Florida Panthers players celebrate a first-period goal by left wing A.J. Greer (10) against the Nashville Predators on November 24, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. DANNY MURPHY/ICON SPORTSWIRE

Barring a surprise turnaround, the Nashville Predators are facing the possibility of another lost season.

The team is 6-12-4 through 22 games, nearly matching its 7-12-3 mark from the same point a year ago. Monday’s 8-3 home defeat to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers provided further evidence the Predators are likely to fall out of playoff contention sooner rather than later.

“It’s disappointing,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “For the most part, I’d take 20 of the 22 (games). We kind of stuck with it, and we didn’t always get the results, but you felt that at least we were building. (Monday) it just got slippery on us.”

Those still trudging to Bridgestone Arena may be experiencing understandable feelings of doom and gloom. Here’s a slice of the bright side from Nashville’s forgettable start to the season.

Matthew Wood emerging as rookie

There’s no Predators storyline more encouraging than Matthew Wood’s ascension in his first full year as a pro.

The 20-year-old has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 15 appearances. He’s played on each of the team’s top three forward lines and seen 2:11 of power-play ice time per game.

“I’m trying to learn as much as I can,” Wood told Main Street Nashville in October. “There’s so many great players on this team to try to take things from. The biggest thing that I’ve learned from them is that they’re still learning too and trying to grow. That’s really cool to see. It kind of shows how far I have to go and how much I have to learn.”

As its core players age, Nashville needs its next wave of youth to pan out. Wood appears to be on the right track so far.

The kids will play

Speaking of rookies, there should be little hesitancy to bring up more prospects from the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals.

General manager Barry Trotz is likely to try to ship out pending unrestricted free agents such as Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Michael McCarron and Cole Smith before the March 6 trade deadline. Ryan O’Reilly, under contract through 2026-27, could fetch a hefty return but would also create an even bigger hole at center if he were moved.

One way or another, the Predators could get extended looks at some of the biggest names in their prospect pool. Right wing Joakim Kemell and defenseman Tanner Molendyk figure to be among the first to get the call, along with left wing Zachary L’Heureux, who’s expected to miss at least another month due to a lower-body injury. Others to watch include defenseman Ryan Ufko, center David Edstrom and left wing Reid Schaefer.

“We’re in that transitional phase,” Trotz told Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas on the NHL’s “Conversations & Coffee” earlier this month. “I don’t want to say a rebuild, but we sort of are. I just call it a build. We’re starting to build. We’ve got some older players that hopefully can keep us relevant for a bit, and we’ve got some young players that we’ve got to wait for.”

Filip Forsberg still scoring

Most of Nashville’s veterans are underperforming, but not Filip Forsberg.

He leads the Predators with nine goals and 16 points, putting him on pace for a typical Forsberg season. The 31-year-old’s consistency is easy to overlook given the team’s scoring struggles and its paltry 2.36 goals per game average.

“We take a lot of pride in (the game), and for myself, I take a lot of pride in it,” Forsberg said. “You try to find and try to bring your best. Just speaking for myself, that’s really all I focus on. I try to do everything off the ice the right way. I try to show up prepared. And then, once I’m here, work my butt off and help the team.”

Signed through 2029-30 and showing no signs of slowing down, Forsberg will continue to be a central figure in where the team goes next.

Top draft pick within reach

It’s never too early to look at draft lottery odds, right?

According to Tankathon.com, the Predators currently have an 18.5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. Penn State star forward Gavin McKenna is viewed almost unanimously as the top player available, and the opportunity to select him would help offset the disappointment of what could be a franchise-worst season in Nashville.

The Predators own 11 picks for the seven-round 2026 NHL Draft, including at least one pick in every round and two in the second, two in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Follow Russell Vannozzi on X/Twitter @RussellV_MSP. For the latest Nashville Predators stories, be sure to sign up for the Main Street Nashville email newsletter.