NHL Game Preview: Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild with Line Combinations 12/31/2024

Nashville Predators (11-19-7, 29 pts) at Minnesota Wild (22-11-4, 48 pts)

Venue: Xcel Energy Center

Date: Tuesday, December 31

Time: 8:00 EST / 7:00 pm CST 

TV: ESPN+ / FDSS / FDSN / FDSW

Radio: 

Nashville Predators – The Game 102.5 FM

Minnesota Wild- KFAN 100.3 FM

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:

Nashville Predators +1.5 ML +140

Minnesota Wild -1.5 ML -165

O/U 5.5

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Nashville Predators News & Notes: 

Nashville had won two in a row before losing 7-4 to St. Louis and then 3-0 to the Jets last night. A promising season has never materialized in Nashville with the Predators languishing near the bottom of the Central Division. Nashville is 3-12-4 on the road this season and is one of the most disappointing teams in the league. 

Minnesota Wild News & Notes:

The Wild have surprised with their early season dominance but have slipped lately with a 4-6-0 record in their last ten games. The Wild have been one of the best road teams in the NHL this season but are a pedestrian 9-8-1 at home. This is the second of three meetings between these teams with the Wild taking the first matchup 3-2 in overtime. 

Nashville Predators Projected Lines:

Forsberg-Stamkos-Marchessault

L’Heureux-O’Reilly-Nyquist

Jankowski-Novak-Evangelista

Hinostroza-McCarron-Sissons

Lauzon-Josi

Skjei-Blankenburg

Wilsby-Schenn

Saros

Annunen

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Minnesota Wild Projected Lines:

Boldy-Rossi-Zuccarello

Johansson-Eriksson Ek-Hartman

Foligno-Gaudreau-Trenin

Shore-Khusnutdinov-Jones

Brodin-Faber

Chisholm-Spurgeon

Merrill-Bogosian

Gustavsson

Fleury

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Players To Watch:

Nashville Predators

Roman Josi is leading all Predators defensemen in scoring with 24 points in 37 games but he also leads the Predators in a dubious stat with a -24 on the season. This season would be Josi’s worst season since the 2020-2021 COVID-shortened season when he was a -11 and had 33 points in 48 games. 

Minnesota Wild

Matthew Boldy has struggled some of late after losing his center Joel Eriksson Ek to injury and some changes to the forward lines. The skilled winger has just one point in his last five games and only four points in his last ten games. He is still second on the Wild in scoring with 31 points but needs to find his scoring touch again to help the Wild out of the mini skid they’re in. 

Injury Report:

Nashville Predators

D Spencer Stastny – IR

LW Cole Smith – IR

Minnesota Wild

LW Kirill Kaprizov – Day To Day

C Jakob Lauko – IR

D Jake Middleton – LTIR

Next Game:

Nashville Predators – January 3 at Vancouver Canucks

Minnesota Wild – January 2 at Washington Capitals

Season 4. Episode 15. Public Skate – Bruins Benders Podcast

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1. Season 4. Episode 15. Public Skate 50:19
2. Season 4. Episode 14. West Coast Road Trip. 41:21
3. Season 4. Episode 13. This Is Not the Sway 01:14:21
4. Season 4. Episode 12. Going Streaking! 55:26
5. Season 4. Episode 11. Have the Bruins Turned a Corner? 01:04:20