Canucks vs Predators Picks and Prediction – 1/30/2025

The Vancouver Canucks (22-17-10) travel to face the Nashville Predators (18-23-7) in a Pacific Division vs Central Division clash. Vancouver comes off a tight 2-1 win over the Capitals, while Nashville is looking to bounce back from a 5-2 loss to Anaheim. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Vancouver’s offense revolves around Quinn Hughes, who leads with 56 points, including 14 goals and 42 assists. Jake DeBrusk has contributed significantly with 17 goals, seven of which came on the power play. The Canucks average 2.84 goals per game but allow 3.14, demonstrating inconsistency in maintaining leads. Kevin Lankinen’s day-to-day status in goal adds uncertainty. Lankinen, with a 2.56 GAA and .906 save percentage, has been reliable, but Thatcher Demko’s struggles with a 3.47 GAA are concerning. Special teams have been decent, with a 22.6% power-play efficiency and an 80.1% penalty-kill rate.

Defensively, the Canucks struggle with 27.2 shots allowed per game and are missing key players like Tyler Myers (suspension) and Noah Juulsen (injury). Discipline remains an issue, as the team has amassed 490 penalty minutes, which often puts unnecessary pressure on the penalty kill. If the Canucks hope to compete, they need to tighten up defensively and reduce turnovers.

Nashville’s offense is spearheaded by Filip Forsberg, who has tallied 49 points, including 18 goals and 31 assists. The Predators average 2.69 goals per game, with Forsberg’s six power-play goals leading the way. However, scoring depth beyond Forsberg is limited, and the team ranks near the bottom in shots per game. Juuse Saros has been a solid presence in net, posting a 2.88 GAA and a .900 save percentage, but he faces heavy workloads due to Nashville’s defensive lapses.

Defensively, the Predators allow 3.21 goals per game, and while they edge Vancouver in penalty killing at 81.9%, they concede 29.2 shots per game. Nashville’s discipline is slightly better, with fewer penalty minutes, but injuries to key players like Mark Jankowski and Jeremy Lauzon further strain the blue line. A tighter defensive performance will be necessary to handle Vancouver’s offensive weapons.

Vancouver’s slight edge in offensive firepower and Nashville’s injury woes tilt the scales in favor of the Canucks. Quinn Hughes’ playmaking ability will be the difference-maker as the Canucks take advantage of Nashville’s defensive struggles. Final Score Prediction: Vancouver Canucks win 3-2.