The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night as the NHL works its way back into full swing following its Olympic break. This is the first game back for both of these teams, as they both look to help their fading playoff hopes with a victory in the Music City. Before this contest begins from Nashville, continue reading to find my Blackhawks vs Predators prediction right here.
Our Blackhawks vs Predators Pick
Pick:
Confidence: 3 out of 5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators
- Date & Time: Thursday, February 26, 2026, 8:00 PM ET
- Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Blackhawks enter having won only 1 of their last 5 games, including some lopsided losses that have shown issues with their defensive stability. Their performance over recent outings has featured too many deficits that they struggled to overcome, particularly on the road. Thankfully they have a well-rested Connor Bedard after he didn’t play for Canada at the Olympics.
Nashville’s recent form reflects its own struggles, with two wins and three losses in the last five games. The Predators also have the home-ice advantage in this game and will look to take advantage of it to assert themselves early and build a lead against a team that has shown vulnerability against any sort of sustained offensive pressure.
Goaltending
Chicago is likely to go with Spencer Knight in net in their first game post-break. Knight has a GAA of 2.62 and is more than capable of shutting down opposing attackers on any given night. Nashville’s Juuse Saros has struggled at times this season, but he looked good in the Olympics for Finland and nearly helped them to upset Canada in the semifinals of that tournament. It will be interesting to see if he can build on that now that he is back with his club.
Key skaters
Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi are the drivers of the offense for Chicago this year. Bedard has 23 goals and a team-high 30 assists, while Bertuzzi leads the Blackhawks with 25 goals of his own. Nashville is led in goals by Steven Stamkos, who continues to produce despite having logged so many miles as a pro already. He is often set up by Ryan O’Reilly, who leads the Preds with 36 assists.
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Blackhawks are 1-6 straight up in their last 7 outings.
- Chicago has struggled on the road, going 4-9 straight up in their last 13 road games.
- These teams are 1-1 against each other this season, with the road team winning both matchups so far.
Blackhawks vs Predators Model Projection
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Final Thoughts
