The Nashville Predators (15-16-4) head to St. Paul to face the Minnesota Wild (22-10-5) in a Central Division matchup that’s a tale of two teams heading in different directions. The Predators have struggled with consistency this season but showed signs of life in recent wins, relying on veteran scoring and goaltending to stay in the wild-card hunt. The Wild, meanwhile, are among the Western Conference elite, boasting a balanced attack and one of the league’s top defenses (2.45 GAA, 4th in NHL), though recent losses have highlighted vulnerabilities against high-powered offenses. This is the second meeting of the 2025-26 season; Minnesota won the first 3-2 in overtime on November 4, with Kirill Kaprizov netting the winner. Expect a fast-paced, physical game where Minnesota’s home dominance (11-5-1) clashes with Nashville’s road grit (5-7-2), potentially decided by special teams—Wild’s power play at 25.8% (6th) vs. Predators’ penalty kill at 79.2% (22nd).
Venue Location
Xcel Energy Center (formerly Grand Casino Arena in some listings), St. Paul, MN. This 18,064-seat venue has been a fortress for the Wild, where they’ve gone 11-5-1 this season, outscoring opponents by an average of 3.4-2.5 per game.
Puckdrop is set for 8:00 PM ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with local feeds on FanDuel Sports Network (Wild) and Bally Sports South (Predators).
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with key absences, but Minnesota’s list is more extensive, potentially affecting their depth in this back-to-back scenario for Nashville.
Nashville Predators:
Out: Justin Barron (lower body – IR, expected return Dec. 29), Ozzy Wiesblatt (undisclosed – IR, out 8-10 weeks).
Questionable/Probable: No major day-to-day issues reported; the team is relatively healthy otherwise.
Notable Notes: Barron’s injury thins the blue line, forcing more minutes on Roman Josi and Alexandre Carrier. Wiesblatt’s long-term absence impacts forward depth, but veterans like Filip Forsberg have stepped up.
Minnesota Wild:
Out: Zach Bogosian (lower body – IR, expected return Dec. 27), Daemon Hunt (undisclosed – IR), Vinnie Hinostroza (undisclosed – IR, out a month or more), Jonas Brodin (lower body – recently activated but monitoring).
Questionable/Probable: Nico Sturm (recently returned), Mats Zuccarello (activated from IR).
Notable Notes: Bogosian’s absence weakens the blue line physicality, while Hinostroza’s injury limits forward options. Brodin and Zuccarello’s returns boost depth, but the team has been “bit hard by the injury bug” per reports.
Player Matchups
Nashville’s veteran core faces Minnesota’s dynamic forwards, with goaltending likely playing a pivotal role.
Filip Forsberg (NSH) vs. Kirill Kaprizov (MIN): Forsberg (recent point streak, 12 goals) brings physical scoring against Kaprizov (league-leading points contender, 20 goals). Forsberg’s net-front presence tests Minnesota’s interior D, while Kaprizov’s speed exploits Nashville’s 25th-ranked opponent shots allowed (31.0 per game).
Roman Josi (NSH) vs. Matt Boldy (MIN): Josi (defensive anchor, 5 goals, 18 assists) faces Boldy’s scoring surge (14 goals). Josi’s puck-moving could create odd-man rushes, but Boldy’s shot volume challenges Nashville’s blue line.
Justus Annunen (NSH) vs. Filip Gustavsson (MIN): Annunen (recent 16 saves in win) vs. Gustavsson (.920 SV%). Annunen’s form (.915 SV% in December) matches Minnesota’s shot volume, but Gustavsson’s home edge could limit Nashville’s chances.
Other Key Battles: Steven Stamkos (NSH, veteran scorer) vs. Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN, two-way center); Alexandre Carrier (NSH) vs. Marcus Johansson (MIN) for perimeter control.
Minnesota’s depth gives them an edge in sustained pressure.
Recent Team Forms
Nashville is building momentum with back-to-back wins, while Minnesota’s high-flying offense has hit a snag in recent losses.
Nashville Predators (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Dec 21 | vs. New York Rangers | W 2-1 |
| Dec 20 | vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | W 5-3 |
| Dec 17 | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | L 1-4 |
| Dec 15 | @ St. Louis Blues | W 5-2 |
| Dec 12 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | L 3-4 |
Form: 3-2-0 in last 5, averaging 3.0 GPG while allowing 2.8. Wins over contenders like NYR and TOR show defensive grit (Annunen’s key saves), but losses highlight offensive inconsistencies.
Minnesota Wild (Last 5 Games):
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Dec 21 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | L 1-5 |
| Dec 20 | vs. Edmonton Oilers | W 5-2 |
| Dec 18 | vs. Ottawa Senators | W 4-3 (OT) |
| Dec 16 | vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | W 4-1 |
| Dec 14 | @ Chicago Blackhawks | L 2-3 |
Form: 3-2-0 in last 5, averaging 3.2 GPG while allowing 3.0. The Avalanche blowout exposed defensive lapses, but wins over EDM and OTT showcased Kaprizov’s playmaking.
Series History
Nashville holds a slight all-time edge: 47-39-5-2 (53.2% win rate) in 93 games. Recently, Minnesota has had the upper hand, winning the November 4 meeting 3-2 OT and going 4-1 in the last five head-to-heads. At Xcel Energy Center, the Wild are 26-20-3 vs. Nashville. Series games average 5.2 total goals in the last 10.
Betting Trends
Over is 3-2 in Wild’s last 5; under is 4-1 in Predators’ last 5 road games. Wild 8-2 in last 10 as favorites; Predators 4-1 ATS after a win. Series overs hit in 4 of last 7.
Game Odds
Nashville Predators 6.5
Minnesota Wild – 185
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 22, 2025
