The Nashville Predators should not settle for mediocrity after another failed playoff push. What went wrong, and what comes next?
In their relatively short history, the Nashville Predators have been a picture of mediocrity.
They haven't made it beyond the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2017-18. In the past seven seasons, they finished no higher in their division than fourth place.
While the Preds put on a late-season push for a playoff spot this year – going 9-5-1 in their past 15 games – all that did was push them out of a better chance to win this season's NHL draft lottery.
If you're looking for the epitome of a mushy middle team, look no further than Nashville.
The Predators are going through a management change right now, but if this Preds team is going to emerge as a serious challenger in the hyper-competitive Central Division, there must be some pain ahead for them as they begin what they hope will be a more prosperous era.
What Went Wrong For The Predators?
Right out of the gate, it was obvious the Predators wouldn't be a front-runner for a Cup.
They went 6-12-4 through Nov. 24, and although they got back into the playoff picture with a strong 17-8-0 stretch from Nov. 26 through Jan. 16, their 6-7-4 record between then and March 9 largely decided their future.
As is often the case with Nashville, the Predators' offense was a major problem.
They ranked 20th in the league in goals-for average, with 2.94. Though that's a slight improvement on their 2.59 goals-for in 2024-25, it's nowhere near good enough to keep pace with powerhouse Central teams, such as the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.
Only three Preds players had more than 55 points this year – and Nashville didn't have a single point-per-game player on the roster. Their top offensive performer, left winger Filip Forsberg, had 73 points in 81 games.
It's not like Nashville's defense carried the team, either.
Their goals against per game went from 3.34 last year to 3.23 this season, the eighth-most in the league. Again, slight improvement, but not nearly enough to make them a playoff team.
Finally, Nashville's star netminder didn't have his best season.
Starter Juuse Saros' save percentage and goals-against average worsened for the third straight year. His 3.13 GAA is a career worst, as is his .894 save percentage. And yet, he still played 58 games for the second straight season, down from his 64 games in 2023-24 but still enough to be the clear-cut starter.
Considering Saros is signed through 2033 at an annual salary cap hit of $7.74 million, Preds management must be concerned about how that contract is aging. That will be one key area to keep an eye on as the successor to current Predators GM Barry Trotz arrives in Nashville and sets the team on a new course.
What's Next For The Predators?
Whoever replaces Trotz this summer must figure out how to find the type of talent that can compare with generational players in the Central – Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar in Colorado, Miro Heiskanen in Dallas, and Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes in Minnesota.
When you ask that question, you essentially answer it. There is no current Predators player who is a true superstar right now. Captain Roman Josi was arguably at that level a few years ago, and although he's still pretty effective, his 55 points in 68 games weren't superstar level.
Until that changes, Nashville will almost assuredly be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
Thus, it really doesn't matter that the Preds will have $29.3 million in cap space this summer. They may swing a trade for a name-brand player, but there will be a reason a team is willing to part ways with that type of talent, and the reason usually isn't one that reflects well on the traded player.
No, the better road ahead is for the new Predators GM to use their honeymoon phase running the team to demand patience and rebuild slowly but surely through the draft. That'll mean there's more significant pain ahead, but that's part of the bargain. You accept the pain, and in return, if you do things properly, you come away with superstars like MacKinnon and Makar. (Colorado drafted Makar fourth overall, not first by winning the lottery.)
Even if Nashville improves next year, we don't see current Preds coach Andrew Brunette being very long for the job with the Preds.
In a best-case scenario for the Predators in 2026-27, they're still likely to be the Central's sixth-best team, behind the Avs, Stars, Wild, Utah Mammoth and Winnipeg Jets. So if that's where you're almost certainly headed as a team, why not embrace it fully, tear the roster down to the studs, and add star talent through the draft?
Only a couple of years ago, the Preds tried retooling on the fly, adding star forwards Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O'Reilly. It hasn't worked out in Nashville's favor. So the next GM should come in hot, go to those players and see where they would accept a trade.
The alternative – bringing back the same players and expecting different results – is the definition of denial. Retooling on the fly is a failed strategy for the Predators, so any attempt to reframe the issue while still trying to fast-track the system should be met with a healthy skepticism.
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