Why the Predators are optimistic about a turnaround in 2025-26
The Nashville Predators experienced arguably the most disappointing season of any NHL team this year. The moves they made last summer have been well documented to this point, as nothing truly came to fruition for general manager Barry Trotz in the way he hoped. But entering the 2025-26 campaign, there is reason for optimism from within the organization.
Despite the 2024-25 season being an unmitigated disaster on the ice in Nashville, there was some progression made organizationally. The poor season that resulted in missing the playoffs allowed the Predators to take care of some “house cleaning,” as one source described to me, as Trotz was able to move out some pieces leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline in early March.
The Predators moved off of veteran forward Gustav Nyquist and defenseman Luke Schenn, able to compile assets while clearing out some future money with the latter’s departure. In addition to veterans, Nashville moving on from forwards Mark Jankowski and Thomas Novak allows for more flexibility moving forward – both in the way of the salary cap and allowing space for younger players to take spots on the roster. Moving on from rearguard Alex Carrier for the younger Justin Barron was a quiet move by the Predators to get younger, which was a priority for the team as the playoffs became less and less likely as the season dragged on.
As much as this past season was supposed to be better in the way of results following such a busy summer in 2024, it was also about taking care of internal roster decisions and finding out what they had in younger players, one source told me last week. By moving out bodies up front ahead of the Trade Deadline, it allowed for younger players like Barron, Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov to have more prominent roles by the end of the season. Even 2023 first round pick Matthew Wood was able to get in six NHL games after making the jump directly from the NCAA.
After so many big-name additions last summer, growing pains in hindsight should have been expected with trying to get said players acclimated and integrated into the Predators’ way of operating. Sure, I doubt that the Predators were expecting this disappointing of a year, but speaking with those from within the organization, there was an understanding that there could be hiccups. But entering this coming year’s training camp with a full season under the belts of the free agent signings of last year, it should be a smoother transition into this season.
So, helping integrate younger players into the NHL and projecting players like Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos to hit the ground running next season are the main expectations from within the organization in hopes for a bounce back season. Additionally, I could see the Predators “nibbling” in free agency, as a source suggested.
Like many other teams, the Predators need help down the middle of the ice. Maybe not in the long term, but a stop gap at center is something that could really do wonders for them. Stamkos is likely more of a winger at this point, while Ryan O’Reilly would be best served centering a third line on a playoff caliber team. A top-six center to help insulate Svechkov would go a long way in getting the Predators back in the playoff picture.
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett is a big name, but I don’t think the Predators are prepared to dish out another major contract after last summer’s activity; it wouldn’t really fit the “nibbling” description. The same is probably true for Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson, who might command a bit too much to make sense on a three- or four-year deal. Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic could be a more realistic option and, at 28, is five years younger than Nelson.
On the back end, getting captain Roman Josi and Jeremy Lauzon healthy will be the first step in righting the ship, but the Predators could stand to make an addition or two – specifically on the right side. After trading Schenn to the Pittsburgh Penguins (who was then flipped to the Winnipeg Jets), a right shot defender could be used in a big way to fill out the top four on defense. The pickings for right shot defensemen are about as thin as they come in free agency this year, so Trotz may be best served holding out until 2026 or looking for something via trade to bolster the right side of his defense.
The Predators are coming off an incredibly disappointing campaign, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t necessary steps taken this year to advance the organization. Internal house cleaning, a year under the new arrivals’ belts and integrating younger players into the NHL – all things that needed to happen before the Predators could take the next step. But now that the Predators have walked before they run, it will be up to management to make the necessary subsequent moves to move things along to the next stage in Nashville.
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