After missing the Stanley Cup playoffs in three straight seasons the Vancouver Canucks have powered their way back in by dominating the Pacific Division. A heck of a turnaround by Vancouver and a hell of a job by new head coach Rick Tocchet.
The same praise can be placed on new GM Barry Trotz and his Nashville Predators who weren't expected to be competitive this year. But in the final 28 games of the season, Nashville went 20-5-3 for an insane 0.768 points percentage.
So who wins this series?
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canucks vs Predators playoff series odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | -300 |
| Nashville Predators | +240 |
Odds as of April 23
Canucks Lead Series 1-0
Per the odds, this series is going to be a lot closer than a two-seed versus a six-seed should be. And that's largely because of the Predators' recent record. We also have to factor in age/experience here.
The Canucks might be a top team in the league but with an average age of 28.5, they've got the 12th youngest team in the league and second-youngest team in the playoffs. And with no playoffs over the last three years, the Canucks are new to this whole postseason thing. There's a learning curve that has to take place.
Canucks vs Predators betting results
| Date | Home Team ML | Away Team ML | Final Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 19, 2023 | Predators (-120) | Canucks (+100) | 5-2 Canucks | 6.5 (O) |
| October 31, 2023 | Canucks (-150) | Predators (+130) | 5-2 Canucks | 6.0 (O) |
| October 24, 2023 | Predators (-130) | Canucks (+110) | 3-2 Canucks | 6.0 (U) |
You'd think with a 3-0 record against Nashville this year, that Vancouver would be heavily favored against them in this series. But just look at the dates of those games. These two haven't faced each other since December! A lot has changed since then.
Namely, Nashville, who's gone on that remarkable 20-5-3 run I mentioned earlier. That's why oddsmakers have given the Preds a chance in this series.
Canucks vs Predators - Notable Player Performances
Filip Forsberg: Forsberg has been outstanding since February 1 scoring 24 goals and 43 points in 31 games for Nashville. He's also averaging a ridiculous 4.7 shots on net per game in that stretch. If Nashville is going to make noise in these playoffs, Forsberg will lead the way. No doubt.
Elias Pettersson: Since 2019-20, Pettersson has nine scored goals in 12 games against the Predators. No other teammate even comes close to that type of goal production.
A lot of Nashville's focus will be on shutting down sniper Brock Boeser leaving Pettersson, who isn't known as a goal scorer, plenty of room to put the puck in the net.
Norris Candidate Clash: We get to watch Quinn Hughes and Roman Josi, two challengers for the top defenseman trophy, battle it out in this series. Hughes is the top-scoring D-man this year with 91 points while Josi is third with 85 points. Insane numbers from blueliners.
They will be difference-makers for their teams in this series and throughout the playoffs (depending on who goes through).
Canucks vs Predators playoff series expert pick: Predators (+130)
I'm taking the dog in this series. They're in the right run of form and on top of that, they've got necessary elements to win this matchup with Vancouver.
For one, they've got much better depth than the Canucks. Vancouver is 26th for goals outside of their top three players while Nashville is 18th. That higher concentration of scoring up top could easily be countered by marking out that trio of Miller-Boeser-Pettersson.
Of course, it's easier said than done, but Nashville has elite-defensive mind Barry Trotz at the top of the organization. He's not the coach anymore but you better believe Andrew Brunette, who is the coach, is going to consult the one man that can figure it out.
Secondly, the Preds have a massive special team advantage. Since Feb 1, Nashville's power play has been operating at an outstanding 27.2% while Vancouver's PK has struggled at a 77% efficiency.
And then I can't ignore that 20-5-3 run, that's so impressively hot. There's just too much in Nashville's favor right now. They inevitably take this series.
Cancuks vs Predators betting results last 10 meetings
| Date | Home Team ML | Away Team ML | Final Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 19, 2023 | Predators (-120) | Cancuks (+100) | 5-2 Canucks | 6.5 (O) |
| October 31, 2023 | Canucks (-150) | Predators (+130) | 5-2 Canucks | 6.0 (O) |
| October 24, 2023 | Predators (-130) | Canucks (+110) | 3-2 Canucks | 6.0 (U) |
| March 6, 2023 | Canucks (-105) | Predators (-115) | 4-3 Canucks | 6.0 (O) |
| February 21, 2023 | Predators (-160) | Canucks (+140) | 5-4 Predators | 6.5 (O) |
| November 5, 2022 | Canucks (-120) | Predators (+100) | 4-3 Predators | 6.5 (O) |
| February 1, 2022 | Predators (-175) | Canucks (+155) | 4-2 Predators | 5.5 (O) |
| January 18, 2022 | Predators (-125) | Canucks (+105) | 3-1 Canucks | 5.5 (U) |
| November 5, 2021 | Canucks (-135) | Predators (+115) | 3-2 Predators | 5.5 (U) |
| February 10, 2020 | Canucks (-105) | Predators (-115) | 6-2 Canucks | 6.0 (O) |
If there's a takeaway here it's the OVER. It's hit seven times in the last 10 meetings and four times in the last five.
