Nashville Predators vs Colorado Avalanche 26 October 2026 Prediction

Colorado has spent much of the past few years near the top of the Western Conference, but its start to this season has been uneven. Nashville is also struggling and remains outside the playoff spots. The Avalanche will look to avenge their loss in the teams’ last meeting.

Nashville Continues to Struggle

Nashville has lost four of its last five games and slipped out of the Western Conference’s top 10. Its only win in that stretch came against nearby St. Louis in the standings, 5-2.

The Predators followed that result with a 6-0 loss to Boston. The underlying numbers did not suggest such a lopsided game: shots on goal were 31-28, and expected goals were 4.3-3.6. Goaltender Justus Annunen stopped only 80% of the shots he faced, though Nashville’s scoreless offense also bears responsibility.

Nashville Predicted Lineup: Saros (Annunen); Wilsby, Josi; Forsberg, O’Reilly, Stamkos

Full Roster: Defensemen: Skjei, Lyubushkin, Hague, Struble; forwards: Colton, Wood, Höglander, Kerfoot, Burke, Marchessault, Schaefer, Drury, Edstrom

Unavailable: Trudeau (injury)

Manager: Andrew Brunette

Colorado Has Been Inconsistent

The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winner sits in the middle of the Western Conference standings. Colorado has lost three of its last five games, including a 3-2 defeat to Philadelphia, one of the Eastern Conference’s lower-ranked teams.

One of the two wins was a 6-3 result against Tampa Bay. Colorado was outshot 34-24 and trailed 3.4-2.7 in expected goals, but finished its chances more effectively. Mackenzie Blackwood also made more than 91% of his saves.

Colorado Predicted Lineup: Blackwood (Wedgewood); Toews, C. Makar; Lehkonen, MacKinnon, Necas

Full Roster: Defensemen: Kulak, Malinski, Manson, Burns; forwards: Landeskog, Nelson, Kadri, Hughes, Svechkov, Schwartz, O’Connor, Kelly, T. Makar

Unavailable: L’Heureux (injury), Roy (questionable)

Manager: Jared Bednar

Recent Meetings in Nashville

Colorado has lost five of its last six road games against Nashville. Its lone win in that span was a 3-0 result last season, when the Predators conceded two empty-net goals. Three weeks later, Nashville won the rematch 4-3 in a shootout.

Key Stats

Colorado ranks in the top 10 in expected goals, generating 3.3 xG per game.

Nashville has converted 27.6% of its power-play opportunities, a top-four rate in the league.

Colorado has scored on 14.2% of its shots on goal, the fifth-best rate this season.

Nashville Predators vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction: Nashville to Avoid a Regulation Loss at 2.00

Main prediction: Nashville has earned at least a point in three of its last four home games, while Colorado has lost five of its last six visits to the Predators. The Avalanche have also lost recent road games to New Jersey and Philadelphia. The pick is Nashville to avoid a regulation loss at 2.00. A 4-3 exact-score pick is a higher-risk option.

Totals prediction: Nashville has allowed 17 regulation goals over its last five games. Colorado has conceded 14 and scored 18 over the same span. Each of the teams’ last three meetings produced at least six goals, so the pick is over 5.5 total goals at 1.75.