Predators at Blues preview

PREDATORS (37-23-5) at BLUES (33-23-6)
8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, FS-TN, NHL.TV

The 30-year-old forward was traded to the Predators by the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday for forward Ryan Hartman and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He was unable to play Monday in a 3-2 shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers in Nashville.
The Predators also acquired forward Mikael Granlund from the Minnesota Wild for forward Kevin Fiala on Monday, but Granlund is not expected to play; he's with his fiancee, who is giving birth to their first child.
Nashville leads the Winnipeg Jets by one point for first place in the Central Division.
The Blues, who are 1-1-1 the past three games after a team-record 11-game winning streak, acquired defenseman Michael Del Zotto in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks for a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Del Zotto arrived in St. Louis on Tuesday but is not expected to play.
St. Louis, which has won six in a row at home, leads the Dallas Stars by five points for third place in the Central.

Players to watch

Predators defenseman Roman Josi has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past four games, and 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in his past 13.
Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko has 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in his past 16 games. He needs two assists for 200 in the NHL.

They said it

"Wayne provides a big presence and a net-front presence, capable of scoring goals as he has been his whole career, even this year." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette on Wayne Simmonds
"I had an idea. Being in the business now 10 years and knowing my contract was up and knowing what was going on in Anaheim, probably not making the playoffs there, I had an idea. You never know." -- Blues defenseman Michael Del Zotto on being traded

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Calle Jarnkrok -- Kyle Turris -- Wayne Simmonds
Brian Boyle -- Nick Bonino -- Colton Sissons
Cody McLeod -- Frederick Gaudreau -- Rocco Grimaldi
Roman Josi -- Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm -- P.K. Subban
Matt Irwin -- Yannick Weber
Juuse Saros
Pekka Rinne
Scratched:Mikael Granlund, Matt Donovan
Injured:Craig Smith (lower body), Dan Hamhuis (lower body), Zac Rinaldo (shoulder),
Suspension:Austin Watson

Blues projected lineup

Jaden Schwartz -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Pat Maroon -- Tyler Bozak -- Robby Fabbri
Zach Sanford -- Oskar Sundqvist -- Robert Thomas
Mackenzie MacEachern
-- Ivan Barbashev --
Sammy Blais
Joel Edmundson -- Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester -- Colton Parayko
Vince Dunn -- Robert Bortuzzo
Jordan Binnington
Jake Allen
Scratched:Michael Del Zotto
Injured:Brayden Schenn (upper body), David Perron (upper body), Carl Gunnarsson (upper body), Alexander Steen (illness)

Status report

The Predators did not have a morning skate, but Saros is expected to start after Rinne played Monday. ... Steen is unlikely to play, and Blais was recalled from San Antonio of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis to take his place.

Stat pack

The Predators are 3-1-0 in their past four games after going 1-3-1. ... O'Reilly has six points (three goals, three assists) his past six games, and 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in his past 19 games.