The Nashville Predators showed what kind of team they are in the second half of last season, surging back into a playoff spot and making the playoffs. This is without all of the major moves the team made in free agency to vastly improve. The Predators finished 6th in the Western Conference in points and 11th in the NHL last season before getting eliminated by the Pacific Division winning Vancouver Canucks in the first round. Next season, it could be very different after the pedigree and talent added to the group. Oddsmakers say that the Predators have the ninth-best chance at winning the Stanley Cup in 2025, ranking higher than a good deal of strong teams which include the 2023 Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and more. Nashville's initial odds to win the Stanley Cup are set at +1600. The teams with a better perceived chance at winning are the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers and Panthers should rightfully be there after taking the 2024 Stanley Cup Final to seven games. The Oilers improved and while the Panthers got worse after losing a bunch of talent, they are the defending champions and didn't lose enough to drop significantly. The Stars and Rangers stayed about the same. Both were eliminated in the conference finals, but each lost and gained a similar amount this offseason. The Maple Leafs have been knocked out of the first round in seven of the past eight years, plus they stayed about the same from last season. The Devils got a lot better, but the Avalanche and Hurricanes each got worse after losing some key players. In terms of improving upon last season, the Predators, Oilers, and Devils are amongst the best of those in contention in 2025. PREDATORS BROUGHT IN WINNERS Barry Trotz talked about wanting to bring in more "serial winners" this offseason and did just that with Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. Stamkos is a multi-time 50-goal scorer and two-time Stanley Cup champion while Marchessault led the Golden Knights to their first ever Cup on his way to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. All of these three combined Stanley Cups have come in the past five years as well, so the desire for more still burns. The situations with both Stamkos, Marchessault, and their former teams didn't end well and they will both be out to prove something. It's less of a question whether this Predators team will reach the playoffs in 2024-25, but rather how much can these winners elevate the group that came pretty close to advancing out of the first round with a much worse roster last season. Forward Jonathan Marchessault speaks to the media after signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Nashville Predators in free agency. Add these players and Brady Skjei to a group with another former Conn Smythe winner in Ryan O'Reilly and a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning in Luke Schenn and there's more than enough players who know what it takes to get the job done. Even though Nashville has the ninth-best odds at the Stanley Cup, they could surprise and go on a run. RECENT PREDATORS NEWS Do Nashville Predators Offer Kieffer Bellows Final Breakthrough Opportunity or is it Too Late? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/do-nashville-predators-offer-kieffer-bellows-final-breakthrough-opportunity-or-is-it-too-late] LA Kings Make for a Top Trade Destination for Predators' Askarov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/la-kings-make-for-a-top-trade-destination-for-predators-askarov] Andrew Gibson Makes Strong First Impression at Predators Development Camp [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/andrew-gibson-makes-strong-first-impression-at-nashville-predators-development-camp] Where Did the Predators' Unsigned UFAs End Up in Free Agency [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/where-did-the-predators-unsigned-ufas-end-up-in-free-agency]
