Our Dallas Stars vs Nashville Predators preview covers the odds, puck line, total, start time, TV channel and where to watch on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The Dallas Stars (0-1-0 this season; 50-20-12 in 2025-26) visit the Nashville Predators (0-1-0 this season; 38-34-10 in 2025-26) at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Puck drop is 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT). TV: Scripps Sports / Prime Video (U.S. regional).
Storyline: Dallas is on the second night of a back-to-back after a 4-0 loss to St. Louis on Friday, Oct. 2, its season opener. Nashville is 0-1-0 after a 3-1 home loss to Minnesota on Oct. 1, when Roman Josi scored the Predators’ only goal and Juuse Saros made 27 saves. Dallas is without forward Matt Duchene, who was placed on long-term injured reserve and will miss at least the first 10 games (NHL.com). DraftKings lists Dallas at -135 and Nashville at +114 on the moneyline, with the total at 5.5.
Dallas Stars vs Nashville Predators Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Dallas Stars @ Nashville Predators |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 Records | Dallas Stars 0-1-0 | Nashville Predators 0-1-0 |
| 2025-26 Records | Dallas Stars 50-20-12 | Nashville Predators 38-34-10 |
| Head Coaches | DAL: Glen Gulutzan (2nd season) | NSH: Andrew Brunette (4th season) |
| Puck Line | DAL -1.5 (+180) | NSH +1.5 (-218) |
| Moneyline | Dallas Stars: -135 | Nashville Predators: +114 |
| Total | O/U 5.5 (o-130 / u+110) |
| Venue | Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, Tenn.) |
| Date / Time | Saturday, October 3, 2026 — 8:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | Scripps Sports / Prime Video (U.S. regional) |
| Probable Starting Goalies | DAL: TBD (Jake Oettinger / Casey DeSmith; Jake Oettinger started Friday) | NSH: TBD (Juuse Saros / Justus Annunen) |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN), cross-checked on Action Network, as of Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, ~10:22 PM ET. Totals ranged from 5.5 to 6 across books at research time. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies had not been confirmed at research time.
Dallas Stars Preview: Last Season, Offseason & Goalies
2025-26 recap: Dallas went 50-20-12 (112 points), finished second in the Central Division and lost to Minnesota in six games in the first round after reaching the Western Conference Final in each of the previous three seasons. The Stars ranked second in goals against per game (2.71), ninth in scoring (3.33) and second on the power play (28.6 percent) (NHL.com). Jason Robertson led the team with 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists), and Wyatt Johnston had 45 goals and 86 points and led the NHL with 27 power-play goals.
Offseason moves: Robertson signed a one-year, $12 million contract on July 21. Forward Joel Kiviranta returned to Dallas on a one-year deal. Forward Mavrik Bourque (20 goals) and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin were traded to Nashville, and defenseman Alexander Petrovic signed with Florida. Dallas recalled forwards Colin Blackwell and Arttu Hyry from Texas of the AHL ahead of the season (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: Robertson, Johnston, Mikko Rantanen (77 points in 64 games), Roope Hintz and Jamie Benn lead the forwards. Tyler Seguin returned in the preseason on Sept. 25 after tearing the ACL in his right knee on Dec. 2 (NHL.com). Miro Heiskanen (63 points), Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell lead the defense. Glen Gulutzan is in his second season as coach.
Goalies: Jake Oettinger went 35-12-6 with a 2.59 GAA, .899 save percentage and four shutouts in 54 games, and he has started at least 53 games in each of the past four seasons (NHL.com). Casey DeSmith went 15-8-6 with a 2.43 GAA and .907 save percentage. Dallas had not confirmed a starter for Saturday at research time.
Friday’s result: Dallas lost 4-0 to St. Louis at American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, in its season opener, so Saturday’s game is the second night of a back-to-back. Jake Oettinger started in goal for Dallas and made 20 saves on 22 shots. Joel Hofer started for St. Louis and made 25 saves on 25 shots. (NHL.com)
Injuries: Duchene (lower body), who had 45 points in 57 games last season, had a setback late in camp. “We thought he was going to play but it doesn’t look that way,” Gulutzan said (NHL.com Status Report). Forward Cameron Hughes (upper body) and Harrison Scott, Luke Krys and Tristan Bertucci (undisclosed) are on injured reserve (ESPN).
Nashville Predators Preview: Looking to Rebound From an Opening Loss
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: Bourque (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 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 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 is in his fourth season as coach.
Goalies: 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). He made 27 saves on 30 shots in the opener. Justus Annunen (2.68 GAA, .907 in 28 games) is the backup. Nashville had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Season opener recap: Minnesota won 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 1. Nick Foligno, Blake Coleman (power play) and Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild, and Josi scored from Forsberg and Stamkos in the second period. Minnesota outshot Nashville 30-20 (NHL.com).
Injuries: ESPN listed no Predators injuries at research time.
Key Matchup Notes: Stars vs Predators
- Schedule spot: Dallas is on the second night of a back-to-back after a 4-0 loss to St. Louis on Friday. Nashville played Thursday and had Friday off.
- Last season: Dallas won all three meetings, 3-2 and 5-4 in Nashville and 3-2 in overtime at home (NHL.com).
- Special teams: Dallas ranked second on the power play last season (28.6 percent), and Johnston led the NHL with 27 power-play goals.
- In goal: Oettinger won 35 games last season. Saros posted a career-low .894 save percentage.
- Familiar faces: Bourque and Lyubushkin face Dallas, the team that traded them to Nashville in the offseason.
- Odds snapshot: Dallas -135 / Nashville +114 on the moneyline, Stars -1.5 (+180) on the puck line, total 5.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch Dallas Stars vs Nashville Predators
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Puck drop: 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
TV: In the U.S., Scripps Sports carries the game in the Predators’ market and Prime Video in the Stars’ market (NHL.com, ESPN). 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 3, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.