Projected lineup, season predictions, playoff picture

In the second half of last season, the Nashville Predators were on fire. In fact, at the end of the game they were one of the best teams in the league. This second-half streak helped Nashville reach the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. And although the Predators lost to the Vancouver Canucks, the front office created a potential Cup-winning team.

Once the foundation is ready, you need to build on it. And CEO Barry Trotz did just that. The Predators went wild in NHL Free Agency this summer. They signed significant contracts with players such as Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. All three players should play huge roles on this team right away.

Spending tons of money in NHL Free Agency doesn’t always end in success. However, there are exceptions to the rule. It will certainly be interesting to see if Nashville is one of those exceptions. Here’s our full Predators season preview with the 2024-25 NHL season just around the corner.

Predators expected lineup

Nashville has a lot of talent, especially in the top six. The aforementioned Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault support the lineup. They join forces with the likes of Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Gustav Nyquist to create what could be one of the most lethal offensive attacks in the NHL.

The Predators are also strong on the blue line. Brady Skjei will sign a seven-year contract as one of the best defenders available this summer. He and Roman Josi could make an interesting top pair. Alexandre Carrier also returns to the team after signing a three-year contract extension. Carrier will certainly want to capitalize on a productive 2023-2024 campaign.

Nashville gained clarity on offseason goals. Juuse Saros signed a contract extension with the Predators ahead of NHL Free Agency. This led to Yaroslav Askarov being traded to the San Jose Sharks. Saros’ backup is veteran goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who most recently played for the Dallas Stars. Here’s a full look at the Predators’ projected lineup:

Attackers – Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, Gustav Nyquist, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Tommy Novak, Colton Sissons, Luke Evangelista, Mark Jankowski, Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, Juuso Parssinen, Philip Tomasino, Zachary L’Heureux

Defenders – Roman Josi, Brady Skjei, Jeremy Lauzon, Luke Schenn, Alexandre Carrier, Spencer Stastney, Dante Fabbro

Goalkeepers – Juuse Saros and Scott Wedgewood

Nashville Season Outlook

This season, the Nashville Predators begin their fight for the Stanley Cup on their home field. The Predators’ new additions will make their debut on October 10 in Nashville against the Dallas Stars. On October 17, they will test their strength in a match against the current Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers in Nashville.

October 28 will be an emotional evening for Steven Stamkos. It heads south to face the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. This will be his first game in Tampa, where he will face the Lightning for the first time in his career. Last summer, after 16 seasons with the Lightning, he signed a four-year contract with Nashville.

Brady Skjei and Jonathan Marchessault will also face their former teams this year. The Predators play the Vegas Golden Knights three times, with two of the matchups being at home. Marchessault, the original Golden Knight, will play Vegas for the first time on April 12. Meanwhile, Nashville will face Skjei’s former Carolina Hurricanes twice, including an away matchup on March 25.

The Predators will end the season the same way they started the year. Nashville will host the Stars again on April 16 to close out the season. This final matchup before the Stanley Cup Playoffs could also have postseason ramifications.

Are the Predators a playoff team?

Given the player’s signing history, it’s hard to place bets on Nashville. Yes, the big spending spree in free agency doesn’t always end in success. In fact, it can be shown that they blow up in the team’s face more often than they act. However, Nashville has more than enough talent to sustain itself this season if things don’t go as planned.

The Predators will most likely be in the playoffs in 2025. But will they be a Stanley Cup contender? This question is a little more difficult to answer. Nashville certainly has a lot of talent. But talent alone won’t win you the Stanley Cup. If that were the case, the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs would have already won the championship.

The Predators built an impressive foundation this summer. And ultimately, they could certainly be a Stanley Cup contender. For now, however, there is still something to work on. Nashville is definitely a playoff team. but they are missing a real Cup contender.