From the NHL basement on Dec. 8 to a wild-card spot: The Predators’ long climb back | National Sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators never doubted they could be a playoff team. Proving it took far longer than expected.

A franchise that ranked dead last in the NHL standings as late as Dec. 8 goes into the final 10 games of the regular season sitting in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Even better, Nashville is just three points back of Utah for the first wild-card berth with a game in hand.

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