Fact checked at 7:16 AM ET, Nov 12, 2026Odds as of 6:21 AM ET, Nov 12, 2026
Carolina (14-3-2) and Seattle (9-6-1) open the NHL Global Series at 12:00 PM ET in Helsinki. It's a neutral-site game, the first of two between the teams in Finland, and Carolina is a heavy favorite.
Carolina should have the puck most of the day, and both picks follow from that. The Hurricanes take 33.3 shots a game, the most in the league, and allow 22.4, the fewest. They score 4.11 goals a game, tied for the league lead, and give up 2.32, fourth-fewest. Seattle is the opposite: 25.6 shots a game (27th) and 30.2 allowed (fourth-most), with a penalty kill that stops 65.1%, 31st in the league. And the offense has slowed. The Kraken scored 42 goals in their first 11 games and have 13 in the five Jared McCann has missed. He's on injured reserve.
Brandon Bussi (3-2-2, .869 save percentage) is the likely starter for Carolina after taking the starter's crease at the morning skate, ahead of Pyotr Kochetkov (11-1-0, .920). Philipp Grubauer (.890) is expected for Seattle.
Hurricanes vs. Kraken Predictions
Pick #1Vince Dunn Under 0.5 Assists−190
Dunn's assists come when Seattle scores in bunches. He has an assist in six of 16 games this season, and in five of those six the Kraken scored at least five goals. In the six games in which Seattle scored two or fewer, he had none. Carolina has allowed as many as five twice in 19 games and has held 12 opponents to two or fewer.
The longer record supports the price, though not by much. Dunn went without an assist in 55 of 81 games last season and in 10 of 16 this season. That's 65 of 97, or 67.0%, against the 65.5% that -190 implies. He had no assists in two games against Carolina last season.
The power play is how this loses. Dunn plays 23:12 a night, is projected on the top pair with Adam Larsson and is on the first power-play unit, and 22 of his 40 assists since the start of last season have come on the power play. One Seattle power-play goal could do it. Carolina kills 85.0% of its penalties, seventh in the league, and Seattle is without McCann, who scored two of its 12 power-play goals. The price is steep at -190, and we'd only lay it against a team that defends like this one.
Pick #2Hurricanes -1.5−120
When Carolina wins, it usually isn't close. Ten of its 14 victories have come by two or more goals, including the 9-2 win over Chicago in its last game. Seattle's losses look the same from the other side: five of its six regulation defeats were by at least two goals, and the exception was a 4-3 loss to the Rangers in its last game.
At -120 the break-even is 54.5%. Carolina has won by two or more in 10 of 19 games, just under that, so the case rests on the opponent. Seattle allows 3.56 goals a game, fifth-most in the league, and neither of its goalies has a save percentage above .890. Carolina outshoots its opponents by about 11 a game. Seattle is outshot by almost five. And the Carolina power play, 14 for 63, gets the 31st-ranked penalty kill.
Last season's meetings are the argument against. Each team won a one-goal game at home, and four of Carolina's wins this season were by a single goal. Bussi's likely start also narrows the gap in net. We'll take this season's margins over last season's, against a Seattle attack that has slowed without McCann.
21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
