Wild at Predators preview

WILD (0-0-0) at PREDATORS (0-0-0)
8 p.m. ET; NBCSN

The forward, who signed a seven-year, $56 million contract with the Predators on July 1, is expected to center a line with Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund and play on Nashville's first power-play unit.
Mats Zuccarello will play his first game for the Wild and likely skate to the right of Zach Parise and center Eric Staal. He signed a five-year, $30 million contract July 1.

Players to watch

Forward Ryan Hartman will debut for Minnesota and play against Nashville for the first time since he was traded from the Predators to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 25.
Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro is expected to play alongside Mattias Ekholm on the second pair. He will fill the role of P.K. Subban, who Nashville traded to the New Jersey Devils on June 22.

They said it

"We just need to play in the offensive zone. I know from being on the other side how teams can struggle if they get caught up in the neutral zone and how the [Predators] play their neutral zone. The key for us is to break that trap and play offensively." -- Wild forward Ryan Hartman
"This is my first time playing on a new team on opening night, so it's a new experience. I've felt really comfortable through training camp and really comfortable through preseason. You'll have those natural butterflies that you have, but this will be my 11th year. It's kind of old hat now." -- Predators center Matt Duchene on opening-night jitters

Wild projected lineup

Zach Parise -- Eric Staal -- Mats Zuccarello
Jason Zucker -- Mikko Koivu -- Kevin Fiala
Ryan Donato -- Luke Kunin -- Jordan Greenway
Marcus Foligno -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Ryan Hartman
Ryan Suter -- Matt Dumba
Jonas Brodin -- Jared Spurgeon
Nick Seeler -- Brad Hunt
Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock
Scratched:Victor Rask, Carson Soucy
Injured:Greg Pateryn (bilateral core)

Predators projected lineup

Craig Smith -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Filip Forsberg -- Matt Duchene -- Mikael Granlund
Rocco Grimaldi -- Kyle Turris -- Calle Jarnkrok
Colton Sissons -- Nick Bonino -- Austin Watson
Roman Josi -- Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm -- Dante Fabbro
Dan Hamhuis -- Yannick Weber
Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros
Scratched:Daniel Carr, Matt Irwin
Injured: None

Status report

Each team held an optional morning skate. … Grimaldi wore a face shield after taking a puck to his face at practice Tuesday. He is expected to play.

Stat pack

The Wild are 1-6-1 in season openers as the road team. … The Predators are 11-8-1 on opening night and have won nine of their past 12 openers on home ice.