Our Minnesota Wild vs Nashville Predators preview covers the odds, puck line, total, puck drop time, TV channel and where to watch on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The Minnesota Wild (46-24-12 in 2025-26) visit the Nashville Predators (38-34-10) at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Puck drop is 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT). TV: Scripps Sports / MINNHL / Wild+ (U.S. regional).

Season-opener storyline: This Central Division matchup is the first game of the season for both teams. Minnesota opens without defenseman Brock Faber, who is out indefinitely after surgery for a fractured skull he sustained when a shot hit him in the head in a preseason game Sept. 25 (NHL.com). Quinn Hughes, who does not have a contract extension and can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, leads the Wild blue line. Nashville is looking to avoid another slow start after entering December last season at 8-13-4. DraftKings lists Minnesota at -148 and Nashville at +124 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.

Minnesota Wild vs Nashville Predators Odds, Puck Line & Game Info

Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN), cross-checked on Action Network, as of Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, ~6:21 PM ET. Totals ranged from 6 to 6.5 across books at research time. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies were not confirmed at research time.

Minnesota Wild Preview: Last Season, Offseason & Goalies

2025-26 recap: Minnesota went 46-24-12 (104 points) and finished third in the Central Division. The Wild beat Dallas in six games in the first round before Colorado eliminated them in five in the second round. Kirill Kaprizov led the team with 45 goals and 89 points, Matt Boldy had 42 goals and 85 points, and Hughes had 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games after joining Minnesota.

Offseason moves: Minnesota acquired forward Blake Coleman (20 goals) and defenseman Olli Maatta from Calgary for defenseman Jake Middleton, signed forward Maxim Shabanov and goalie Calvin Pickard, and let Mats Zuccarello (54 points) go to Los Angeles. Marcus Johansson signed in Sweden, and Vladimir Tarasenko remains an unrestricted free agent (NHL.com).

Key players & coach: Kaprizov, Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman and Coleman lead the forwards. Hughes is in the final season of his contract, and owner Craig Leipold has said the Wild will extend him (TSN). John Hynes begins his fourth season as coach.

Goalies: Jesper Wallstedt went 18-9-6 with a 2.61 GAA, .916 save percentage and four shutouts in 35 games last season, and Pickard is the backup while Filip Gustavsson (hip surgery) is on injured reserve (NHL.com, Daily Faceoff). Minnesota had not confirmed a starter at research time.

Injuries: Faber (skull fracture) is out indefinitely after surgery on Sept. 27; GM Bill Guerin said there is no timetable (NHL.com, AP). Gustavsson (hip) is on injured reserve and is not expected back until November (Daily Faceoff).

Nashville Predators Preview: Bourque, Saros and a Better Start

2025-26 recap: Nashville went 38-34-10 (86 points), finished sixth in the Central and missed the playoffs by four points after a slow start. The Predators went 30-21-6 after Dec. 1 but allowed 3.26 goals per game, 26th in the NHL (NHL.com). Filip Forsberg led the team with 40 goals and 75 points, Ryan O’Reilly had 74 points and Steven Stamkos scored 42 goals.

Offseason moves: Nashville added five new forwards: Mavrik Bourque (20 goals with Dallas, signed to a six-year contract), Ross Colton and Jack Drury from Colorado, Adam Edstrom from the Rangers and Nils Hoglander from Vancouver. The Predators also signed Alex Kerfoot and acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin with Bourque. Erik Haula signed with Los Angeles, Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov were traded to Colorado, and Luke Evangelista (56 points) was traded to New Jersey on Sept. 1.

Key players & coach: Forsberg, O’Reilly, Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Matthew Wood lead the attack, with Roman Josi (55 points) and Brady Skjei on the back end. Bourque, a natural center, could push for a bigger role in the middle. Andrew Brunette begins his fourth season as coach.

Goalies: Juuse Saros played 59 games last season, the second most in the NHL, but his 3.16 GAA was the highest of his career and his .894 save percentage the lowest (NHL.com). Justus Annunen (2.68 GAA, .907 in 28 games) is the backup. Nashville had not confirmed a starter at research time.

Injuries: ESPN listed no Predators injuries at research time.

Key Matchup Notes: Wild vs Predators

• Season opener for both: It is the first game of the season for Minnesota and Nashville.
• Wild defense without Faber: Faber averaged 24:41 per game last season and was expected to start on a pair with Hughes (NHL.com, Daily Faceoff).
• Goal scorers: Kaprizov (45) and Boldy (42) combined for 87 goals last season. Forsberg (40) and Stamkos (42) combined for 82.
• Slow starts: Nashville was 8-13-4 entering December last season and opened 2024-25 with five straight losses (NHL.com).
• In goal: Wallstedt posted a .916 save percentage last season. Saros posted a .894.
• Odds snapshot: Minnesota -148 / Nashville +124 on the moneyline, Wild -1.5 (+180) on the puck line, total 6.5 (DraftKings).

How to Watch Minnesota Wild vs Nashville Predators

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Puck drop: 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
TV: Scripps Sports carries the game in the Predators’ market, and MINNHL and Wild+ in the Wild’s market (NHL.com). ESPN also lists ESPN+ streaming. No national TV broadcast is listed in the U.S. or Canada at research time.

Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 1, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.