The NHL regular season presents a Western Conference matchup on December 29, 2025, as the Nashville Predators visit the Utah Mammoth in a battle of teams hovering around .500. Nashville, with a balanced but inconsistent attack, seeks to rebound from a recent loss and build momentum on the road, while Utah aims to capitalize on home ice and end a potential skid. This game could feature opportunistic scoring, with Nashville’s veteran leadership clashing against Utah’s emerging young talent, but injuries and defensive play may keep it low-event.
Venue Location
The game will be held at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. This multi-purpose arena, located at 301 South Temple, has a seating capacity of approximately 18,300 for hockey and serves as the home for the Utah Mammoth. It’s known for its modern facilities and energetic crowd, providing a challenging environment for visiting teams.
Puckdrop is set for 9:00 PM ET (7:00 PM MT for local viewers)
Broadcast: Available on regional sports networks, including Bally Sports South for Predators markets and AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain for Mammoth markets; nationally via NHL Network and ESPN+.
Injury Report
Both teams are navigating absences that could impact forward depth and defensive stability. Reports are as of December 28, 2025.
Nashville Predators:
Jonathan Marchessault (RW): Questionable (lower body). He missed recent games but participated in morning skates; day-to-day and could return for December 29.
Ozzy Wiesblatt (RW): Out (upper body). Placed on injured reserve on December 5; expected to miss 8-10 weeks, thinning forward options.
Justin Barron (D): Day-to-day (undisclosed). Limited in practice; status uncertain.
Zachary L’Heureux (RW): Day-to-day (undisclosed). Questionable for lineup.
No additional key injuries, with stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg available.
Utah Mammoth:
Logan Cooley (C): Out (lower body). Placed on injured reserve on December 13; out minimum eight weeks, a significant blow to center depth.
Olli Maatta (D): Out (upper body). Sidelined since November; no return timeline, weakening the blue line.
Barrett Hayton (C): Out (illness). Absent since November; further depleting forward lines.
Juuso Valimaki (D): Out (lower body). On injured non-roster list since early December.
Anson Thornton (G): Out (lower body). Backup goaltender sidelined.
No other major injuries, with key players like Clayton Keller available.
These injuries may force both teams to rely on younger call-ups, potentially leading to more open ice and scoring opportunities.
Player Matchups
This interconference tilt features compelling individual battles, with Nashville’s defensive structure testing Utah’s speed. Key matchups to watch:
Filip Forsberg (NSH LW) vs. Clayton Keller (UTA RW): Forsberg’s power-play threat and shot volume against Keller’s quickness and playmaking (team-leading points). Keller must evade Forsberg’s physicality to generate offense.
Roman Josi (NSH D) vs. Mikhail Sergachev (UTA D): Josi’s offensive contributions from the blue line (top defenseman scorer) vs. Sergachev’s steady defense. This matchup could control transitions and power plays.
Juuse Saros (NSH G) vs. Karel Vejmelka (UTA G): Saros’ consistency (.915 SV%) against Vejmelka’s recent form. Vejmelka must rebound from injury concerns to anchor Utah.
Steven Stamkos (NSH C) vs. Jack McBain (UTA C): Stamkos’ veteran scoring vs. McBain’s energy in the faceoff circle. Stamkos could exploit mismatches if Utah’s centers are depleted.
Nashville’s experience may edge Utah’s youth, but the Mammoth’s home crowd could energize key players.
Nashville ranks mid-pack in goals for but strong in goaltending, while Utah excels in special teams but struggles with consistency.
Recent Team Forms
Nashville is coming off a loss but has shown resilience, while Utah is looking to rebound from a shutout defeat.
Nashville Predators (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 27 | at STL | L 2-3 | Close loss; Jost and Svechkov scored, but defense faltered late. nhl.com +1 |
| Dec 23 | vs MIN | W 3-2 | Narrow win; strong goaltending sealed it. youtube.com |
| Dec 20 | vs NSH | W 5-3 | Offensive effort; five goals scored. |
| Dec 17 | Unknown | L 1-4 | Defensive collapse. markerzone.com |
| Dec 15 | Unknown | W 5-2 | Dominant performance; five goals. |
Form: L-W-W-L-W (3-2 in last 5). The Predators are 5-5 in their last 10, with improved defense in wins.
Utah Mammoth (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 23 | vs COL | L 0-1 | Shutout loss; Wedgewood’s 32 saves not enough. nhl.com +1 |
| Dec 21 | vs WPG | W 4-3 OT | Overtime win; Crouse’s post-game notes highlight resilience. nhl.com |
| Dec 17 | Unknown | L | Part of 2-3-0 stretch. statmuse.com |
| Dec 16 | Unknown | L | Goal differential -1 in last 5. |
| Dec 12 | vs SEA | W 5-3 | Ended 3-game skid; Schmaltz 3 points. nhl.com |
Form: L-W-L-L-W (2-3 in last 5). The Mammoth are 4-6 in their last 10, with defensive issues in losses.
Series History
The Nashville Predators and Utah Mammoth have a limited history in their inaugural season matchup, with Nashville holding a 2-1-1 record all-time. The Predators have a goal differential of 0, highlighting close contests.
All-Time Head-to-Head: Nashville 2-1-1 (13 goals for Nashville, 13 for Utah).
Recent Games:
November 9, 2025: Nashville 1-0 Utah.
April 10, 2025: Nashville 1-0 Utah.
Utah is 1-1 at home vs. Nashville.
Games average 5.5 goals, often low-scoring due to defensive focus.
Nashville’s early success gives them confidence, but Utah’s home crowd could shift the narrative.
Betting Trends
Nashville Predators: 18-19 ATS overall; 8-9 ATS on the road. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games; 3-6 SU in last 9 vs. Utah; UNDER in 4 of last 6 road games.
Utah Mammoth: 19-20 ATS; 9-10 ATS at home. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games; OVER in 4 of last 6 vs. Nashville; 12-4 SU in last 16 home vs. Nashville.
Head-to-Head Trends: Utah 2-2 ATS in limited history; UNDER 5.5 goals in 5 of recent games.
League-Wide: Road underdogs like Nashville are 50% ATS vs. .500 teams in December 2025.
Game Odds
Nashville Predators 5.5
Utah Mammoth – 155
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, December 28, 2025
