The Nashville Predators' Future Depends On Their Response To A Nearly Lost Season

For the second straight season, the Nashville Predators are a trainwreck.

After posting a 30-44-8 record and finishing third-last in 2024-25, the Predators are currently dead-last in the NHL at 6-12-4 entering Wednesday's matchup against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Preds have lost seven of their past eight games, and in their next 10 games, they’ve got showdowns against elite teams, such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche (twice), Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers. 

Mixed into the next 10 games are games against sad-sack teams such as the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues (twice). So if Nashville doesn’t have at least a .500 record between now and Dec. 15, you can put a fork in the Predators’ playoff aspirations. If that happens, it’s going to be a long and ugly remainder of the season for this team.

However, Preds GM Barry Trotz recently denied a report that there are culture issues that make the dressing room a toxic place.

"I know what toxic is, and I don't feel we're there," Trotz told 102.5 The Game in Nashville. He mentioned he talked with key players as well, and they chuckled at the report.

So regardless of what the atmosphere is like off the ice, all you need to see to know something's seriously wrong with the Nashville Predators is their spot in the standings.

If this losing stretch doesn’t end soon, the winds of change are going to alter Nashville’s roster in a significant way.  

Now, we may not know exactly who is on the Preds’ trade block just yet, but there’s a reason why Steven Stamkos and Ryan O'Reilly are on the trade board of Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos. The Predators aren’t going to sit by idly and stink it up for another full season, and there’s going to be significant ramifications for Preds players, as Trotz made clear in a recent interview with Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean.

"The roster is not perfect," Trotz said. "Some of that is, a little bit, the roster construction… I'll take responsibility (for that). I think the coaches take a little bit, and I think the players do, too. Everything is a partnership."

That said, the partnership of certain Predators players could quickly be nearing its end. Whether it’s veteran sniper Stamkos, accomplished center O’Reilly or normally reliable scorer Jonathan Marchessault, the Preds have chips that should get them some above-average draft picks and prospects in trades.

The stock of Stamkos and Marchessault has taken a huge hit this season, as they’ve combined for eight goals and 11 points. Given that their combined salary cap hit is a whopping $13.5 million – and given that they’re both signed for at least another two seasons after the current season – Marchessault and Stamkos are depressed assets right now. That means Trotz will have to temper his expectations as to what he can get for both veterans – and he may have to retain part of their salary to make a trade palatable for other teams.

Still, there’s got to be a decent market for O’Reilly, Stamkos and Marchessault. With league parity being what it is, there are precious few “seller” teams at the moment. So if there is a team or two out there willing to pony up some young players with upside, the Preds should be more than willing to move on from those three players, cook up a decent trade market for them and focus their attention on the organization’s future.

Column: As Predators' Frustrations Mount, Brunette Is Running Out Of Explanations The Nashville Predators have dropped eight of their last nine games and are last in the NHL. Andrew Brunette is running out of answers.

This franchise direly needs the type of generational talent that, for the most part, has eluded it in its relatively short history. Captain Roman Josi, goaltender Juuse Saros and left winger Filip Forsberg have been consistently effective players, but imagine if they win the draft lottery and add Gavin McKenna to that core.

Even if they don't pick first overall, they can build a dynamic young core. That would make all this losing worth it, but that means they’ve still got to grit their teeth and power through the rest of this season of misery by stripping down the roster.

It will hurt the Preds to part ways with players who were supposed to make them Cup contenders. But what will hurt more is sticking with the status quo. Despite Trotz sticking up for his group one more time, the clock is ticking on this Predators team. And in short order, there’s going to be considerable change in Nashville. 

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