The Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets square off for the first game of the season at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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As the puck drops for the beginning of the NHL season, here's who we project to emerge victorious in Thursday's action.
Predators vs. Blue Jackets Predictions for Thursday
Our computer model for this contest expects a final score of Blue Jackets 4, Predators 3.
- Moneyline Pick: Blue Jackets (-105)
- Total Pick: Over 6 (computer predicts 6.3 goals on average)
- Spread Pick: Blue Jackets (+1.5)
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Predators Splits and Trends
- The Predators were 30-44-8 overall and 6-8-14 in overtime matchups last season.
- Nashville was 9-9-8 (26 points) in its 26 games decided by one goal.
- In the 13 games last season the Predators scored only one goal, they lost every time.
- Nashville took 14 points from the 22 games last season when it scored exactly two goals (4-12-6 record).
- The Predators scored more than two goals in 37 games (26-10-1, 53 points).
- In the 29 games when Nashville recorded a single power-play goal, it had a 12-14-3 record (27 points).
- In games when it outshot its opponent, Nashville was 18-18-5 (41 points).
- The Predators were outshot by their opponent in 39 games, going 12-24-3 to register 27 points.
Blue Jackets Splits and Trends
- The Blue Jackets (40-33-9 overall) posted a record of 10-9-19 in games that needed OT last season.
- In the 22 games Columbus played that were decided by one goal, it picked up 22 points.
- Last season the Blue Jackets scored only one goal in seven games, and they picked up two points (0-5-2).
- When Columbus scored two goals last season, they amassed nine points (4-10-1 record).
- The Blue Jackets scored three or more goals in 51 games, earning 76 points from those contests.
- Last season Columbus scored a lone power-play goal in 28 games and picked up 38 points, with a record of 18-8-2.
- When outshooting its opponent last season, Columbus was 18-12-4 (40 points).
- The Blue Jackets were outshot by their opponents in 41 games last season, going 19-17-5 to register 43 points.
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Team Stats Comparison (2024-25)
| Predators Rank | Predators AVG | Blue Jackets AVG | Blue Jackets Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31st | 2.59 | Goals Scored | 3.26 | 7th |
| 27th | 3.34 | Goals Allowed | 3.26 | 25th |
| 8th | 29.3 | Shots | 29.0 | 10th |
| 15th | 28.5 | Shots Allowed | 29.9 | 28th |
| 18th | 21.83% | Power Play % | 18.92% | 23rd |
| 7th | 81.48% | Penalty Kill % | 76.96% | 22nd |
Predators vs. Blue Jackets Game Time and TV Channel
- When: Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
- Where: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
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