Nashville Predators vs. Montreal Canadiens Picks and Prediction for Thursday, October 16, 2025
Use Code SSWC In the beginning stages of the NHL season, a thrilling matchup awaits as the Nashville Predators, standing third in the Central Division, take on the Montreal Canadiens, ranked third in the Atlantic Division. This game at the Bell Centre on October 16th promises to be a thrilling battle, showcasing two of the better teams in the sport. With this being the first of two games between these nonconference foes, this could be a good tone-setting matchup to fuel them for the season. Blue line to crease — NHL picks for Nashville Predators at Montreal Canadiens without the fluff.
Predators Looking to Continue Playing Well on the Road
The Nashville Predators, currently third in the Central Division with a 2-1-1 record, have carved a position for themselves as they look like a legitimate threat this year. Their recent performances, including a 7-4 road loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs, reflect a team struggling on defense. Erik Haula, the team's point leader with four, has been significant in executing their offense, contributing to their average goal score of 3.00 per game, ranking them tied for 16th in the league. The Preds' power play efficiency, standing at a terrible 5.9% (29th in NHL), showcases an area where the team can improve to get more scoring.
In terms of defense, the team has been conceding an average of 3.00 goals per game, placing them tied for 13th in the NHL in goals against. Goalie Juuse Saros has been a critical portion of Nashville’s ability to secure wins, with a GAA of 1.64 and a save percentage of 0.947. His recent performance, giving up one goal against Ottawa, underscores how effective he can be and gives the offense a chance to win. Nashville enters this game with only one player on the injury report, so they are as healthy as they can be. Their penalty kill rate stands at 80.0% early on, reflecting a disciplined approach to defense. With 32 penalty minutes in their first four games, this gives the opposition a chance to take advantage with a man advantage, but Nashville has been elite at killing penalties.
Injury Report for Nashville
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- Defenseman Nicolas Hague: Upper Body (OUT)
Canadiens Looking Dominant Early On
The Montreal Canadiens, third in the Atlantic Division with a 3-1-0 record, are a testament to consistent excellence in the NHL. Their recent success against the Seattle Kraken at home in overtime 5-4 makes things easier going forward with a three-game winning streak now. The Canadiens’ offense is spearheaded by Nick Suzuki, the points leader with six. This offensive prowess is showcased in their goal average of 3.75 per game, ranking them sixth in hockey. Montreal’s power play, sitting in 18th place with a 17.7%, is a factor where they are looking to improve to get the offense even better, while their faceoff win percentage at 50.7% (14th in NHL) gives the offense another exciting aspect.
Defensively, the Canadiens allow an average of 3.00 goals per game, tied for 13th in goals against. Despite this, their penalty kill efficiency, at 78.6%, places them tied for 20th, highlighting a defense that needs to figure out how to get back on track. Sam Montembeault, with a GAA of 2.98, remains a big reason for the success between the pipes. Montreal is in the rare position where they do not have any players on the injury report entering this game. With 37 penalty minutes, their aggressiveness could be viewed as a bit of an issue as they are averaging more than nine minutes in the penalty box per game and that takes a toll on the defense.
Injury Report for Montreal
No injuries to report
Nashville Predators vs. Montreal Canadiens Pick
Spread Pick for Predators vs. Canadiens
- Nashville Predators +140 (5 units)
Juuse Saros has been able to be a significant factor in the net as he has allowed less than two goals per game through his first three outings. Nashville has been excellent at killing penalties, so they can step up and take advantage when they are being a bit too aggressive. Montreal is entering this game coming off an overtime game on Tuesday, so this is going to be a bit of an issue with tired legs as they get used to the wear and tear of the season. Nashville has looked good on the road and outplayed some sloppy defense in one game; the Preds arguably look like the better overall team. All in all, go with the Nashville Predators as a sizable underdog.
Over/Under Pick for Preds vs. Habs
- Over 5.5 (4 units)
When looking at the last game before Thursday, these defenses struggled as the Predators allowed seven goals while the Canadiens gave up four goals. On the offensive side of things, Erik Haula has been able to take advantage with good looks at the net, as he has two goals on five shot attempts. Nick Suzuki has six assists on the season, which is exciting for Montreal as he can set his teammates up for success. The over has hit in six of the previous nine games against one another, so go with over 5.5 total goals to be scored.
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