The puck drops on the 2025-26 NHL season today as six teams kick off the start of the regular season. The Nashville Predators will wait two more days before opening the regular season at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena. With rosters being finalized on Monday, the Predators are welcoming a handful of familiar faces into the lineup, and some new ones. Notably, Nashville's 2025 fifth overall pick Brady Martin will join the lineup alongside Milwaukee call-ups Joakim Kemell, Ozzy Weisblatt and Adam Wilsby. Before the opening face-off on Thursday, here are seven possible lineups for the Nashville Predators in their game against the Blue Jackets. FIRST LINE Gold team forward Brady Martin (44) skates with the puck during the Future Stars Game at the Ford Ice Center Bellevue in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, July 5, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/c3ed7323-a1a7-48c7-a741-fdc0bb4d2335.jpeg] Gold team forward Brady Martin (44) skates with the puck during the Future Stars Game at the Ford Ice Center Bellevue in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, July 5, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Filip Forsberg-Brady Martin-Ryan O'Reilly The Predators seem to really like this combination, as it has stuck through the final week of training camp and remains the first line in practices leading up to Thursday's game. It's a big risk, too, having an 18-year-old who has never played an NHL game center two of the Predators' top players. In addition, Nashville is opting to move its best center from last season, O'Reilly, to the wing. Nashville seems to be vibing with this line, but it's a big gamble. It could really benefit Martin and showcase just how much the team wants to put him front and center. At the same time, it could expose how NHL-ready he truly is and force O'Reilly and Forsberg to do much of the heavy lifting. The line has found ways to score in the preseason, but it will face its biggest test against the Blue Jackets. Filip Forsberg-Ryan O'Reilly-Steven Stamkos This is the safe bet in throwing your best players on the top line. O'Reilly proved last season he's the top center, Forsberg was the top forward and the Predators need to get Stamkos going. The Predators have seemingly adopted an "iron sharpens iron" approach with their lines. In this case, it'd be better to have a larger piece of iron with Stamkos to get him going and back into Top 6 shape, a 70-plus point shape. Keeping O'Reilly at center is also safe. He was one of the Predators' most consistent pieces from last season, and it's a bit head-scratching as to why they want him moved to wing. Helping develop Martin is important, but you also don't want to take one of your top point producers out of position for too long. One thing is for certain that Forsberg and O'Reilly will be in that top pairing. SECOND LINE Apr 8, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) pokes at the puck as Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) skates with the puck during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/64a073c7-f2d0-4ab2-8738-9c72d0d4a445.jpeg] Apr 8, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) pokes at the puck as Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) skates with the puck during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Michael Bunting-Erik Haula-Jonathan Marchessault The Predators are likely going to keep this until it possibly stops working or one of the three players starts getting hot and needs to boost another line. This trio has not separated since the start of training camp and rightfully so. Bunting, Haula and Marchessault have all shared the identity of being "scrappy" players on this line and finding ways to create offense. In their first preseason game, Haula scored twice in his first outing with the Predators since 2021. This is the first line that has developed actual chemistry and the Predators should hold onto that for as long as they can. Jonathan Marchessault-Fedor Svechkov-Steven Stamkos The Predators seemingly want to put Fedor Svechkov in a heightened role at center this season. Instead of having him be linked with getting Steven Stamkos going, having two strong scorers on either side could really help him settle in and then be utilized in other spots. I feel like the Predators are putting a lot of pressure on Martin and Svechkov to center these top six lines. The goal is likely to build confidence in these players, but there's also the chance of younger players dragging the star players down. I personally think a little bit more support on the wings could benefit Svechkov. He can be a top center, but he needs the right tools to do it. THIRD LINE Predators forward Luke Evangelista speaks to media following practice on Oct. 4, 2025, at Centennial SportsPlex. Jack Williams/The Hockey News Joakim Kemell/Luke Evangelista-Fedor Svechkov-Steven Stamkos Unofficial depth charts have this as the second line, likely due to Stamkos. Considering how well the Bunting/Haula/Marchessault combination has been, that one deserves a little bit more priority over this combination. However, this line has the chance to ignite with a trio of outstanding young talent and Stamkos at the wing. Kemell proved in the Carolina game on Sunday that he can make big-time plays, on and off the puck, and come up clutch. Svechkov is being billed as one of the Predators' top centers, and Evangelista's return, switching off with Kemell at LW, allows him to ease in and reamp his game. This could also be a win/win for one of the younger players if they're able to get Stamkos back into his pre-Nashville form. That would most certainly benefit everyone involved. It'll also be interesting to see how long this combination sticks. When Matthew Wood comes back, he'll get thrown into this line or the fourth and a few games into the season, this situation may become a little "overcrowded." Michael Bunting-Erik Haula-Luke Evangelista In this situation, the Predators want to keep Marchessault in their top six and try to duplicate that same line chemistry with Evangelista in the mix. Could Bunting and Haula get similar production with Evangelista? Signing a new contract, this could be a good starting point in getting his game going again and getting a feel for what his ceiling could be this season. You have a tougher player at left wing in Bunting, an experienced center in Haula, and a player with scoring potential in Evangelista. The only gap is the "scrappiness" of it all, and that Evangelista isn't the most aggressive player in the world. At the same time, that could open up opportunities for him to score or find loose pucks, while the other two are able to create space around the net. FOURTH LINE Apr 10, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) passes the puck by Utah Hockey Club defenseman Ian Cole (28) during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/41083b97-bb6a-46cb-b077-896fe98dbb69.jpeg] Apr 10, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) passes the puck by Utah Hockey Club defenseman Ian Cole (28) during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Tyson Jost-Michael McCarron-Cole Smith/Ozzy Wiesblatt I'm going against what I've seen at Predators practice and saying that Tyson Jost should not be the fourth man in this rotation, and it should be between Cole Smith and Ozzy Wiesblatt. In Jost's first game against the Hurricanes, he played well, scoring a goal and was the Predators' best player for most of regulation. He's been here for a very short time and has a strong positive output. That should give him a more solid spot in the lineup. Michael McCarron is going to stay as the fourth-line center unless Nashville chooses to trade for someone else along the way. Wiesblatt has earned a spot in this lineup by just showing he can hold his own out on the ice. He's a tough player who can fit well into this fourth-line combination. Smith really didn't do much this preseason, but he is another big body that fits well into the identity of this fourth line. When Matthew Wood returns, it is likely Wiesblatt or Jost will be reassigned and he'll take one of these spots. He's a big body that can also give this line some offensive output.
