Oilers vs Kings Picks and Prediction – 4/22/2025

The first-round battle in the West kicks off as the Edmonton Oilers (48-29-5) visit the Los Angeles Kings (48-25-9) for Game 1 at crypto.com Arena. The Oilers come in hot off a 3-0 win over San Jose, while the Kings closed their regular season with a dominant 5-0 win against Edmonton. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Edmonton had a solid finish to the regular season and looked sharp defensively in the shutout of San Jose. That said, losing 5-0 at home to the Kings just one game earlier should be a concern. Leon Draisaitl, who leads the team with 52 goals and 106 points, is listed as day-to-day, which could impact offensive production. Connor McDavid continues to dominate with 74 assists. Evander Kane, Troy Stecher, and John Klingberg are out or on IR, which weakens both blue line depth and secondary scoring.

Defensively, the Oilers average 2.87 goals against per game and allow 27.0 shots. Stuart Skinner holds a 2.81 GAA and .896 save percentage in net, while backup Calvin Pickard has slightly better numbers with a 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage. The Oilers rank better on the power play (23.7%) than the Kings and have a decent penalty kill at 78.2%, but 607 penalty minutes shows discipline may be an issue.

Los Angeles has been a machine at home, finishing 31-6-4 at crypto.com Arena, and they ended the regular season with a statement win over Edmonton. Adrian Kempe leads the scoring with 35 goals and 73 points, while Anze Kopitar remains key with 46 assists. The Kings are relatively healthy going into Game 1, with only Tanner Jeannot listed day-to-day.

Defensively, Los Angeles has the clear edge. They allow only 2.48 goals per game, rank higher in penalty kill at 81.4%, and limit opponents to 25.5 shots per game. Darcy Kuemper has been excellent, boasting a 2.02 GAA and .922 save percentage, giving the Kings a solid backbone in goal. Despite a weak power play (17.9%), consistency makes them tough to break down.

With the better goaltending, stronger defense, and dominant home record, Los Angeles enters this matchup with the edge. Edmonton’s injuries, especially to Leon Draisaitl, and the fact that the Oilers just lost 5-0 to this same Kings team at home can’t be ignored. Expect Los Angeles to start this series with a statement. Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Kings win 3-1.