The NHL preseason is over, and the regular season is finally upon us. The Predators did not have the season they were expecting last year, as they finished in the bottom three spots in the Central Division with 68 points.
Overall, they finished in the bottom three in the NHL standings. Last season, they made huge free agent acquisitions, with the biggest being two-time Stanley Cup champion Steven Stamkos, who signed a four-year, $32 million contract. They also signed another Stanley Cup champ, Jonathan Marchessault, with a 5-year, $27.5 million contract. Goaltender Juuse Saros received an 8-year, $61.9 million contract extension. So, for the Predators to throw all this money around and not even be close to making the playoffs, it’s flat-out embarrassing.
How can a team with such a high payroll and talent perform so poorly? One place to look is goaltending. Juuse Saros had a win-loss record last season of 20-31, a mediocre GAA of 2.98 and a disappointing save percentage of .896. These are arguably the worst his stats have been in his entire career, as it’s unfair to compare his stats from his rookie season in 2015-2016, as he only played one game. Saros is one of the highest-paid goaltenders in the league, and he is not playing like it.
Two-time Rocket Richard (most goals in the season award) winner Stamkos is another critical underperformer. In 2023-2024, he had a dominant season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, producing 40 goals and 41 assists, totaling 81 points. Last season with the Predators, these numbers took a drastic drop: 27 goals and 26 assists, for just 53 points. These are the worst his stats have been since his rookie season in 2008-2009. Both Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly had 69 points in the 2023-2024 season, and neither of them reached 60 points last season.
A lot of this underperforming could very well be that linemates don’t have any chemistry together. You can’t just sign a plethora of high-value players and expect them to click instantly. Building that kind of chemistry takes time, which unfortunately, some of these players don’t have a lot of time left. This is an aging roster. About half of the roster is 30 or older. Stamkos will be turning 36 this season. These high-value players aren’t necessarily in their physical prime.
Another misfortune that fell upon the Nashville team was the injury of their Captain, Roman Josi. The Norris trophy-winning defender missed the last quarter of the season after a big hit by Bennet on February 25. He was then diagnosed with POTS afterwards. Losing your captain is a massive blow to morale, another reason for the lack of success from the Predators. Josi is expected to return this season, however.
On the bright side, there is still hope for Nashville. All the players mentioned so far, such as Stamkos and Marchessault, are still great veteran players, and once that chemistry is built, the Predators could finally be the great playoff team fans were promised. A player yet to be mentioned is Filip Forsberg. The 31-year-old had a stellar season: 31 goals and 45 assists, totaling an impressive 76 points. The Swede led Nashville in goals, assists, and points. Forsberg is a huge asset for the Predators and one they need to keep using.
The Predators’ prospect pipeline is highly regarded. Their team in the AHL, the Milwaukee Admirals, clinched the Central Division with a win-loss record of 40-21-5. The fifth overall pick and upcoming center, Brady Martin, scored two preseason goals against the Lightning. In the 24-25 season in the OHL with the Greyhounds, he scored 33 goals, 39 assists for 72 points in only 57 games. There is a good chance we see him make the roster for the Predators, and he could make a considerable impact. The Predators need more young presence.
The Predators play their first game of the season against the Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.
