The Nashville Predators (22-32-7) welcome the Seattle Kraken (26-32-4) to Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night, with both teams desperately seeking to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.
The Kraken, who have already claimed victories in both previous meetings this season with 7-3 and 3-0 wins, enter the contest having lost three of their last four games, including a recent 4-3 setback against Minnesota.
Nashville's recent form has been equally inconsistent, going 4-4-0 in their last eight games, though they're coming off an impressive 6-3 road victory over the Boston Bruins.
The absence of Nashville's defensive cornerstone Roman Josi, who leads the team in ice time and has contributed 38 points this season, could prove crucial as the Predators attempt to contain Seattle's offense that averages 2.94 goals per game.
Both teams' goaltending situations remain under scrutiny, with Seattle's Joey Daccord allowing at least three goals in six of his last eight starts, while Nashville's Juuse Saros has surrendered 14 goals in his previous four appearances.
As these Western Conference rivals prepare to face off, the matchup presents an intriguing battle between two teams separated by just five points in the standings, each searching for consistency in the final stretch of the regular season.
Nashville Predators vs. Seattle Kraken prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Nashville Predators vs Seattle Kraken matchup, our predictive model gives the Kraken a 54% chance of defeating the Preds.
Pre-game probabilities
Seattle Kraken
Moneyline
Win %
54%
46%
Nashville Predators
Seattle Kraken: 54% win probability
- Better offensive output (183 goals for vs Predators' 159)
- Higher points total in standings (56 points vs 51 points)
- Better goal differential (-19 vs Predators' -45)
Nashville Predators: 46% win probability
- Poor offensive production (159 goals, lowest in Central Division)
- Weak defensive record (204 goals against, 2nd worst in Central)
- Inconsistent recent form (WLLWL showing struggle for momentum)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Nashville Predators | Seattle Kraken | |
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| Moneyline |
Nashville Predators vs. Seattle Kraken preview
The Nashville Predators are set to host the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena in what promises to be an intriguing matchup between two teams fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Kraken, currently sitting 11 points behind the final wild card spot in the West, enter this contest having dropped three of their last four games, including a recent 4-3 setback against the Minnesota Wild despite outshooting their opponents 36-20.
Nashville, meanwhile, showed signs of life in their last outing with an impressive 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, powered by Ryan O'Reilly's two-goal performance and Steven Stamkos's three-point night.
The absence of Nashville's defensive cornerstone Roman Josi, who leads the team in ice time and has contributed 38 points this season, could prove crucial in this matchup.
Seattle's goaltender Joey Daccord (21-16-3) has been struggling recently, allowing at least three goals in six of his last eight starts, while Nashville's Juuse Saros has also shown vulnerability, giving up 14 goals in his previous four appearances.
The Kraken hold a psychological edge heading into this contest, having already secured two decisive victories over the Predators this season - a 7-3 win in October and a 3-0 shutout in November.
Statistically, Seattle holds a slight offensive advantage, averaging 2.94 goals per game compared to Nashville's 2.59, though both teams have struggled defensively this season.
With both squads desperate for points and showing defensive vulnerabilities, fans at Bridgestone Arena could be in for a high-scoring affair as these teams look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
The return of Philipp Grubauer to Seattle's roster adds an interesting wrinkle to the goaltending situation, though Daccord is expected to get the start despite his recent struggles.
Nashville Predators vs. Seattle Kraken form
Nashville Predators vs. Seattle Kraken head to head
Nashville Predators
33%
Seattle Kraken
67%
Nov 21, 2024
Seattle Kraken
3 : 0
Nashville Predators
Oct 16, 2024
Nashville Predators
3 : 7
Seattle Kraken
Mar 17, 2024
Seattle Kraken
1 : 4
Nashville Predators
Nov 3, 2023
Seattle Kraken
4 : 2
Nashville Predators
Oct 13, 2023
Nashville Predators
3 : 0
Seattle Kraken
Mar 25, 2023
Nashville Predators
2 : 7
Seattle Kraken
