The Carolina Hurricanes kick off a three-game road trip against a Nashville Predators team showing signs of life in December. Carolina, atop the Metropolitan Division with elite metrics and strong goaltending, aims for a fifth straight win, while Nashville looks to build on recent momentum in front of the home crowd.
Game Details
Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Puck Drop: 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network South (Canes), ESPN+, streaming options
Carolina leads the East with excellent possession and defense, while Nashville sits near the bottom of the Central but has improved lately. The Hurricanes opened as solid road favorites.
Injury Report
Carolina Hurricanes:
Out: Jesperi Kotkaniemi (F – undisclosed/ankle concerns), Mike Reilly (D)
Questionable/Monitoring: Jaccob Slavin (D – lower body, practiced limited)
Depth goalie Brandon Bussi available; core like Aho, Svechnikov healthy.
Nashville Predators:
Out: Justin Barron (D – lower body), Cole Smith (F – upper/lower body), Ozzy Wiesblatt (F – upper body)
Relatively healthier core; Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, Roman Josi, Juuse Saros expected in.
Both teams dealing with depth issues, but Carolina’s absences less impactful on top lines.
Recent Team Forms
Carolina is surging with structured play and clutch wins; Nashville heating up after slow start.
Carolina Hurricanes (four-game win streak, strong December):
Dominant stretch with shootout expertise:
Recent: 3-2 SO win vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Dec 14)
Prior wins including routs and tight divisional battles.
Elite defense allowing ~2.2 GPG lately; balanced scoring and goaltending carrying them.
Nashville Predators (5-2-0 in December, +8 goal differential):
Improved offense and wins:
Dec 15: 5-2 win vs. St. Louis Blues (Filip Forsberg hat trick)
Recent: Multiple blowouts and solid performances.
Forsberg red-hot; Juuse Saros stabilizing in net.
Key Player Matchups
Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis/Andrei Svechnikov (CAR) vs. Roman Josi/Brady Skjei (NSH): Carolina’s dynamic top line (Aho point-per-game vs. NSH career) vs. Nashville’s blue line, including ex-Cane Skjei struggling offensively.
Filip Forsberg (NSH) vs. Hurricanes Defense (Gostisbehere/Chatfield): Forsberg’s scoring surge (hat trick recent) vs. Carolina’s shot suppression.
Ryan O’Reilly (NSH) vs. Jordan Staal (CAR): Veteran centers’ faceoff and two-way battle.
Goaltending: Pyotr Kochetkov/Brandon Bussi (CAR, strong form) vs. Juuse Saros (NSH, recent solid outings).
Series History
Carolina won the most recent meeting: 6-3 at home on Dec. 6, 2025 (Jackson Blake multi-points, Bussi in net).
All-time regular season: Roughly even (~22-22 range historically). Carolina has edge in recent years, including playoff series win (2021). Games often feature strong goaltending and mid-scoring outputs.
Betting Trends
Key Trends:
Hurricanes: Strong ATS on road; unders common with elite defense.
Predators: Improved home form in December; overs trending with offensive bursts.
Head-to-head: Recent game over (6-3); mixed totals.
Game Odds
Carolina Hurricanes – 180
Nashville Predators 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, December 16, 2025
