The Nashville Predators open the 2025-26 NHL season with completely different expectations compared to last season.
In this space last year, the Tennessean’s group of reporters were tossing around three-digit point totals for Nashville’s regular season.
That did not happen. (50 wins? Yikes.)
And the faces and names are largely the same for the Predators as of Opening Night. Andrew Brunette enters Year 3 with plenty of doubters after last year’s blundering start. Veterans Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei are in Year 2 of their respective contracts, and stalwarts Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros will look to turn things around.
The biggest change? Four rookies are on the opening night roster, including 2025 first-round pick Brady Martin.
Here are the Tennessean’s Predators and NHL season predictions, including their Stanley Cup Final picks:
Predators’ 2025-26 points total: 92 pointsWestern Conference finish: 8th place (last team in!)Is there a pathway to the playoffs? How wide or narrow is that path? There’s definitely a path. They were last in shooting percentage last year (8.8%), but I don’t think Forsberg, Marchessault, and Stamkos just forgot how to shoot. That will improve. An improved offense and bigger defense leads to a bounce back year.Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros all had down seasons last year for one reason or another. Which Preds veteran star comes back the strongest in 2025-26? Juuse Saros. Look, I have no idea what happened with him last year. Goaltenders are weird folks, so who knows. But the guy is still a top 10 goaltender and should be fully healthy for the season.Most Valuable Pred: Filip Forsberg. He scores 50 this year.One player you’re paying close attention to: Brady Martin. The 18-year-old has made the lineup, but will he play more than 9 games? If he does, it could be fun watching the rookie learn under the tutelage of Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly.What do you make of Andrew Brunette’s future in Nashville? He’s safe for now and I think it would take an even worse year than last year to fire him.
NHL predictions
Hart Trophy winner: Nathan MacKinnon.One surprise: Utah Mammoth – they were close last year and added some nice pieces in the summer. They make the playoffs.One disappointment: Florida Panthers. The Barkov injury is big and they won’t have Matthew Tkachuk until December. They make the playoffs, but don’t three-peat.Breakout star: Ivan Demidov, the Canadiens’ super rookie. He had a sensational debut in two games last year and is the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy.Stanley Cup Final prediction: Edmonton Oilers over Toronto Maple Leafs… all Canadian final!
Predators’ 2025-26 points total: 83 pointsWestern Conference finish: 11thIs there a pathway to the playoffs? How wide or narrow is that path? A path? Sure. They’ll make a better push this season. But will they make it in? Gonna say no. While the Preds have made a habit out of being good when expected to be bad and bad when expected to be good, it just seems unrealistic to expect that much improvement from veterans who are a year older.Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros all had down seasons last year for one reason or another. Which Preds veteran star comes back the strongest in 2025-26? If Roman Josi is healthy, he’s still an elite defenseman.Most Valuable Pred: Filip Forsberg.One player you’re paying close attention to: Goalie Juuse Saros is going to have the most say in whether this team is respectable again or not.What do you make of Andrew Brunette’s future in Nashville? He’s in better shape than the Titans’ Brian Callahan. For now. Check back in a month or two.
NHL predictions
Hart Trophy winner: Connor McDavidOne surprise: I suppose it’s about time for the Buffalo Sabres to do something and sneak into the playoffs.One disappointment: Nowhere to go for the Florida Panthers but down this season.Breakout star: Logan Stankoven, CarolinaStanley Cup Final prediction: Carolina Hurricanes over Dallas StarsPredators’ 2025-26 points total: 84 pointsWestern Conference finish: 11thIs there a pathway to the playoffs? How wide or narrow is that path? Juuse Saros is the X-factor, but he has been rather ordinary over the last two seasons. If he returns to the 2022-23 version of himself, the Predators can absolutely make the postseason. But that’s asking Saros to be a top-5 goaltender; even if he improves this season, that’s a fairly tall leap to make.Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros all had down seasons last year for one reason or another. Which Preds veteran star comes back the strongest in 2025-26? All three should be pretty motivated for their own reasons. But Stamkos’ overall shot total will go up this season, and he will clear 35 goals and 70 points with ease.Most Valuable Pred: Filip Forsberg.One player you’re paying close attention to: Brady Martin is the correct answer, even if just for nine games. But Fedor Svechkov could spend a lot of time in the Predators’ top six this season, and he’ll need to take a couple steps forward this year.What do you make of Andrew Brunette’s future in Nashville? I shudder to think of a worse start to this season than last. Barring that, Brunette should be fine through April.
NHL predictions
Hart Trophy winner: Mitch Marner, Vegas.One surprise: The New York Islanders add an impact forward at the trade deadline and make the playoffs in an unpredictable Metropolitan Division.One disappointment: Also in the Metro, Washington’s 2024-25 season is the exception not the baseline. The Caps miss the playoffs.Breakout star: Matthew Knies, Toronto. He becomes a point-per-game player as the Maple Leafs’ top six adapts to the post-Marner era.Stanley Cup Final prediction: Vegas over Toronto in the Mitch Marner Final.