Nashville Predators vs Seattle Kraken Pick & Prediction for Thursday January 1, 2026
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The Nashville Predators head west to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington to take on the Seattle Kraken at 10:00 PM ET on ESPN+. Nashville enters this one at 18-17-4 overall with an 8-8-2 road record, while Seattle is 16-14-7 overall and 8-7-4 at home. If you’re lining up your card for the late window, don’t forget to check out more free NHL picks to compare angles across the slate.
Nashville Predators: Finding Points by Winning the Tight Ones
Nashville’s season has been a bit of a grind, and the stats show it: they’re scoring 2.82 goals per game while allowing 3.34, which is not usually the recipe you want for consistent winning. But what’s kept them afloat lately is that they’ve found ways to survive close games and steal results—especially when they don’t have their A+ offensive night. The shot volume is basically even (28.2 SF/G vs 28.3 SA/G), so a lot of their outcomes hinge on special teams swings and goaltending holding up. The last five are strong: W 4-2 at Vegas, W 4-3 at Utah, L 3-2 at St. Louis, W 3-2 OT at Minnesota, and W 2-1 vs NYR. That’s four wins in five, and three of them were in one-goal games—classic “get the points however you can” hockey.
In net, Juuse Saros is the clear anchor with 15 wins, a 2.93 GAA, and a .898 SV%. That save percentage isn’t elite by his standards, but he’s still the type of goalie who can tilt a single game if Nashville keeps the slot from turning into a shooting gallery. Behind him, Justus Annunen has struggled (3.43 GAA, .878 SV%), which makes Nashville much more volatile if they’re not starting Saros. For handicapping, Saros is a massive part of any Nashville moneyline case—he’s the one who can steal you a 3-2 or 2-1 even if the Preds get out-chanced.
On the injury front, the Predators have Jonathan Marchessault (OUT). That’s a meaningful absence because he’s one of the forwards who can create offence without needing everything to be perfectly set up. With him out, Nashville leans even harder into O’Reilly/Stamkos type finishing moments and hoping their depth can keep the puck moving enough to generate quality chances.
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Seattle Kraken: Defense-First Identity, Offence-by-Committee
Seattle’s numbers tell a very different story: they score just 2.57 goals per game but allow only 2.89, and that’s why they’re often sitting in these coin-flip price ranges. The Kraken aren’t built to run teams off the ice—they’re built to keep games manageable, hang around, and then win it with a couple of well-timed goals. The shot profile is a concern (26.0 SF/G vs 29.2 SA/G), which means they can spend stretches defending, but if their goaltending is sharp they can absolutely win that way. Their last five: L 3-2 SO vs Vancouver, W 4-1 vs Philadelphia, W 3-2 at LA, W 3-1 at Anaheim, and W 4-2 at San Jose. That’s 4-1 in the last five, and they’ve been consistently holding opponents to low-ish totals during that run.
Goaltending is where Seattle can really swing this matchup. Joey Daccord has been solid (2.77 GAA, .904 SV%), and Philipp Grubauer has been even better in his sample (2.44 GAA, .917 SV%). Matt Murray also shows strong numbers (2.21 GAA, .922 SV%) but without wins to back it up. The key point: Seattle’s best path to controlling this game is letting Nashville fire from the outside, cleaning up rebounds, and trusting their goalie to win the “save battle.” If Seattle gets the better goaltending performance, their lower-event style is tough to beat.
Injuries matter for Seattle too. Brandon Montour (IR) is a significant blue-line piece, Jaden Schwartz (IR) is listed with an estimated return of Jan 1, and Max McCormick (OUT) is also on the report. If Schwartz can’t go or is limited, that trims Seattle’s finishing and puck-touch quality up front—exactly the kind of thing that can turn a 3-2 win into a 2-1 loss.
Points To Consider
This game sets up like a classic clash of “who dictates the pace.” Nashville is allowing 3.34 goals per game, which is dangerous against any team that can finish, but Seattle doesn’t usually play that kind of open, high-octane hockey. The Kraken would love to slow this down, force Nashville to earn every entry, and keep the shot quality low. If that happens, we’re looking at a tight contest where one power play or one rebound goal can decide it.
The other big swing is special teams vs discipline. Nashville’s power play is at 18.8%, Seattle’s at 20.7%, but Seattle’s penalty kill has been shaky (71.7% PPGA PCT shown), which can be a real problem if they take penalties in the wrong spots. Conversely, Nashville’s penalty kill looks stronger (81.8%), which matters if Seattle tries to win this game through power-play separation.
Finally, consider the goalie edge. Nashville’s road wins lately have come in tight games where Saros can keep them afloat. Seattle’s recent success lines up with goaltending + structure. This matchup could easily come down to which team gets the cleaner performance in net and which defence avoids the one disastrous turnover that turns into a tap-in.
Nashville Predators vs Seattle Kraken Prediction
Moneyline: I’m taking Seattle (-115). The price is basically asking who is more reliable in a “one-goal game” script, and I lean Seattle at home because their defensive profile (2.89 GAA) fits perfectly against a Nashville team that isn’t consistently explosive offensively. Seattle also has multiple viable goaltending options playing well, and that matters in a matchup where chances may be limited and every save feels heavier.
Puck line: I’m leaning Nashville +1.5 (-258) as the safer puck-line side. Even if I like Seattle to win, the Kraken are not built to win by margin most nights—they’re scoring 2.57 goals per game, and their style naturally produces close finishes. If you’re looking for a conservative angle, +1.5 makes sense because a 3-2 or 2-1 game feels very live here. If you want a higher-risk sprinkle, Seattle -1.5 (+210) is purely an “empty-net” bet to me, not something I’d base on dominance.
Total: I’m backing Under 5.5 (-105). Seattle games often land in the 2-1 / 3-2 neighborhood because of their pace and shot quality profile, and Nashville—despite allowing goals—has also been winning tight games lately. If Seattle gets decent goaltending and keeps Nashville’s power play from getting too many looks, the under has a real path. Betting on sports and on the Kraken is easy, but even easier if you use the best sportsbooks. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for the Predators with the Novig promo code. Make sure when you place your bet on Predators vs Kraken you are using the BetMGM bonus code.
Final Score Prediction: Kraken 3, Predators 2
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