The NHL season is upon us.

In a week, the Nashville Predators will open up their 2025-26 campaign, taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 9 at Bridgestone Arena at 7 p.m. CST.

Last season was statistically one of the worst in Predators franchise history as the team finished in seventh in the Central Division with a 30-44-8 record and 68 points.

The season followed a free agency period in which Nashville acquired notable names like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei.

With a new season on the horizon, Predators fans shared their expectations, thoughts, opinions and ideas for this year.

Fans on r/predators on Reddit were given a survey to gather their thoughts on the last season, this coming season, and specific opinions they may have. Answers were logged anonymously, and not every question was required to be answered.

Here are the results of that survey.

Who is your favorite current player?

Predators alternate captain Filip Forsberg speaks to media following the Predators 5-3 preseason win over the Florida Panthers on Sept. 21, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. Jack Williams/The Hockey News

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Juuse Saros

3. Roman Josi

4. Ryan O’Reilly

5. Fedor Svechkov

What was the biggest thing you took away from last season?

Apr 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) scores past Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Struggles with the defense and center depth seemed to be the biggest concern for Predator fans last season.

We definitely need high-caliber centers if we want to really be competitive.

Need a playmaking center and to shore up the backend.

While center depth remains a concern for the Predators entering this season, they have addressed this issue by making a handful of acquisitions on the back end, trading for Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague and signing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix.

One fan mentioned that goalie Juuse Saros could've had a better season if the defense in front of him had improved.

Juuse Saros is an incredible goaltender, but he can't steal games without more stability in the D-Core. Nashville famously has incredible defense and historic goaltending, but never an explosive offense. Now, it seems we've even lost that defensive piece.

Coaching was also cited as a concern from last season. In his second year, after reaching the playoffs in his first season as head coach, Andrew Brunette had a massive sophomore slump.

It's put him in a difficult position coming into this season as he has the highest odds to get fired first according to BetMGM.

Need better coaching. I think the system prevented the players from achieving success and becoming a winning team.

What is something you think the Predators can realistically achieve this season?

Apr 10, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) celebrates a goal against the Utah Hockey Club during the second period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Every hockey fan wants their team to win the Stanley Cup every season, but for the Predators, right now, that isn't the most realistic goal.

Many Predators fans believe that a true, realistic goal for the team is to make the playoffs as a Wild Card team. The Central Division is deep, but fans think this team has a chance to squeak its way into the playoffs.

I think there is a shot that the team competes for the last playoff spot in the conference/division. The new talent, a refreshed year brings that potential.

Other fans were a little bit more skeptical, saying that playoffs are still out of reach.

I would like to believe the playoffs are possible, but that’s a stretch that may be just beyond realism.

Some fans want to see general improvement, that being a higher finish in the standings than last year, more consistent play and possibly an identity change focused on a rebuild. This will be a critical year in deciding if the Predators want to continue with their current model or start from scratch.

I believe the Preds can realistically be a middle of the pack team this year. I'm not one of the Preds doomers wanting us to tank, I want to see effort and improvement.

Settle in craft a new identity. The Preds have played gritty dump-and-chase hockey for as long as I've watched. That may be Brunette's system too, but our aging veterans can't play to that intensity for the entire season. We need to take a step back, analyze strengths, then adjust the system and settle in."

Who will benefit the Predators the most this season?

Mar 27, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux (68) waits for the face-off against the St. Louis Blues during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

This is where the answers started becoming a little bit more open ended.

Fans were asked back-to-back questions about individuals. Who was going to benefit the team this season, and who wasn't?

Let's start with the positive. The bulk of the Predators fans who answered believe that there's a lot of potential in future prospects, and the team can start benefiting from that talent now.

"n general, our younger talent as a whole can have the biggest benefit. Going out there and hustling, forcing contact, and trying new things can really help the team open up scoring chances. Out of that group, [Zachary] L’Heureux has my eye for being a key driver of this.

Youth movement. Need to see legit performance from [Luke] Evangelista, L'Heureux, [Joakim] Kemell. Would like to see [Spencer] Stastny bounce back but I think that's unlikely. Give [Brady] Martin his games because he looks comfortable enough to play them.

Fedor Svechkov and Tanner Molendyk were two other names, alongside the ones mentioned, that fans believe could have a significant impact.

As for the veterans, fans believe that Roman Josi and Saros can have "bounce back" seasons. Josi missed the final few games of last season due to a Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) diagnosis and spent the entirety of the offseason recovering. He has already returned for training camp.

Saros just had a down year compared to the previous seasons. Signed to an extended contract, this is going to be a big year not just for him, but for the front office that signed him to the extension

Josi is a make-or-break season. If he's in form, the team can win.

If Saros is back to form, then his impact could change everything.

Who will benefit the Predators the least this season?

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators incoming general manager Barry Trotz announces the twenty fourth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

These answers centered around mainly two things: Barry Trotz and aging players.

Trotz, the Predators' first-ever head coach, returned to the organization in 2023 as general manager. His tenure has been complicated, to say the least, as he tries to stick to the Predators' "Smashville" identity while building toward the future in a more offensively focused NHL.

A handful of acquisitions, or lack thereof, this offseason have left fans uneasy heading into this season.

GM Barry Trotz. He’s a coach who has no business being a GM. He’s been taken advantage of in trades and has handed out some really awful contracts that have hamstrung the team financially.

Barry Trotz. Continues to sign and play players that seem not to fit the coaches’ preferred schemes.

The other concern comes around older players in core roles. Specifically, Brady Skjei, who is 31 years old, is entering the second year of a seven-year contract. Since joining the Predators in the 2024 offseason, his production has gradually declined.

Skjei. I would love to see him have a breakout season, but he can be a weak aspect that really hinders the team's ability to stay consistent across every shift.

Honestly, I'm kind of worried about Skjei. He gets a lot of flak, and I tend to cut him more slack than that, but now we have so many defensemen, it feels like he and his huge contract are just in the way, and I still am not convinced he will turn it around yet. Would rather have a younger guy in his spot.

Older talent in general is becoming an issue for fans, and there is a growing need to get the next generation of Predators players to Nashville.

We can't double down on getting more 30+ year old forwards that won't help the team now nor be part of the core in the long term.

Fans' prediction for Predators' 2025-26 season

Apr 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) and left wing Jason Robertson (21) celebrates a goal scored by Hintz against the Nashville Predators during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The majority of fans who took the survey believe that the Nashville Predators will not make the playoffs, with the "no" vote making up 55.3% of the poll.

When it comes to placement in the standings, fans averaged that the Predators would finish 23rd in the NHL and sixth in the Central Division.

Compared to the 2024-25 standings, that would be a seven-spot improvement in the league standings and a one-spot improvement in the divisional standings, but still 14 points outside of a Wild Card spot.

Final thoughts

Apr 30, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; A Nashville fan cheers in warm up prior to game five of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Trotz is getting a lot of hate, some of it is deserved, but I am on his team for now. I love his draft picks and think we need to give him another 3 years or so before we start to judge him, not only for his past decisions but to give him time to grow in a position he hasn't done before. Few people can step into a new role like that and immediately be successful, or even "average", at it.

Future outlook isn't as bad as some outlets say, but this team is still missing top-line talent on forward and defense. Lots of good prospects in the system with Martin, Surin, Molendyk, Svechkov, Wood, Lee, etc.

Getting fans a 3rd jersey (it's been 14 years).

It feels like the Preds are wanting their cake and to eat it too. The team feels devoid of identity and direction.

We need a direction other than just playoff edge, even if it’s a full rebuild, and we need to draft and develop way better.

Go Preds!

Sound off: Nashville Predators fans voice their thoughts, opinions 1 week away from opening night