The Nashville Predators (2-0-1) and Toronto Maple Leafs (1-2-0) meet in an inter-conference battle tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Maple Leafs are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-105 / -115) and they are a -190 favorite to win outright, while the Predators are +160 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Predators vs. Maple Leafs predictions and NHL picks.
Predators vs. Maple Leafs Odds, Pick
| Predators Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -155 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | +160 |
| Maple Leafs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +130 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | -190 |
- Predators vs. Maple Leafs Puck Line: Predators +1.5 (-155), Maple Leafs -1.5 (+130)
- Predators vs. Maple Leafs Over/Under: 6.5 (-105o / -115u)
- Predators vs. Maple Leafs Moneyline: Predators +160, Maple Leafs -190
Predators vs. Maple Leafs Preview
The Nashville Predators kicked off their Canadian road trip in solid fashion after starting with a 4-1 win in Ottawa. Prior to that, they also came away with a win on Thursday and an overtime loss on Saturday. So it hasn’t been so bad for the Preds.
However, I don’t anticipate that to continue. Boy, do they look terrible on paper, especially with the rumors that General Manager Barry Trotz is considering moving on from Filip Forsberg so he can go all in on the rebuild.
It’s just a team of over-the-hill veterans who shouldn’t be the number one options anymore. Jonathan Marchessault is still a very solid player, but at the age of 34, the clock is ticking. Same with Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly and Roman Josi.
The young talent, though, is rather promising, and at the very least, if I’m a Predators fan, I’m liking the long-term outlook. I’m a big fan of Joakim Kemell, and was a little disappointed to see that Zachary L’Heureux wasn’t on the Opening Night roster.
Not only that, a player like Brady Martin plays the game the right way, and I anticipate him getting a lot of burn this season.
All that being said, Juuse Saros has been saving Nashville’s bacon. No matter how long he’s been with the team, that doesn’t seem to change. He’s been fantastic in three starts with a .947 SV% and a 2.3 GSAx.
For the Leafs, I don’t know whether they’re just bad or if the Detroit Red Wings are good.
Last week, I laced into the Red Wings because of how poorly they’re built, and yet, Toronto just fell to them twice in a row.
The Leafs will always be around. Auston Matthews, albeit rather quiet in the first three games, is still the game's best goal scorer, and William Nylander has gotten better every year.
But woof, the team’s 5-on-5 numbers are terrible.
In the three games played, they were dominated by the Wings and the Montreal Canadiens, averaging a 40.0 xGF% and a fifth-worst 3.38 xGA/60.
Not only that, goaltender Anthony Stolarz has been underwhelming with an .886 SV% and a 0.6 GSAx.
We may be getting to a point where Leafs fans are going to miss Mitch Marner. Sure, he was nothing more than a skill guy, but he was elite at it.
I did like the pickups of Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli, and think they bring in a fresh perspective to a team that lacked leadership. I may be giving Maccelli too much credit here, since he's not that experienced, but I’ve always been a fan of his game.
Roy has a Stanley Cup ring to show for it, and he’s the perfect bottom-six center that the Leafs have needed since they signed John Tavares.
Predators vs. Maple Leafs Prediction
There’s no doubt that Nashville's three-game stretch is an aberration. I don’t foresee the Predators being a big-time player as the season progresses.
The Leafs should be a playoff team as they get their sea legs under them, but I think they’re still learning a life without Marner.
Either way, I think Toronto is going to have a hard time figuring out Saros, who’s once again playing out of his mind.
And for Nashville, I’m just not a believer. In every single game it’s played in, the under has hit. And given how ineffective Toronto has looked to start, we’re going to ride with the under here.
Pick: Under 6.5 (-115)
