Welcome to this Canadian Thanksgiving afternoon show and edition of NHL Predictions, as we feature the Nashville Predators in town to feast with the Ottawa Senators. If all goes according to the cook, this one ends right around the same time as the turkeys. Gooble, gooble everybody. Let’s also not forget the holiday in the United States of America, while we are at it. Monday is Thanksgiving Day in Canada but it is also Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the mighty USA. So whether you’re north or south of the 49, you get a bank holiday on this second Monday of October 2025.
NHL Predictions for the Senators and Predators
2024-25 Regular Season Series: Senators won 2 – 0
Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
How to Watch TV: TSN5, RDS2, FDSNSO
Location: Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario
To the surprise of no one that follows the Ottawa Senators closely, Shane Pinto maybe (is) the best Sen right now. He leads the team in goals (four) and points (five). His inclusion on Team USA in the summer was a signal. But early on, there are obvious signs he is ready to dominate, no debate. He is a two-way specialist for the Sens, there’s no denying that fact. However, how can Ottawa best take advantage of that attribute? It is kind of yet to be seen, as it is largely unknown Pinto’s offensive ceiling.
In terms of the injury front for the Ottawa Senators, at the beginning of the day, Tyler Kleven was expected to play. However, Drake Batherson is less likely to play, but that decision is still unconfirmed. It is not known who comes out of the lineup, but it would be probable to guess Donovan Sebrango. Moreover, Sen fans are still anxiously awaiting the debut of off-season acquisition Jordan Spence. With the tougher Kleven being injected back into the lineup, it may make Nikolas Matinpalo more expendable, to allow Spence an opportunity. In any case, make sure you check social media for the very latest lineup news and notes before locking in your fantasy lineups.
The Ottawa Senators remain poised to command the respect an Eastern Conference playoff team expects. On a nightly basis, too. It’s strange, that certain behaviours generate profitability and the Sen are extremely heady. In other words, they know what it takes to win. Can they execute for head coach Travis Green? That remains to be seen. One more note, is that Linus Ullmark is expected to start. However, we imagine Leevi Merilainen’s season debut isn’t far away.
The Nashville Predators Perspective
The Preds are trying to figure out if they’re contenders or pretenders. That way it makes it much easier to start conjuring up devilish schemes on the trade front, but it is still the first week, we aren’t there yet.
For Nashville, long gone are the days that meant a reunion with former Sen legend Mike Fisher, or Carrie Underwood for that matter. A more recent conversation piece is Matt Duchene. He spent two years in Ottawa before four seasons in Nashville, but not since 2023 was he in Tennessee.
The Predators are still led by their top players. Juuse Saros has strong numbers to start the campaign and is the expected starter. Offensively, Filip Forsberg is as strong of a scoring threat as the Central Division knows. Then there’s the leader of the defence, Roman Josi. Despite a difficult health diagnosis, the disease known as POTS (postural techycardia syndrome), he is managing it well. He says there’s no evidence of it in his play, and if the player thinks that, that’s all that matters, really.
With that in mind, we look at some other notable players’ point-per-game numbers.
Roman Josi has 725 points in 964 games, or a 0.752 PPG. The top among defencemen all-time includes
- Bobby Orr with 915 points in 657 games, a 1.393 PPG.
- Paul Coffey with 1531 points in 1409 games, a 1.087 PPG.
- Denis Potvin with 1052 points in 1060 games, a 0.992 PPG.
- Ray Bourque has 1579 points in 1612 games, a 0.980 PPG.
- Al MacInnis with 1274 points in 1416 games, a 0.900 PPG.
As a side note, Filip Forsberg with 683 points in 782 games (0.873 PPG) is rated 150th overall, for all skaters.
Top-active defencemen
- Cale Makar 1.083
- Quinn Hughes 0.943
- Adam Fox 0.857
- Erik Karlsson 0.800
Finally, after Karlsson on the active d-man list is Roman Josi, 964 career games, 190 goals, 535 assists, good for a 0.752 PPG.
NHL Predictions
Ottawa played Nashville well last year and that’s a trend we think continues. We like Ottawa at home and needing a bounce back from the loss to Florida.
Prediction: Ottawa win 4-1
Prop Bets
This feels like the type of gritty game Ridly Greig nets one. He pays +350 as of publication. Likewise, a more so depth guy, Jonathan Marchessault, does likewise for Nashville, who pays at +300. Combining with a Sens goal-spread cover, it pays nearly +3900.
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
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The post NHL Predictions: Senators Edition on Canadian Thanksgiving Ottawa vs. Nashville Predators appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.