After disappointing 2024-25, the Predators have a long road ahead

The Nashville Predators brought in veteran talents ahead of the 2024-25 season, looking to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and build off a relatively successful 2024 postseason. 

Yet, the regular season didn’t go to plan for them as they became one of five teams that made the 2023-24 playoffs to finish below the red line, joining the defending President’s Trophy-winning New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks.

Through 82 games this season, the Predators only amassed 68 points on their way to finishing eighth in the Central Division and 30th in the NHL, while marquee summer signing Steven Stamkos only scored 27 goals and 53 points.

On the latest episode of Daily Faceoff Live, Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli dive into what the future holds for the Nashville Predators. 

Yaremchuk: Which team that made the playoffs last year but missed this year should be most concerned about their long-term future…which one do you think is going to have the toughest time getting back to being a playoff team next year?

Seravalli: Nashville is the team I’d be most concerned about their long-term future. You look at basically what they did last summer, they handed out a ton of dough to older, aging players, and the thought process was, well, we’re paying Juuse Saros, we’re paying Roman Josi and we’re paying Filip Forsberg and these guys are all on the wrong side of 30. So, we’re going to pile in these vets and be a Stanley Cup-contending team. 

Then, in years three, four, or five of these contracts, we’ll deal with that when we have to. The premise of that was making the playoffs this year and next, but you finished in 30th place. I think the Nashville Predators are in a very, very difficult position moving forward.

You can catch the segment and the full episode here…