[Oct 18, 2026 (Sun)] NHL Analysis Kraken @ Panthers Preview - BeaverStats

2026-10-17

This is an NHL analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Kraken @ Panthers (Oct 18, 2026 (Sun)).

*Written before starting goalies and lineups were confirmed! They can change right before puck drop, so check the link below for the latest data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

Kraken @ Panthers

Kraken projected starting goalie: Joey Daccord @ Panthers projected starting goalie: Akira Schmid

Florida owns the 5v5 edge and Seattle owns the crease edge, so this game turns on whether the Panthers' territorial advantage can cover for Schmid's home numbers.

On 5v5 xG%, Florida sits at 50.8 on the blended basis and 55.7 this season, against 46.1 and 47.0 for Seattle. Even blending in last season, the gap is +4.7 points, and it grows to +8.7 on this season alone. Results point the other way: Seattle is 5-2-1 with a 32-23 goal difference and 25-15 at 5v5, while Florida is 4-2-2 at 22-22 overall and 10-11 at 5v5.

In goal, Daccord has a .903 SV% and -0.1 GSAx over 24 road games (10-10-3), and this season a .913 SV% and +1.0 GSAx over four starts. His last five games total +1.2 GSAx. Schmid has a .890 SV% and -4.2 GSAx over 18 home games (9-4-3), plus a .878 SV% and -1.4 GSAx this season. His last five total -3.1.

Seattle lost 3-4 in overtime at Tampa Bay and has lost one straight. Florida has won two straight, beating Vancouver 3-2 in overtime. Their last two meetings split, a small sample.

If the goalies change, Grubauer brings +3.1 GSAx this season and +5.7 on the road for Seattle. Markstrom is +1.4 this season for Florida but -7.9 at home.

In summary, this is a matchup of Florida's 5v5 edge against Seattle's goaltending edge. Florida's power play is 35.3% but its penalty kill is 76.9%, against Seattle's 90.9%, so special teams are also key. Schmid's home play is the biggest swing factor.