St. Louis Blues vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions January 24th 2026

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The Los Angeles Kings head to Enterprise Center on Saturday night for a Western Conference battle against the St. Louis Blues. Puck drops at 8:00 PM ET as both teams try to stay firmly in the playoff mix. LA is the road favorite, priced at -138 on the moneyline, with the Blues coming in at +116.

Los Angeles sits at 25-18-6 and has found a bit of form after a slump to start the new year. The Kings have won three of their last four and are starting to look more like the team that started hot out of the gate. St. Louis is 24-21-2, clinging to wild card relevance but struggling with offensive consistency and penalty issues. They’ve dropped four of their last six, including a 4-1 loss to Edmonton.

The market favors LA’s structure and road success, but St. Louis tends to scrap in these spots. Let’s break down what really matters from a betting standpoint.

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Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues Odds

These are the current odds for Saturday’s matchup. Keep tabs on the latest NHL odds for market shifts before puck drop.

TeamMoneylinePuck LineTotal
Los Angeles Kings-138-1.5 (+177)Over 5.5 (-107)
St. Louis Blues+116+1.5 (-218)Under 5.5 (-115)

Los Angeles Kings Betting Form

The Kings were the NHL’s best road team early in the year, and they’re starting to trend that way again. LA is 13-6-3 away from home and recently knocked off Colorado and Nashville with strong defensive performances. When they play their structured, low-event game, they’re tough to beat — especially when their top six shows up.

Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala continue to drive scoring chances, but it’s been the resurgence of Quinton Byfield that’s helped balance the forward group. The Kings are top-10 in expected goals share and still one of the stingiest 5-on-5 teams in the league.

Defensively, they’ve tightened up. The penalty kill ranks sixth overall and they’ve killed 16 of their last 18. The power play sits around league average at 20.1%, but they’ve created better looks recently thanks to smoother puck movement on the half-wall.

Goaltending is solid, if not elite. Cam Talbot is expected to start and has posted a .913 save percentage over his last five appearances. He’s not always flashy, but behind LA’s defensive system, he doesn’t need to be.

You can view full trend data on the Los Angeles Kings stats and results page. Injury-wise, they’ll likely be without Viktor Arvidsson and Carl Grundstrom. Monitor the Los Angeles Kings injury report for final status updates.

St. Louis Blues Betting Form

St. Louis is still hanging around in the playoff race, but they’re doing it on thin margins. The Blues are just 5-5 in their last 10 and have struggled to score in high-leverage situations. Their power play has gone cold, and they’ve been outshot in 7 of their last 9.

Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas lead the offense, but both are streaky scorers. Pavel Buchnevich has returned from injury and adds some playmaking, but the depth lines haven’t generated enough pressure. The Blues rank bottom-10 in 5-on-5 expected goals, which puts pressure on their goaltending.

Speaking of which, Jordan Binnington is expected to start and owns a .906 save percentage this season. He’s capable of strong outings, but also gives up the occasional soft goal — not ideal against a Kings team that thrives on volume and second chances.

Defensively, the Blues have struggled with discipline. They’ve taken the 6th-most minor penalties in the league, and their PK has dropped to 76.9%. If that trend continues, they’ll have a hard time holding off LA’s top unit.

For deeper splits and recent results, visit the St. Louis Blues schedule and stats. On the injury front, they’ll be without Torey Krug and possibly Justin Faulk, which impacts their zone exits and power play setup. The St. Louis Blues injury report will confirm lineup availability closer to puck drop.

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Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues Matchup Breakdown

This matchup heavily favors the Kings on paper, especially at even strength. LA ranks 5th in expected goals share and shot suppression, while the Blues are among the bottom-third in most defensive categories. The Kings also take fewer penalties and have more reliable special teams — a big deal against a team that’s been losing the special teams battle night after night.

Goaltending could be the wild card. Talbot is steadier than Binnington, but he’s not immune to slumps. If the Blues can get early pressure and draw first blood, the crowd could tilt things slightly. Still, the Kings are one of the best teams in the league at dictating pace once they have a lead.

Key betting angles:

  • Kings are 13-6-3 on the road, Blues are 13-10-1 at home
  • LA has allowed 2.5 goals per game over their last 10
  • St. Louis is allowing 3.4 per game in the same stretch
  • Kings’ PK vs Blues’ slumping PP is a major edge for LA

This is also a pace spot. If LA controls the neutral zone, it’s likely a low-event game, which puts value on the under — especially at 5.5. The Blues are also an under team at home, hitting the under in 6 of their last 9 in St. Louis.

For more breakdowns on how style and pace impact totals, check our concise guide to hockey betting, especially when evaluating games with totals below 6.

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Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues Predictions and Best Bets

The Kings are the better team in nearly every phase right now. Their form is trending up, their road metrics are strong, and their special teams give them a real edge. Laying -138 on the road isn’t ideal, but there’s enough value here to justify it — especially against a St. Louis squad struggling to generate offense.

If you want a plus-money angle, LA on the puck line at +177 has appeal. They’ve covered that number in two of their last three wins, and the Blues have lost by two or more in four of their last six losses.

As for the total, 5.5 is sharp. But if you expect the Kings to dominate pace and keep it low-event, the Under makes sense — especially if Talbot starts.

Lean: Kings ML (-138)
Secondary: Kings -1.5 (+177), Under 5.5 (-115)

Best Bet: Los Angeles Kings ML (-138)

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