Inside look at Nashville Predators

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Nashville Predators.

The Nashville Predators took a different approach this offseason and are hoping it pays off.

After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25, they didn't make any significant moves, banking that the same roster would compete for a playoff spot last season. 

The Predators again fell short, which led to an overhaul of their forward group.

Chris MacFarland, hired as general manager June 2 after serving in that role the past four seasons for the Colorado Avalanche, didn't waste time trading for two of his former players, Ross Colton and Jack Drury. Nashville also traded for forwards Mavrik Bourque, Adam Edstrom and Nils Hoglander, and signed Alex Kerfoot in free agency.

Add that to a roster with Stanley Cup champions Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O'Reilly among others, and it's easy to see why the Predators feel they are not far off from returning to the postseason.

"They have the pieces there that obviously they can win," Colton said. "It's just a matter of building the lineup around that. Obviously, you have the high-end guys that are there in (Stamkos), (Filip) Forsberg, (Roman) Josi, great goaltending, so it's just a matter of building pieces around that."

Drury has advanced to at least the second round of the playoffs in each of his four NHL seasons with the Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes and is hoping for a deep run with the Predators.

"It's a really good mix of kind of some veteran guys that have been superstars in the League for a long time and then some young guys that kind of bring a lot of speed and energy and skill," Drury said. "So, I know they've got the depth now, obviously an incredible goaltender (Juuse Saros). It's a group that I know is going to have some good expectations and I'm excited to be part of it.

"I think bringing that hunger in the locker room will be big and I think (it's) part of who I am as a competitive person and I love that aspect of the game, so hopefully I can bring that into a team that I'm sure already has a lot of it."

Nashville qualified for the playoffs in nine of 10 seasons from 2014-24. It made a splash two years ago signing Stamkos, Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei to long-term contracts, but it hasn't gone according to plan. Stamkos had 27 goals and 53 points and was minus-36 in 2024-25. Marchessault had 56 points (21 goals, 35 assists) after scoring 42 goals the season before. 

Last season, Stamkos scored 42 goals, but Marchessault dipped to 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists), so additions were necessary. One of them, Bourque, could emerge as the No. 1 center by the Predators' season opener at home against the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 1.

"I played center my entire life except last year (with the Dallas Stars), so I'm looking forward to having a shot and show what I can do down the middle," Bourque said. "I believe I'm a better player down the middle, so I know what I got to work on to be a good center in the NHL. I think I've always been a center, and I want to show that I can be a center again."

Getting off to a good start is the first step. Nashville lost five straight and won just eight of its first 30 games in 2024-25, and last season won six of its first 22. Each time, it was too much to overcome.

"I know one of the things in talking with our leadership group at the end of the year when I first got there was, they felt their start last year hurt them," MacFarland said. "They had to do some chasing and did a really admirable job to get into the playoff hunt (finishing four points out of a wild-card spot), and I think that'll obviously be something hopefully that we focus on. I mean, there are no easy games, as you know, and our division is a bear, and the conference is good. We're going to have to be ready right from the start."

The Predators haven't won a playoff round since 2018, but that doesn't mean the expectations aren't high.

"The goal is not to build a wild card team or a team that can make the playoffs," MacFarland said. "It's really hard to do. Don't get me wrong, but our goal is to methodically build a team that can get into that window where we're hopefully competing or having a chance to win the big prize, so what we're going to try to focus on day by day is that process."

NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika contributed to this report