Sportsbooks Torn Between Predators And Stars This Week

Only four games into the NHL season and the Nashville Predators have already been hit with a COVID-19 postponement.

Now, the Predators prepare to get back on the ice for this weekend’s matchup against the Dallas Stars, but sportsbooks are at odds over the potential outcome.

Predators vs. Hurricanes second game postponed

The Predators started the season off strong with two wins against the Columbus Blue Jackets. They quickly lost momentum with a 4-2 loss in their third game against a new opponent – the Carolina Hurricanes.

Then, things came to a screeching halt when the fourth game of the season was postponed.

The decision to reschedule Tuesday’s matchup against the Hurricanes was made out of “an abundance of caution” in an attempt to ensure the health and safety of participating players, coaches and personnel.

Neither team has announced a rescheduled game.

As of now, the next time the Preds see the Hurricanes will be in mid-April.

The Predators face the Dallas Stars next. A team that has had its own share of COVID issues.

Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars odds

In total, five NHL games have been postponed this season. The Dallas Stars, who had 17 players test positive, postponed all four initial games. The Stars play their first game of the season against the Predators on Jan. 22.

Although they have yet to see a puck drop, the Stars are slightly favored in this matchup at most sportsbooks.

DraftKings opened game lines with the Preds at -108 and the Stars at -113.

BetMGM and FanDuel posted similar odds.

Meanwhile, the Predators remain favored by a slim margin at Action 24/7. Moneyline odds for Nashville to win are -120, while odds for the Stars are -105.

The Predators rank 3rd in the Central Division with a 2-1-0 record coming into what would be their fifth game.

This game will shed some light on whether or not Nashville can defend its position against lower-ranked teams as the season progresses.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Hurricanes, the division’s top two teams, should be the toughest opponents the Predators see during divisional play.

The rest should be a walk in the park, comparatively.

If the Preds can’t muster a win against the Stars, however, fans could be looking at an entirely different season altogether.

What does the future hold?

At DraftKings, the Predators sit at +475 with the third-best odds of winning the Central Division behind the Lightning and Hurricanes.

The team’s odds of reaching the finals are +1200.

Odds of the Preds winning the National Championship and walking away with the Stanley Cup have shifted slightly to +2500. Original pre-season odds landed at +2800.

FanDuel seems to have less faith in the team, allowing for some quality value bets for those that disagree.