In the NHL, patience is a currency that depreciates faster than a new car driven off the lot. Nowhere is that economic reality more palpable right now than in Nashville. The Predators, a franchise that recently opened its checkbook with the aggression of a true contender, finds itself mired in a slump that has baffled analysts and enraged the fanbase. At the center of this storm stands head coach Andrew Brunette, a man whose tenure is looking increasingly precarious.
The narrative in Nashville has shifted rapidly from optimism to crisis management. When general manager Barry Trotz executed a massive spending spree, bringing in high-pedigree veterans like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, the mandate was clear: win now. Instead, the organization is staring down the barrel of a second consecutive lost season, and the calls for a change behind the bench are moving from whispers to shouts.
A Disconnect Between Payroll and Performance
To understand the heat on Brunette, one must look at the raw data, which paints a picture of a team in regression. The 2024-25 campaign was a harsh wake-up call, concluding with a disappointing 30-44-8 record that saw the Preds miss the postseason entirely. For a roster constructed to compete, that result was unacceptable.
However, the start of the 2025-26 season has arguably been more alarming. Through the first 20 games, the Predators have posted a sluggish 6-10-4 record, anchoring them to the bottom of the Central Division. A recent 1-6-2 slide has done little to quell the panic. Sources close to the team describe the atmosphere as possessing a “toxic energy,” with morale hitting an all-time low.
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When a team loaded with veteran talent — players who were sold on a vision of immediate competitiveness— starts sliding, the pressure cooker effect is immediate. These players are running out of time in their respective careers, and that urgency creates a razor-thin margin for error.
The “Casualty of War” Scenario
In the ecosystem of the NHL, the head coach is often the path of least resistance when a shake-up is required. You cannot fire the roster, and you certainly cannot trade untradeable contracts mid-season. This leaves the man behind the bench as the primary target for organizational course correction.
Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
NHL insider Frank Seravalli has noted that the Predators are in dire need of “significant changes,” identifying a coaching switch as one of the easiest logistical options available to Trotz. Seravalli recently suggested that the team’s trip overseas for the Global Series could serve as the catalyst for such a move — a distinct break in the schedule that allows for a “change in voice” to provide a shot in the arm for a listless squad.
Further compounding the situation is the analysis from David Pagnotta, who frames a potential firing as a “casualty-of-war scenario.” The rationale here is cynical but practical: if Trotz cannot move veteran contracts to reshape the team, he must demonstrate to the fanbase and the locker room that management is “at least doing something.” In this context, Brunette’s job security is less about his specific tactical failures and more about his utility as a sacrificial lamb to quell the unrest.
The Architectural Flaw: A Trotz Roster for a Brunette Coach?
Perhaps the most damning indictment of the current situation isn’t that Brunette is a bad coach, but rather that he is the wrong coach for this specific group. There is a growing consensus among analysts that there is a fundamental incompatibility between the roster Trotz built and the style Brunette prefers to play.
Trotz, transitioning from a legendary coaching career to the general manager’s chair, has admitted to being “old school.” Yet, he hired Brunette specifically because he viewed him as “forward-thinking” and representative of the future of the game. The friction arises because Trotz may have inadvertently constructed a “Barry Trotz roster” — heavy, grinding, structured — for a coach who thrives on speed, transition, and offensive creativity.
Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
It is a classic case of management not knowing what they didn’t know. The disconnect suggests that while Brunette possesses a solid resume, the fit is simply not there. The veterans are frustrated, the system isn’t clicking, and the “future of the game” approach is stalling out with a roster built for a different era of hockey.
The Man in the Middle
It is worth noting that despite the external noise, the relationship between GM and coach reportedly remains professional. Trotz has publicly expressed confidence in Brunette, citing their daily communication and describing Brunette as a “really sharp hockey guy.”
Brunette’s pedigree is not the issue. He played over 1,100 NHL games and proved his coaching mettle during the 2021-22 season with the Florida Panthers. As interim head coach, he guided Florida to a Presidents’ Trophy with a stellar 51-18-6 record and was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. He knows how to win.
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However, his contract status — signed through next year with a team option — offers little protection if the losses continue to mount. In professional sports, public votes of confidence from management are often the dreaded precursor to a dismissal. The reality is that even a talented surgeon cannot save a patient if the tools provided are incompatible with the procedure required.
The Shadow of David Carle
As is always the case when a coach is on the “Hot Seat Watchlist,” rumors regarding a successor have already begun to circulate. One name gaining significant traction is David Carle, the current head coach of the University of Denver.
Elliotte Friedman has identified Carle as an early favorite for the job should it become available long-term. Carle is viewed as a blue-chip coaching prospect, boasting a resume that includes two NCAA titles and two World Junior gold medals with Team USA. He represents the next wave of coaching talent, a winner who has consistently maximized the potential of young rosters.
David Carle, Denver University (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
The complication, of course, is timing. Carle is entrenched in the collegiate season and would not be available until the summer. This leaves the Predators in a difficult bind: do they make a move now with an interim solution to salvage the current season, or do they ride out the storm with Brunette until their primary target becomes available?
The Final Verdict
The situation in Nashville has reached a critical inflection point. The organization is facing a scenario akin to a surgeon performing an amputation: the limb itself (the coach) might be healthy and functional in a vacuum, but the infection spreading through the body (the team’s culture and record) may require its removal to save the patient.
With expectations sky-high and results hitting rock bottom, the status quo is no longer sustainable. Whether it happens after the Global Series or later in the winter, the silence in Smashville is likely to be broken by the sound of a gavel dropping. Brunette may be a good coach, but in the high-stakes business of the NHL, being good is rarely enough when the fit is wrong.
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