Nashville Predators 2025-26 NHL Season Preview

Hello everybody and welcome into another season preview show here at the Hawk Raiders YouTube channel. I’m your host Matthew Zetto and uh we’re doing the Nashville Predators. On this preview got Zack Martin here who usually covers the Hurricanes. He’s stepping in. If you have read his roster projection on the Predators he is covering the Predators kind of on the website right now as well. Um but mostly Hurricanes but he’s going to be stepping in. Thanks Zach for for coming in coming on. Yeah, of course. Yeah. I don’t know what the capacity is of actually writing about them. I just know it’s just helping the website getting some traction. I know we’re trying to do a lot of the season preview stuff now and I’m, you know, I haven’t seen one. So, I figured, hey, why not help out? And of course, I know you’re looking for everyone to cover teams on here. So, I’m like, hey, why not, you know, help out and all that stuff. But, yeah, always happy to, you know, appreciate the invite. And like I said, love talking hockey. Doesn’t matter who it is. So, yeah, it should be fun talking about the uh Nashville Predators after another uh busy offseason for these guys, especially after last year. Yeah. I mean, you look at it, it wasn’t nearly as busy as they did free agency. Uh, adding Stamos and Maraso and Brady. Yeah. So, I mean, all those guys got added last off season and unfortunately didn’t go the way that everyone thought was supposed to. I I know on the preview last year we were saying Predators are they’re going to be one of the top powers in the Central Division and um we were expecting a lot of big things but they didn’t happen. They didn’t make the playoffs. They were they struggled all season. Uh their big acquisitions didn’t do very very much. I mean Stamos he was good but he wasn’t the Stamos from Tampa Bay at all. Uh, so I mean, yeah, lots of stuff to be mean. A lot to bounce back. A lot of guys bounce. Yeah. That category. Yeah, no kidding. Yeah, no kidding. For sure. Let’s start with the forwards. Uh, I mean, they had one new addition, Erica, from the New Jersey Devils. So, they got him. He is a pretty good third line center, I I guess. Um, what do you think about him being added? I mean, it’s a familiar face. They already know. I didn’t really give up a whole lot to get him. It’s just tough when you look at the production he put up last year with New Jersey. It’s like less than 30 points overall. Like there was a stretch where he was just absolutely struggling. And of course our own you know Dan Daniel who covers the New Jersey Devils had a nice little uh different I guess a slight beef if you want to call it that with him because he called him out about it on his articles. But I mean hey he wasn’t scoring at the time. He’s an okay third line center. It’s just I think overall we look at the center depth that they have on the national prayers, it’s kind of tough after Ryan O’Reilly and I’m not and I wouldn’t say it’s a needle mover getting Eric Colala back. I mean like I said it’s a familiar face but you got to hope there’s a step up somewhere from him this season. I mean, he he did show a lot in New Jersey, not not last season, but this, I believe, the season before where he was pretty good. And I mean, he has shown in the past to bring some offense, but yeah, I think third line center is probably where he’s going to slot in. Yeah, that’s probably where that’s probably where he’s going to be because Yeah, because when you look at um Fedor Sesco, I think he’s going to be your second line center. And even then last year with him, I mean, you look at a guy who had eight goals, 17 points in 52 games, there’s going to be there’s going to be a lot of hoping and stepping up for that center depth, at least for the Predes after O’Reilly, for sure. Um, so I mean, let’s look at some of the big storylines then in the forward group. I mean, we already mentioned the big guys that were added last season. That’s going to be a huge thing. Um, is that the biggest thing? Just the the new guys or new guys in that they got to start doing what they were added to do. Yeah. Well, because it’s funny when you look at because Marsho was actually second on the team in points with 56, 21 goals, 35 assists. So, that’s pretty good all things considered for him. 78 games. Of course, got some rest. Steven Stamp codes played all 82 games, 27 goals, 53 points, tied for third, the team with, you know, Ryan O’Reilly. So two of the two guys that they added last year, you know, got you over 50 points, but then after O’Reilly’s 53, it’s a massive drop off to Roman Yosi 38 points for fifth best and then Brady Shay 33rd best. Yeah. If you look at O’Reilly, Stamos, Marsha Show, and Philip Forsber, he had four guys 50 plus, and then everyone else was 32 and below with Evangelista. He was 32 points, which is seventh on the team. Then after that it’s like 20s. I think with the for the Predators it’s just yeah a lot of bad minuses. Stam Coast minus 36, Marshes – 29, Philip Forsber minus 27, O’Reilly minus 23. It’s just across the board for the forwards like they can’t rely on four of those guys to kind of lead the way. It seems like the entire, you know, bottom six pretty much out, I think outside your top line, you had one guy in your second line doing some work and then it’s kind of everyone else was there. It seems like the whole forward group needs a boost to help with depth scoring cuz if they’re rely on Forsber, Marcos, Stamos, and O’Reilly to do all the work, it’s going to be another long season for the PRS. everyone’s going to have to start scoring as well because you can’t have four guys in the 50s and then it’s 132 and a bunch of 20s across the board and that’s just talking about points not even goals really which is crazy to think of. Yeah. Well, especially what they did at you know the previous season 23 24 where they were one of the best team well they were one had that long winning streak right it was like a franchise record winning streak. Yeah, they were. Yeah, they were unreal the season before. And it’s just crazy. You go from that season and that and that was the the U2 trip that was cancelled and then they absolutely went on on a Yeah. huge tear to get into the playoffs and then this past season it’s just like they prayed for to have a YouTube concert jinx like that cuz Yeah, they just Yeah, they I mean they didn’t finish last in the division which was which is crazy to think last year. you thought they were going to, but yeah, just you see that difference from 23 to 24 to 24 25. You’re like, man, that’s a big drop off and that’s when everyone thought they got better because like you said, you added some guys who can’t put up points and they did. It’s just unfortunately the rest of the team didn’t really do that. Yeah. Well, I know I was saying their their depth is four lines deep and all this stuff, but it’s just you look back at that preview, it’s like we didn’t know we were talking about or something. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s like you got your top line, a third of your second line, then it’s a bunch of I have no idea what’s going on here type of thing. That’s that’s the crazy part. Yeah, it’s a lot of guys need to step up at the forward group for sure. Yeah, defense. They did add some a couple good actually pretty good names. both Nick, these are Nicks. Nichol from the Vegas Golden Knights and Nick Pervix in free agency who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning uh last season and actually played pretty well for them. Oh, yeah. So, I mean, what do you think about the two Knicks being added here? Yeah, I think we got a couple Knicks like that. And funny enough, because you’re looking at some of the projected rosters, they kind of have them paired on that third um defensive group, which isn’t bad. all things considered because you have them behind Shane and Blackenberg for the second and you have Yosi uh Justin Bon in the first. Having the two Knicks as your third pair wouldn’t be bad either. I you can almost see one of them kind of moving up as well if you want to put him on that first group with Yosi. But yeah, you’re adding you know two guys in Hag and Pervix. Pervix’s money wasn’t even that bad all things considered. It’s a you know good AAV for the seat every you know for the couple seasons you have of them and then you get Nick Hey and you know you get him on that trade. didn’t really have to give up a whole lot to get him and you automatically signed him. I think was what 24, you know, Blackenburgg minus two. So, it’s like you’re seeing that even like the the top guys kind of struggled overall for the defense. So, if you’re I think you’re adding some good defensive depth and that’s just your third pair, too. So, I mean that third pair is pretty solid all things considered. I think they definitely filled a need that was really needed on that defense cuz they were letting Sorrowos could absolutely just blister with pucks last year. Like they like you might as well could drive a semi-truck through that defense and that’s it was just hard for them to stop anything. And then not trying to be mean about it. It’s just when you look at a lot of those minuses and you’re talking high 20s and that’s your that’s your elite or very good defenseman putting up minus 20s. That’s a tough thing to ask. And that’s a tough thing to ask of Jussi Sorrowos, too. I think he’s a really, he’s definitely a top 15, top 10 goalender if he’s lights out and has the team in front of him. But if you’re getting like 30, 40 shots a night, that’s a tough ask for a guy to try to pick up his defense who really just couldn’t really help pick him up for the most part. But I think adding but I think adding the two Knicks definitely is a step up for the defense. I think that’s what’s going to kind of help, you know, maybe plug some of the leaks that were kind of getting through last year. When you look at the defense, like Yeah. I mean, these two guys have I mean, Pervvic’s I believe play played on the top pairing in Tampa Bay for a while there, right? Yeah. At least top four. Yeah. Yeah. It’s not like he can’t step into a top four role. Maybe play with Yosi. Who knows? That could happen. Um Yeah. I mean, Nick, too. Yeah. Nick Nick was top four on on the Golden Knights. Yeah. And you have them as your third pair. That’s that’s not bad at all for the National Predators adding those two guys. And then and like you said, you could see them kind of move up second pair, first pair. You’ve got some versatility now on your defense. You’re not kind of like h are we going to be okay here and stuff like this. You kind of put yourself into a better spot all things considered compared to last season on the defense at least. Yeah, for sure. I I think that’s that’s a big thing that you mentioned with Sorrowos getting peppered. I mean, you can be the best goalie in the league and not stats suffer, right? Um so on that note, let’s talk about the goalending. Right. You know, looking Jussi Sorrowos obviously the starter. He’s been that for a while. Um you got two guys. I threw in Matt Murray because he could be in the equation there. They signed him. He played mostly in the AHL last season. um Yus Anin backup most I mean he’s not going to be the starter at all but do you see what do you see with this as a backup for you know in particular because there could be a little bit of a competition there I think there I think there probably will be it’s just and then I mean a tough year splitting between Colorado and Nashville I mean you look at a guy who 911 and one last year and 23 games started 20 of Um I mean save percentage of 888 goals against a 317. I mean even then like you look at Sorrowos he had an 895 saves and 298 goals against 20 31 and six. I’ve been feel bad for Saros because 31 led the entire when you have a bold number in the loss column. That’s kind of rough. But like you can’t really put that on him. Like that’s just an unfortunate stat when you rack up 31 losses. But what can you do when you’re playing 3,300 minutes and you’re seeing 1,592 shots over 58 games? Yikes. Yeah. But I mean with Annen, I’m curious to see if they’re really like what’s his leash going to look like? You know, can he kind of step up and be a good backup? Like I don’t know how many games we’re going to get out of him. I mean, if you’re talking 82, if you give Saros another what 58 even to like 56, that’s still a decent number of games for Anin, but like what’s his leash going to look like? And I guess it depends on how good he looks coming out of camp because yeah, you add in Matt Murray who’s, you know, who’s been there and done that with some other teams as well. Of course, the done that part, you can kind of see where that goes from, but I mean, he’s got a lot of NHL experience. You know, a lot more than what Aninan’s got. Mhm. I guess it depends on what Nashville’s comfortable with of who’s going to be your backup and who’s going to be your third goalender. I mean, we all know it’s going to be it’s going to be Sorrowos. It’s just can the team in front of him pick him up for the most part. And yeah, I guess it’s just for the goalending is who’s going to really show out in camp, but who does Nashville kind of feel good about having as your your legit number two? This isn’t a tandem. This is like who’s your number two cuz Saros is going to be looking at least 50 at least 55 games to maybe 60 at the most and you’re getting probably what 30 like 30 something 20 like 22 starts maybe if that. So it’s it I don’t know that backup goalend position is a huge question mark of who’s going to be that guy to kind of take 20 starts next year. Yeah for Sorrowos. Yeah, I think I think Predators are one of those teams like there’s not a ton of them anymore that you’re like number one, that’s it. There’s no one else. They’re still the team that has that. I mean, you’re your backup is, you know, come in, be okay, be average, be at least good. Sos is going to play most of the games. Yeah, it’s just it’s just who you, like I said, who are you more comfortable with? Do you want to go with the young guy in who’s gonna be 25 next year? you like a Matt Murray who’s a veteran who’s, you know, like you said, played a lot of AHL last year and can he shove flashes of what his NHL self used to be at least as a decent backup. But yeah, it’s you don’t see a lot of these teams now where it’s like one, two, now it’s a lot of one A’s, one B’s or kind of fringe in those areas. But that’s the future of the I mean I think it’s now, but you need two goalies and and I mean even I Yeah, even Sorrowos who need you he can’t play a ton. I mean, that’s just insane the amount of shots if you make the playoffs and you’re having to Yeah. I don’t know. I I just I have never liked one guy taking so much because you need them rested for the playoffs that So, yeah. Well, especially too when you’re facing like I said, you’re facing almost 1,600 shots in 58 games. Like that is a ton of shots throughout an entire season where you’re almost playing 30 like you said 3,357 minutes of ice time for Sardis last year. Like wow. Yeah, that’s that’s a lot. So he’s like well it’s like Hellabuck plays a ton. So it’s like those two goalies I think are the only ones really in the NHL that are I would say Yeah. than everyone else. Yeah, like maybe Vaselki. Yeah, maybe Marstrom too. But yeah, it’s Yeah, you don’t see you don’t see a lot of those guys racking up that many minutes. But [Laughter] we’ll see what happens. Sus is one of them, but unfortunately not getting the help needed to kind of Yeah. not feel like you’re just running them into the ground. Yeah, for sure. We’ll see how they kind of split it this season. Yeah. All right, let’s move uh to the central division and talk about where the Predators stack up here. I mean, last season, maybe we’re putting them in that top four by looking on paper, but where do you see them this season? Is it that could they be in that mix? I wouldn’t say the top tier, but in the mix of a playoff spot this season. I’m gonna say it’s tough. I think they I think they’re going to get they’re going to be a they’re going to be a progression for the pres, but I don’t I mean the Jets are still the Jets. They’re still going to be pretty good. Minnesota is still going to be pretty good as well. Colorado is still going to be Colorado. Dallas I mean I mean of course they’re still in flux. What are they going to do with Jason Robertson? They’ve, you know, what are they doing with their So I would say you’re looking at what Dallas, Winnipeg, Colorado, top four is going to be tough out of this division for Nashville. I mean, you got to see what the Blues are going to do, too. I mean, the Blues are kind of, you know, are they going to be that team? Are they not going to be that team? I think Nashville might be fighting for a fifth in the division. If anything, they could surprise us, but it’s just is the like we talked about with the Ford crew, are they going to get help? And I don’t know, they didn’t they didn’t really address a lot of needs. Yeah, they had Aracala, but you still got the same cast of characters from last year for the most part, and you got to hope that they step up. So, I see fifth at best in the Central. The top four, the top four are too stacked. It’s going to be tough to fight those guys. And you look at the Pacific, still a lot of good teams out of the Pacific division, too. they’re going to make it very tough to even snag a wild card and give them three teams. When you look at Edmonton, LA, you know, just Vegas, you’re like just naming a couple of them. And there’s still a lot of the other teams in that division who still can make some noise, too. So, they would really have to go on a Cinderella run to make the playoffs. I’d say fit at best at the central division if anything because the rest of the division still got better or kind of maintained and even maintained is still better what N than what Nashville did this off season. Yeah. I think they’re hoping that the guys that they added last off season will do what they were expecting when they Yeah. like 70 point seasons and stuff like that. Yeah. It’s just like I said, you gota you got to have a lot of your guys that are farther down those list. You can’t, like I said, Evangelis is your seventh leading scoreer and he’s got 32 points and then your next forward is, you know, Thomas Novak at 22, Colton Siz at 21. Of course, Citizens is even with the team anymore. So, yeah, what are you really looking at? Like I said, even with your forward court, like you’re got to hope that, you know, is Michael Bunting going to take that next step next year for them? You know, Zack um Laroo, is he going to do something? you know, Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, Matthew Wood, who was a went from the NCAA to the NHL last season, like you’re you’re having to rely on those centers. Even like I said, Fodor Satzkaf, like he didn’t really put up a lot of points last year as well. So, you’re like I said, you’re going from O’Reilly in the 50s to 20s for a lot of these forwards, especially in the center court. Yeah. Yeah. You’re you’re you’re relying on your top six to carry most of the work, and you got to hope that your bottom six guys kind of step up, too, for the most part. So yeah, it’s gonna be very interesting how the central division works out, but top four I think are are pretty tough to crack unless there’s some weird things that happen where they drop off when no one thought they were going to drop off. New York Rangers looking at you in the metro where everyone thought they were Yeah, I mean it can happen, but I don’t know. It’s just the Central’s tough and Nashville like Yeah, I think they they got their defense to look a little bit better. as just can they put on the ice because we all know paper can say one thing. What does the ice actually say? Because puck because puck puck doesn’t lie when it comes to a lot of stuff like that. For sure. All right. Well, we’ve talked about a lot of these uh storylines. So, into our quickfire round here. Is the biggest story line the forward group and if they can step up because I mean defense looks pretty good. Goalending obviously with Sorrowos is pretty good. Is that the biggest one? Yeah, I think the biggest story line is can can they get that depth scoring? Because if they’re like I said, if you’re still going to rely on O’Reilly, Stam Coast, Forsber, Marsha, so to kind of lead the way, that’s a big ask for four guys out of an entire four crew of 16 to do the work. Yeah, Evangelisa got you 32, but Evangelista needs to get you at least almost 50. And then you got to hope that Svetkov, Bunting, Holla, Laroo, all those guys kind of step up. fourth line you can kind of do with whatever with Cole Smith and Matthew Wood if they’re there. But yeah, you gota you got to have your top nine going. You at least have to have three, four lines all rolling. Even if it’s not like massive seasons, you got to have a lot more than what you got last year because if you’re going to rely on the same four to do the work or it’s Forsber in the upper 70s and it’s down to the 50s and then down to 30, that’s going to be a massive ask to kind of make that work in a central division that’s still tough. Yeah. And we’re not even talking about them going to 84 games next season, which is more. And the thing is that’s more games in the division, too. Yeah. So, that’s going to be that’s So, if there’s a time for them to kind of write the ship and figure it out, it’s got to be this season. I see the forward core. They’re going to need that depth scoring to help propel them in any certain direction that’s upward and not, you know, where the Chicago Blackhawks are at 60 61 points. Yeah, I I agree. I I think the top end guys, they obviously have to be better, too, but you can’t just rely on those on those guys to do it do it all. And you need the depth. And that’s I mean that’s what the Florida Panthers that’s what the I mean even the Edmonton Oilers that’s why they got into the final that you know couple I mean yes McDavid and Dryside carry the load but they got some depth scoring the last two seasons. So you do need it. You can’t just rely couple guys. Yeah you that’s that’s just the thing with the NHL man. You you need that even if it’s not the greatest depth if you at least have enough guys to kind of help you there and get lines rolling even when your big boys aren’t scoring. If you’re again, those other guys can kind of step up and be a big help. If it’s just certain small moments, it’s better than nothing. Yeah, for sure. All right. They need a lot of these guys. But do you have anyone that’s breaking out this season? I mean, there are some guys that have broken out in the past. There’s a few young guys though that may do it. Do you have anyone? Yeah, I would say uh Veretchov is one. Zack Laroo. think those are the two guys that are going to be kind of the big hopefully breakouts for the PRs. I know with we talk about Seshov here a little bit, you know, he’s someone, you know, playing 52 games late at 17 points, eight goals, but I think you’re I mean, he was 21, still a young guy. You think that he can he can make a move up there as well. I’m curious to see what Lori is going to do. I mean, he’s also 21. 62 games last year, five goals, 15 points is only a minus six. So you have two 21-year-old guys who kind of, you know, were in their first years last year, you know, like I said, 62 games for one, 52 for the other. I think going into their second seasons, you know, second full years um in the NHL, I think those are maybe the two guys you want to keep an eye on for the Predators is probably your breakout stars more than anything else. So like I said, with Sashkov, he’s going to be your second line center. Laroo could probably be your third line right wing going to be with Holland Bunting. two guys that are not it’s not bad to kind of you know learn from those guys who’ve played with you know some pretty big names in the hockey world at least I know for bunching you’re talking about Sydney Crosby of Kenny Malin and those guys holla he’s been with a lot of teams but he’s been around a lot of good players too so there’s at least you’re learning something from those guys I don’t know how much of they’re going to propel you forward in terms of your production but at least you’re going to get something out of it from guys who’ve been there with a bunch of other dudes around the league for sure. And Bunting has has been productive in a top six role in the past, too. So, uh, you never know with him. He could still do something. All right, let’s move to again, lots of candidates with these. A player that needs to bounce back. It might just not be just one player, but a few guys. Yeah, I would say you got to have a you got to have a bounce back for Erical. Very tough year last year for him. I would say that you’re if you’re looking at the defense, Roman Yosi is going to have a massive bounce back. I mean I mean he he only played 53 games last year, so I can’t put a lot on Roman Yosi for the fact that he was very limited due to some injury, but still 38 points 53 games, not bad. But you got to hope that that plus minus is not a minus 26. Yeah. And I look at that I look at that as a context that for like average time on ice, which was still 25 minutes a game. So they were logging a bunch of minutes out of them. So I understand you’re a minus 26. Yeah, but you need to pick that up. Brady Shay minus 24 21 minutes 53 seconds. You got the hope that there’s a bounce back there for him as well. Like I said, you need it from Holla. You need it from probably Bunting as well who played 18 games with the with the PRs. Only got nine points out of that. Of course, he got traded from Pittsburgh. So the there is a lot of guys you can kind of look at and the defense definitely for sure. And you know, some of the forward guys as well. There’s be there’s gonna be some massive needs across the board all things considered when it comes to you know who is your bounceback guys for the pres. Yeah, lots of guys. I mean you even want to hope that Stam Coast can maybe return to more of the lightning stamos than just an okay version of him because I wasn’t really impressed by what he uh did. So I mean he’s older. I mean he’s not but it’s not he’s not far removed from his what 70 point seasons right so yeah I mean yeah cuz you talk about guy who’s 34 you know minus 36 last year but was 53 points 27 goals in 82 games so yeah you definitely like he was okay like he was an okay stam coach yeah if you want like Tampa Bay stam coach yeah you’re talking at least 70 points I mean it’s it’s doable it’s just you know it’s you got to hope for a lot out of him marsh or so you gota hope for a Vegas Golden Knights Marsh. So the bad thing is both those guys are 34 and they got some pretty hefty contracts on top of what they’re going to be getting from Nashville. Nashville’s relying on a 34y old Marsha Stamp Coast, a 33y old Roman Yosi, a 34y old, you know, Yosi. Luckily for them, Philip Forsber’s only 30. He put up 76 points last year in 82 games. You know, 45 assists, 31 goals. We had they’re you’re looking at some of these guys who are in their 30s kind of having to hope lead the way. You got to help all your young guys. Evangelist is 22. You know, Seshkov is 21. Haru, you know, Laroo is 21 as well. You know, you got a lot of young guys in their lower 20s that you’re hoping step up and kind of be the guys that you hope that they’re going to be, but you’re also going to have to hope that your older guys are going to be, you know, hope you got enough in the tank to kind of lead the way because you’re the guys who were hoping to kind of, you know, do the most of the work for us. Yeah, for sure. All right. Uh, X Factors. Uh, what do you got for for an X-Factor player situation? What what what do you got there? Oh, man. See, that’s tough because like I said, like who because we because we talk you can name all the big guys, but those aren’t very those are your X factors because they’re just you’re used to having those guys kind of do their thing. I would say most likely you got to look at the power play units because right first power play you got Forsber, O’Reilly, Marsha, Stamp Coast Yosi. Those are your top five goal. There’s your top five point getters all on your first power play in it. Like yeah, you got to hope that your top power play just is absolutely rolling for you this season. And your second power play in it. Matthew Wood, Fetchoff, Bunting, Evangelista Blackenberg. Yeah, you gota hope that you got to hope that second power play it’s roll is at least getting you something. I can see them probably getting 30 seconds on a power play every night. Maybe 25 seconds at the most. You’re going to be rolling heavy on that first power play unit. So that’s going to be your big X factor. And can your penalty killers do the work too? Like you’re talking about Karen Smith, Shay Blackenberg is your first unit. So Blackberg’s going to be used in pretty much almost every facet of every situation. Then you’re looking at Holla O’Reilly, Nick, Hag, and Nick Pervix as your second PK unit. I would say almost your second defensive PK unit is probably better than your first. Nothing against Brady Shane Blackenberg. But if you’re talking Hagen Pervix, I would almost put them first PK group, but it’s just you got to hope that those guys kind of do their thing as well. So it’s I’m looking at the special teams, especially PP1. You’re going to do a lot of the work on the power play and your PK. You got to hope your PK is absolutely lights out because if if you’re laying in a lot of goals, it’s going to be a long night because it it you don’t want to give those other teams so many chances to go on the power play and you can’t really you’re going what one for three, you know, 0 for two, like can’t really have that on some nights. So, I think special teams are going to probably be the X factor for the prince this season because it’s going to be tough to come out of that. And they lost Colton Sizz, right? So, And yeah, I mean, one of the best. That’s what I’m saying. That’s what I’m saying. That that’s gonna be a huge like because after O’Reilly, you got Spatchov is your second center. Eric Hall is your third, and Michael McCarron is your fourth. Not a lot of production out of those lines. And one of those guys is 21, so I can’t really blame him, but you got to hope for other production across your center core. Over Riley is probably your best and only center. It’s going to win you a ton of faceoffs. So, yeah, took a lot of that last season. So yeah, we’ll we’ll see. Maybe Holla is going to be the guy to step in because I mean he’s been pretty good. Uh yeah, in the dot in the past, too. So we’ll see. He’s probably the one that they’re going to hope that can that can come in and do that. All right, Pat, young guys, mentioned a few of them there. Um do you see anyone surprising making the team out of training camp? There’s a few guys. Waten Camill is still hasn’t I mean he hasn’t really he hasn’t broken on the NHL level. he’s been the AHL. Uh, he’s got a bright future. Um, do you have anyone that’s could surprise and maybe make the team? I would say probably your best bets Camille for the most part, but even then, like the cup of coffee he got wasn’t really the strongest cup of coffee you really want to see out of a guy that you’re hoping kind of breaks out. I think for the most part, that’s probably the only guy you’re really looking at. Um, I mean, I know Matthew Wood had some time last year. He’s, you know, still I you could still would you consider him a prospect? I’m not sure. Maybe he’s someone who could maybe take the next step as a surprise for the team. But yeah, I think Camille’s probably your best bet when it comes to just prospects and rookies and stuff like that because other than that, I’m not really sure who you can be like, “Yeah, I’m kind of definite on this guy.” I think Camil’s probably probably the best bet in terms of that. Yeah, I I hope Matthew Wood does have a really good season because I I wrote his prospect profile way back when. I really like his game. So, hopefully he can kind of do something this season, too. Yeah. All right. Um, what do you got for prospects to watch uh overall in the system? I mean, the Predators do have a few uh interesting guys. Um, do you have any anyone else I’d be watching? I know Victor Edstrom coming from the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s He had a really good season in the SHL last season. So, anyone you’re watching? Yeah, I’ I’d say it’s Tim. I think he’s one of the guys to kind of really keep an eye on more than anything else. Like we said, we talked about Camille, too. Um, I see those are probably the two guys I’m really going to keep an eye on. Well, not really keep an eye, but kind of be like, okay, what are these guys kind of doing for the most part for in the PR system that maybe could make some noise? Um, other than that, I’m it’s a tossup. I know Milwaukee Milwaukee is always a good team in the AHL. They always find a way to get to get the job done. It’s just are they the hey, we’re gonna make it to the NHL. Make some noise out of them. I think I think the two guys that like you just mentioned one of them and I think Camille’s the other one too. That’s like maybe those the two guys I’m saying like maybe these are the prospects to keep an eye on for this upcoming season. Yeah. Well, especially because Edstrom came in the Ascarov trade. That was a big a big Yeah. Huge one. Yeah. Yeah. We we could definitely be talking goalies in a whole lot of different light if he was still with the prince. But yeah. Yeah, that’s uh kind of tough. But yeah, I think Edstrom is probably gonna I think Edstrom, if you had a tier them, I think it’s Edstrom one Camille, too, in terms of prospects for the pres. Yeah, for sure. So, we’ll see um if they can Well, they’ll definitely be ones to watch. Yeah. Right. Uh this could be I mean it could be easy. Uh, who do you think is for defense? It’s probably pretty easy, but who’s who’s leading scoring? Uh, team overall, Forsber. It’s It’s for me, it’s a foregone conclusion. He’s the best player on the team. I think he’s going to lead the team in scoring. Defense, I you could probably say Yosi. I wouldn’t put it past Brady Sheay, but of course Shay did play 82 games last year for 33 points, but Roman Yosi got 38 and 53. You might you could see Brady Shay, but I think defense-wise it’s going to be Roman Yosi again. Roman Yosi is just that good. Like you’re talking about a guy who could be up for a Norris almost every single season. That’s just how good of a player he is, even if he’s on a very struggling PRS team. Um, yeah, I I think teamwise, forward, Foresber defense is going to be UFC. It’s just rinse and repeat, the same two guys are constantly kind of leading the way for both of those groups every single season because those guys are just those dudes. Yeah, for sure. I mean, Yosi was was flirting with that 100 point uh pace, not last season, but the season before when he was in the Norris conversation. So yeah, he he’s a guy definitely always putting up points and always logging tons of minutes too, like like you mentioned before. It’s crazy. He he does that all. All right, let’s uh finish it with uh bold prediction hot takeh for the Predators this season. I mean, you could go multiple ways, right? Um I’ll definitely say I bullet prediction. I think Philip Forsberg finished his top 10 in scoring uh for the league this season. I think you know yeah he didn’t put like I know it’s like you’re talking like lower 90s to hit the top 10 mark but I think if the team kind of picks itself up I think it’s like all like what rising tides float all boats type of thing. So I think if the whole team’s kind of helping themselves out I think Forsber you know might get a bigger boost in terms of that. So, I think bolt, you know, bold prediction. I think you’re looking at at Philip Forsber being top 10 in scoring for the entire National Hockey League. I would say if there’s a second one to go with, Pred sneak in as a wild card, too. Yeah. And that and that’s like I said, that’s if they can crack that fifth spot in the um in the Central and they push out two teams out of the Pacific, then they go five deep in the Central. and they take the second wild card spot. So, I think those are the two predictions for me. It’s, you know, wild card two and uh Foresber snags top 10 in the league in points. Yeah, it definitely can be done. Especially, I mean, if Foresburg does it, it Predators are much closer to the playoffs than uh than they were. I mean, even though he had 76 points, right, last season. So, like he had a bad season. Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah. 76 and 82 games. Yeah, that’s not really bad at all when you’re talking about a team who finished second to last in the Central Division by a mere few points. Chicago. Yeah. Can’t just have one guy doing it all. He’s he did it mostly all. So yeah. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. Like I said, you got you got to get everyone else going. And if they do, hey, we could you could see 90 out of them. I It’s definitely possible Force is that good. He’s that good, honestly. Put you put him on an actual contender, I could see him getting 90 points. Yeah, I I see it too for sure. And he’s Well, yeah, like you say, he’s our best player overall. I mean, Yosi probably in that conversation, too. But Oh, yeah. I I would say he’s definitely the best forward. Yeah. All right. Well, thanks, Zach, for coming on Talking Predators uh for this upcoming season. Hopefully, I have a better season because they definitely I mean, they have the talent to do it and we thought they were going to do it last season and they’re pretty much the same team coming back. So, uh we’ll see if they can do it. um this season. But make sure to check out everything at the hog.com with any other articles we got going on for the Predators. Whoever steps in and does some, we’ll see. But make sure you’re checking that out. All the stuff on the Substack and of course our YouTube channel with all the other previews that are out there if you want to take a look at any of the other teams we got going on. But uh until our next one, we will see you next

Host Matthew Zator welcomes Zach Martin to the show to preview the 2025-26 season for the Nashville Predators.

They go through everything from the new additions of Erik Haula, Nicolas Hague, and Nick Perbix to burning questions/storylines surrounding the forwards, defense and goaltending and where the Predators stack up in the Central Division. They also highlight some potential breakout stars, players that need to bounce back from last season, prospects to watch, X factors, bold predictions, and more.

Check out Zach’s writing: https://thehockeywriters.com/author/zmartin/

Check out THW’s Nashville Predators Substack for all the best Predators content – https://thehockeywriters.substack.com/s/nashville-predators

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