle’s offense in the victory.

Keep in mind, Seattle is still without projected 1C Yanni Gourde due to offseason shoulder surgery, so the depth of this team is on solid display to this point. Even Calle Jarnkrok will be a serviceable middle-six forward when he returns from COVID protocol.

We haven’t even gotten to the depth of this defense. The blue line is the strongest point of this Seattle team led by captain Mark Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn (who picked up the first fight in Kraken history on Thursday. The defensemen, combined with a solid goaltender, are bound to make this inaugural season enjoyable in Seattle.

Nobody expects this in the hockey world, but you never know how crazy things can get.

Unfortunately, despite the torrid start from the Blue Jackets on Thursday, a long grind of a season lies ahead. Despite the fact they put up eight (!) goals against Carter Hutton and the Coyotes, there’s still that thought that Columbus has a long way to go after trading Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson in the offseason.

But for now, fire the cannon because we deserve it. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, including one on the power play. Max Domi had a goal and two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves in a dominant victory.

This Columbus team has a long road ahead of them in the regular season, but there’s a lot to like especially on defense. Jones is replaced by young defensemen Jake Bean and Adam Boqvist. The thought of a rookie patrolling top-pair minutes for you now doesn’t help, but down the road, there’s plenty to be excited about in this rebuild.

Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, the Kraken are not the Coyotes and they’re not going to be facing teams like that for 82 games. Much like what the Vegas Golden Knights did in Year 1, Seattle will roll four lines and three d-pairs all while swarming the puck. They’re not the Buffalo Sabres waltzing out of a bar on a Tuesday night praying for Jack Eichel to stay in town. Seattle is good, and they’ll keep this road trip going. Kraken win 4-2

The Blue Jackets are 8-25 in the last three years on Saturday games.

Columbus is 11-19 the last three seasons when they score four goals or more its previous game.

Jaden Schwartz -- Jared McCann -- Jordan Eberle

Alex Barre-Boulet -- Alex Wennberg -- Joonas Donskoi

Brandon Tanev -- Morgan Geekie -- Ryan Donato

Nathan Bastian -- Riley Sheahan -- Mason Appleton

Mark Giordano -- Carson Soucy

Jamie Oleksiak -- Adam Larsson

Jeremy Lauzon -- Vince Dunn

Philipp Grubauer

Chris Driedger

Injuries: Yanni Gourde (shoulder), Calle Jarnkrok (COVID), Colin Blackwell (lower body)

Patrik Laine -- Alexandre Texier -- Jakub Voracek

Gustav Nyquist -- Jack Roslovic -- Oliver Bjorkstrand

Boone Jenner -- Cole Sillinger -- Max Domi

Eric Robinson -- Sean Kiraly -- Gregory Hofmann

Zach Werenski -- Jake Bean

Vladislav Gavrikov -- Adam Boqvist

Dean Kikan -- Andrew Peeke

Elvis Merzlikins

Joonas Korpisalo

Injuries: None

Points: Jared McCann -- 3

Goals: Jared McCann -- 2

Assists: Joonas Donskoi -- 2

TOI: Adam Larsson -- 22:03

Goalie: Philipp Grubauer -- 1-1-0, 3.54 GAA, .883 save percentage

Points: Oliver Bjorkstrand -- 4

Goals: Oliver Bjorkstrand -- 2

Assists: Oliver Bjorkstrand -- 2

TOI: Andrew Peeke -- 21:52

Goalie: Elvis Merzlikins -- 1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .947 save percentage