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Nashville Predators vs New Jersey Devils Game Preview
The Nashville Predators head to Prudential Center to face the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+. Nashville is 24-24-5 and drifting back toward the gray area of the standings after a strong stretch earlier in the season. New Jersey is 27-24-2 and dealing with the same problem, decent nights mixed with stretches that don’t look like playoff hockey.
The trade deadline vibe is real here. New Jersey already moved Ondrej Palat in a deal that brought in Maxim Tsyplakov, and it’s hard to ignore what that says about direction. Nashville is dealing with its own noise, with veteran names popping up in rumors, and the on-ice inconsistency is feeding it.
This game also feels like a measuring stick for effort. The Devils just lost 4-3 at home to Winnipeg after a rough second period put them in a hole. Nashville took Boston to overtime and still walked away with another loss. Both teams have enough talent to win. The question is whether either one can play its style for a full 60.
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Nashville Predators vs New Jersey Devils Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should always monitor updated prices and shop numbers throughout the day using the latest NHL odds.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Predators | +119 | +1.5 (-214) | O 6.0 (-107) / U 6.0 (Not provided) |
| New Jersey Devils | -142 | -1.5 (+175) | O 6.0 (-107) / U 6.0 (Not provided) |
Nashville Predators Betting Form
Nashville’s recent slide has been more about game-to-game consistency than talent. They’re 1-3-1 in the last five and the common thread is not playing their preferred style for long enough. Some nights the start is flat. Other nights they’re fine early and the mistakes stack in the middle. It’s been hard to predict, which is exactly why bettors get cautious about laying or taking a side at anything but the right number.
The Predators still have enough offense to threaten, and the power play has been productive overall. That matters in a matchup like this because New Jersey’s five-on-five play can be vulnerable when the Devils aren’t clean in transition. If Nashville can draw penalties and get set, they can create the kind of scoring chances that don’t rely on perfect finishing.
The flip side is that Nashville can get dragged into high-event games when their details slip, and that’s where totals start to matter more than sides. For recent results and splits, the Nashville Predators stats and results page is a quick check. Availability matters here, so monitor the Nashville Predators injury report before puck drop.
New Jersey Devils Betting Form
New Jersey has been living in the middle for a while now. A 5-5-0 stretch over the last 10 games is basically the definition of it, and the frustrating part is the Devils can look sharp for a period, then fall into old habits and give up easy looks. The Winnipeg loss was a good example. They made it interesting late, but the damage was done earlier.
The Devils still have high-end creators. Jack Hughes is producing at a strong rate, Jesper Bratt is still driving offense, and Nico Hischier is the type of player who can pull a team into a more responsible game if the group follows him. From a betting perspective, that gives New Jersey a higher ceiling at home than their record suggests, but it also comes with volatility if the details disappear again.
The lineup also matters. New Jersey has been dealing with injuries, and they just made a roster move that changes forward depth. That’s not automatically negative, but it does add uncertainty in roles and chemistry. For game logs and home form, the New Jersey Devils schedule and stats page is the quick reference. Monitor the New Jersey Devils injury report before puck drop.
Nashville Predators vs New Jersey Devils Matchup Breakdown
This matchup feels like it’s going to be decided by which team plays cleaner through the middle. New Jersey wants to attack with speed and make the game flow. Nashville is more comfortable when the game is layered and the puck is going north with purpose, not bouncing around into turnovers.
Special teams can swing it, and I keep coming back to that because both teams have had issues with consistency at five-on-five. A power-play goal early can change the tone fast. The other factor is goaltending and game state. If one team gets shaky in net or starts chasing, the total can get into danger quickly.
There’s also the urgency angle. Neither team can really afford to treat this as “just another game” with the deadline and standings pressure building. Sometimes that leads to tight hockey. Sometimes it leads to mistakes because teams press. I’m not sure which version we get, but it matters for totals more than people expect.
If you want a sharper way to translate these style notes into bets, the NHL betting guide is useful. And if you want broader context on how pricing shifts as teams separate into buyers and sellers, the Stanley Cup betting guide helps with that bigger-picture lens.
Nashville Predators vs New Jersey Devils Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is New Jersey on the moneyline at -142. It’s not a slam dunk, but the price is more reasonable than the heavy favorites we’ve been dealing with, and the Devils are at home with the higher-end skill edge. Nashville can absolutely win this if they get to their power play and stay structured, but the Predators’ recent inconsistency makes me wary of backing them on the road unless the number is more generous.
On the total, I lean Over 6.0 at -107 based on how both teams’ games have been trending and how quickly these matchups can turn high event when mistakes show up. It’s not a perfect Over spot, because both teams can also tighten up when they’re nervous, but the way these rosters are built, the cleaner chances are there if the game opens.
The puck line is tricky. Nashville +1.5 is heavily juiced, and New Jersey -1.5 is a plus price that requires the Devils to win by margin, which isn’t always how they do it. I’d rather keep it simple with the Devils moneyline.
Best Bet: New Jersey Devils moneyline (-142).
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
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