Central division foes clash on Monday in the NHL with the league-leading Winnipeg Jets hosting the Nashville Predators at Canada Life Centre. Welcome to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Hockey, where each day we preview and predict the upcoming slate of NHL games around the league! In this article, we will preview and predict the matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators. Be sure to check out all of our NHL Predictions throughout the 2024-25 season and follow along with your favourite teams.
NHL Predictions
Winnipeg Jets vs Nashville Predators
Head-to-Head: Jets 0-1 Predators
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: Prime; FDSNSO
The Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators will meet for the second time this season; Nashville took the first meeting on November 23 by a score of 4-1 in the Music City. In that game, the Predators were able to pull away in the third period with goals from Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and a Roman Josi empty netter to seal the victory. Since that victory, Nashville is 4-7-4 and more concerned with fighting off the Chicago Blackhawks for last place in the Central Division than pushing to get into a playoff position. On the flip side, Winnipeg is 9-6-1 since that defeat in Nashville and only has two regulation losses in their last 11 games.
Though Winnipeg has lost three of their last four meetings with Nashville they do hold a 6-4 record over the Predators dating back ten meetings.
More of the Same from the Winnipeg Jets
On Saturday it was another stellar performance from the Winnipeg Jets, specifically their top players. It seems we’ve been saying that a lot this season. In their 4-2 defeat of the Ottawa Senators, it was the first-line trio of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi all finding the net, with Nikolaj Ehlers adding a goal and two assists of his own. Connor Hellebuyck was rock-solid stopping 33 of 35 shots fired his way and Winnipeg collected another two points. Even though this theme is occurring time and time again there are no signs that it is unsustainable.
Hellebuyck, Connor, and Scheifele are superstars in this league, whether they get the recognition they deserve or not. Perhaps it was due to the latter being snubbed by his respective nation on the roster for the Four Nations Faceoff, but this trio is carrying the mail for this Winnipeg Jets team.
Nashville Predators Playing for Pride
It’s not often that you can count a team completely out before the New Year hits, but I think it’s safe to say this is a lost year in Nashville. With so many promising moves made in the offseason by general manager Barry Trotz, it appeared the Predators were positioning themselves to make a true run at a Stanley Cup. Though Stamkos and Marchessault are among their team leaders in points, their impact hasn’t been felt nearly enough. Trotz trusting in two players in their mid to late 30s to lead this team from an offensive standpoint has only highlighted Nashville’s lack of depth and youthful, impact players.
Several players have already been moved from Nashville (Dante Fabbro, Juuso Parssinen, Alexandre Carrier, Philip Tomasino, Yaroslav Askarov) and many of those moves are of the eyebrow-raising variety. Clearly, there is a cultural disconnect occurring within the organization and they are trying to work through it. Nevertheless, this situation is trending towards a full-scale rebuild that nobody saw coming.
Prediction
Two teams that are heading in opposite directions are meeting in this contest and it should go as expected. In the month of December, Winnipeg has allowed the second-fewest goals at 5 on 5 play and has the best SV% and High Danger SV%. They are a difficult team to play against with their aggressive, physical style, and even more so difficult with the type of goaltending they have each game.
Nashville, on the other side, is in the bottom four in the league in 5 on 5 goals scored in the month of December. This is a battle of the team 32nd in Goals For/Game (Nashville) and the team that is 2nd in Goals For/Game and 1st in Goals Against/Game (Winnipeg). This game being the front end of a back-to-back scenario for both teams will make the goaltending choices more strategic but regardless the Jets are still a way more complete hockey team. Expect Winnipeg to stifle the offence of Nashville in this one.
Prediction: Jets win 3-0
Prop Bets of the Night
With the consistent struggles of Nashville offensively, we don’t foresee many goals coming from them in this game. Gambling sites have Nashville’s goal total set a 2.5; we like the under on that bet, with the odds being +108. Trust in Connor Hellebuyck (or Eric Comrie) and Winnipeg’s stellar defensive game.
Main Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: Dec. 30 Winnipeg Jets vs Nashville Predators appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.