Avalanche vs. Predators Projected Lines, Injuries and How to Watch
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The Colorado Avalanche are returning home to Ball Arena Thursday evening to take on the Nashville Predators. Given that this is a Central Division matchup, the Avalanche need to up their game after their disappointing performance on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Colorado is entering game play on Thursday with a 9-6-1 record, while their opponents come in with a 6-4-5. One of the Avalanche’s losses came at the sticks of the Predators when they met on October 25.
The Predators handed Colorado an embarrassing loss of 6-2. If Tuesday wasn’t enough to light a fire in this lineup, the memory of the first game should be.
Head coach Jared Bednar has said that he will be making some changes and that started with how he managed ice time. We will see how that plays out.
Avalanche vs. Predators Game Information
- Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
- Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. MT
- Location: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+
- Radio: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche Projected Lineup
Forwards
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Nazem Kadri — Nicolas Roy
Jaden Schwartz — Brock Nelson — T.J. Hughes
Parker Kelly — Fedor Svechkov — Logan O’Connor
Defensemen
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Brett Kulak — Noah Juulsen
Sam Malinski — Brent Burns
Goaltenders
Mackenzie Blackwood — Confirmed starter
Scott Wedgewood — Backup
Line combinations remain subject to change.
Avalanche Injury Report
Josh Manson: Ankle injury, expected to miss approximately eight weeks
Zachary L’Heureux: Upper-body injury, week-to-week.
Avalanche vs. Predators Pregame Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets handed it to the Avalanche on Tuesday with a final score of 7-2. There was a lot of attention looking to Colorado for that game to prove they could win on the road and stay consistent through a back-to-back. They failed on both accounts.
Defensive breakdowns and an inability to contain Columbus sent the Avalanche home with their tails between their legs and plenty to work on.
Thursday’s matchup is going to be a chance to redeem themselves, although they have already proven they can win at home and on the road. The difference will be that this should be redemption on the line.
Nashville dominated Colorado in their first meeting, and defense is going to matter in this game. If they want to tie up the season series along with stay ahead in the division, this is a game the Avalanche need to win.
Nathan MacKinnon has already enjoyed a lot of success against the Predators throughout his career. He has recorded 53 points in 43 regular-season games against them. His ability to generate offensive dominance Thursday evening could be the difference-maker. But, without defense, it will be a struggle.
The Predators are coming into Ball Arena after winning 4-1 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. They are also bringing with them some familiar faces in Denver: Ross Colton, Jack Drury, and even former general manager Chris MacFarland.
The Avalanche should be very clear on the priorities. Defense first, and then, in general, picking up their game all around.
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Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NHL, NCAA and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Avalanche and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com