Detroit Red Wings vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions January 27th 2026

Los Angeles gets a weird schedule gift and Detroit gets a spot it needs to bank. The Kings visit the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 (7:00 PM ET), and this one matters because Detroit is still chasing the top of the Atlantic while staring at a long stretch without home ice around the Olympic break.

The Kings arrive after their Monday game in Columbus was postponed, so they should be fresh, but travel gets messy and timing matters. Detroit has been excellent at home (18-8-1), and this is the kind of matchup where the Wings can dictate pace early and force LA to chase.

Detroit’s blue line is a little thinner right now with Simon Edvinsson sidelined, and that’s the one thing that gives me pause on a favorite price. Still, the goaltending situation looks like a real edge for the home side if Detroit gets its starter and LA does not.

Los Angeles Kings vs Detroit Red Wings Odds

These are the current betting lines, but bettors should always monitor updated latest NHL odds leading up to puck drop.

Team	Moneyline	Puck Line	Total
Los Angeles Kings	+105	+1.5 (-245)	O 5.5 (-115)
Detroit Red Wings	-125	-1.5 (+200)	U 5.5 (-105)

Los Angeles Kings Betting Form

If you’ve bet the Kings at all this year, you’ve felt the overtime chaos. They’ve played a league-high 21 games that went past regulation, and it shows up in how they manage risk. LA is comfortable grinding games into coin-flip endings, and that’s why they’re often more attractive on the puck line than on the moneyline when they’re priced as a dog.

Offensively, it’s still a lineup that can disappear for long stretches at 5-on-5. When they win, it tends to be because they keep the slot clean, survive a few bad shifts, and let their top guys create just enough. I usually want LA in low-event games, especially on the road, but the issue here is Detroit can force tempo at home.

Before you lock anything in, check the Los Angeles Kings stats and results and keep an eye on Los Angeles Kings injury report. The goaltending piece matters a lot for totals in this matchup, and LA’s starter status looks less than fully settled.

Detroit Red Wings Betting Form

Detroit’s home profile is the story. They’ve been reliable in this building, and they play with more pace and more confidence here. You also get a better version of their forecheck at home, which matters against a Kings team that wants clean exits and slow neutral-zone reps.

The main concern is on the back end with Edvinsson out, because Detroit’s best version is when they roll pairs without leaking odd-man looks. Still, if Detroit gets the expected goaltending, I’m fine paying a modest home favorite number. John Gibson is listed to start, and that’s not a small thing in this price range.

If you want to dig into it, the Detroit Red Wings schedule and stats page is the quickest way to see how their recent home form is translating into results. Also, monitor Detroit Red Wings injury report because Detroit’s defensive pairings are already being juggled, and one more scratch would change how I’d play the total.

Los Angeles Kings vs Detroit Red Wings Matchup Breakdown

This sets up like a tug-of-war between Detroit’s pace and LA’s patience. The Kings are fine playing a conservative road game, but Detroit’s best stretches come when they win races, keep shifts short, and turn neutral-zone pressure into quick strikes. That usually pushes games toward more total chances than LA prefers.

Special teams can swing this. Detroit’s power play has been productive, and LA’s style can put them in penalty-kill minutes when they’re late getting sticks back. If you’re the Kings, you want this game quiet, 2-2 in the third, and then let the weird stuff happen. If you’re Detroit, you want to get to three goals first and make LA open up.

Goaltending is the other hinge point. Detroit’s starter is confirmed, while LA’s is still not fully clear. That alone is enough to make me treat the market like it’s fragile, because one goalie confirmation can move both the side and the total. If you want a refresher on how to price these spots, the NHL betting guide is worth a skim, especially for totals when goalie news is messy.

Los Angeles Kings vs Detroit Red Wings Predictions and Best Bets

I lean Detroit on the moneyline. It’s not a complicated handicap. Better home environment, stronger current position in the standings, and the goaltending setup looks cleaner for Detroit than it does for LA. I don’t love laying a big number in games where the Kings can drag you into overtime, but at this price, I can live with it.

The puck line is where I hesitate. Detroit can win by margin, sure, but LA’s entire season profile screams “one-goal game.” If you like the Wings but hate sweating overtime, I get it, but I’d rather pay the tax on the moneyline than bet against a team that lives on +1.5 results.

On the total, I’m slightly toward the over, mostly because Detroit at home pushes pace and because LA’s goalie situation is not something I want to assume will be elite. If LA ends up with the stronger goalie option and plays their preferred style, this can land 3-2 and make the over feel dead early. So I’d price-shop and wait as long as you can without losing the number.

Best Bet: Detroit Red Wings moneyline (-125).

NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats

If you’re betting NHL nightly, you need volume and accountability, not just opinions. The easiest way to keep your card disciplined is to compare multiple angles and see where different models and bettors overlap. That’s why I like checking the today’s NHL picks before lines move too far.

You can also track who’s actually winning over time with the handicapper leaderboard and browse top sports handicappers by sport and style. If you want more aggressive plays, derivatives, and higher-volume cards, that’s usually where the edge shows up.

And when you’re ready to scale beyond single-game bets, buy expert picks is built for bettors who want full slates, not just one-off leans. If you want to stay on top of matchups across the board, the NHL previews hub keeps everything organized in one place, and the Stanley Cup betting guide is useful if you’re mixing futures into your nightly portfolio around the break.