February Schedule Full of Opportunity for the Nashville Predators

It has been an up and down season for the Nashville Predators who at times looked like a playoff contending team and at other times appeared to be a team in desperate need of a rebuild. In their last three games before the All Star Break, the Preds put together some of their most impressive performances with wins over the L.A. Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and New Jersey Devils. Picking up where they left off will be its own challenge, but the February schedule may help Nashville move closer to postseason play. 

The Predators have a soft return to the ice after the All Star break with a game at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, February 7 followed by three days off before they head to Philadelphia and then settle back into a full slate of games. Over the course of the month, the Preds will play six games at Bridgestone Arena and four games on the road with no back to backs. An easier schedule and a handful of favorable matchups may make February an opportunistic month for Nashville. 

Biggest Opportunity - Week of Feb. 19-26

Nashville's biggest opportunity will come with a four game stretch later this month. The Predators kick off that week with an afternoon away game against the Minnesota Wild that could have significant Central Division implications. Getting two points over the Wild on February 19 could shift the rankings in the muddy middle of the Central Division. 

Nashville then plays the Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks and Arizona Coyotes - three teams with a combined record of 51-79-20. A win over the Wild followed by three games that the Preds should be able to win would be an important 8 point boost as the race to the postseason heats up.  

Biggest Challenge - Boston Bruins

If you want to know how deep the Predators could go if they make it into the playoffs, you'll get a good idea when they take on the league leading Boston Bruins on Thursday, February 16. The Bruins head into the All Star break with a record of 38-6-5, a Vezina frontrunner in Linus Ullmark, top special teams performances, a top five scorer in David Pastrnak, and a defense that ranks first in goals against per game in the league.

A few things could help Nashville in this mid-February matchup. While it would be on the early end of the time frame, the Predators could potentially have defenseman Alexandre Carrier back for the game against the Bruins. After sustaining an injury against the Winnipeg Jets, Carrier has been out with an upper body injury. Carrier and Mattias Ekholm have been one of Nashville's best defensive pairings, and Carrier may be one of the team's most underrated players this season. If Nashville returns from the break executing as well on the ice and with a continued confidence in the locker room, the matchup against the Bruins becomes more interesting. This will also be a home game for the Preds, so perhaps a catfish and some 7th man energy can spur Nashville on against their toughest opponent in February. 

Game That Could Get Them - Philadelphia Flyers

The Predators will take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday February 11, and this is a game that could trip up Nashville if they aren't careful. The Predators struggled to find their groove after the All Star break last season, dropping their first four games back in a disappointing February 2022 performance. This year the Preds return to play against Vegas, have three days off, and then head to Philly to face a team that beat Nashville on October 22 by a score of 3-1. If the Predators don't return with the right mindset and focus, a loss to the Flyers could be a tough way to start back. 

Overall Outlook

It's hard to predict how the remainder of the season will play out for the Predators. If the team can pick up where they left off, February could be a nice chance to stockpile points against beatable teams. Boston and Vegas will be challenging matchups, but the way the Preds played the Kings, Jets, and Devils last week makes it seem like anything could be possible. 

Of course, fans have been on a roller coaster ride with the team this season and the Preds have struggled after extended time off, so many in Nashville will temper their expectations. If the Preds come out of the break hot, they could easily earn sixteen points. If they struggle to get their footing, Nashville could fall further out of the playoff picture with a poor showing in February.