Playoff Bound & Performing Better Than Ever, the Predators Point to Andrew Brunette: 'He Deserves a Ton of Credit'

Less than an hour after his team overcame the odds and punched their ticket to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday, Nashville Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette was in Bridgestone Arena’s media room, doling out praise to just about everyone. 

Everyone except himself, that is. 

“They built the identity, not me,” Brunette insisted. “We’ve said it a million times, but [relentless] is just a word. It's what they do night in and night out, and I think they're wearing it very proudly and they're bringing it every night.”

Brunette’s modesty notwithstanding, Nashville’s newest bench boss deserves a good deal of praise for his efforts this season.

Establishing a brand new vision for a roster comprised of newcomers, rookies and a markedly smaller core of franchise players, Brunette took the latest iteration of Predators from postseason write-offs to one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL in a matter of months.

“He deserves a ton of credit,” Predators Captain Roman Josi said. “It wasn't an easy year in the beginning and he came in with a plan, he came in with a system and a way that he wanted us to play. And there were probably nights where we didn't execute it and his patience was amazing. He just stuck with it and kept believing in the system, kept believing in us and we felt that as a team.”

To be certain, the road to the postseason was not without its share of bumps. Through peaks and valleys, the Predators were as many as four points out of the playoff picture exiting the All-Star break in early February.

Still, Brunette never wavered from his blisteringly-paced, offense-first style of play, and expected the same from his team. Eventually - as became apparent during their thrilling franchise-record 18-game point streak - the Predators caught on.

Since Feb. 17, the Predators lead the League in points (43) and share the joint-most wins (20). They've scored the second-most goals per game (3.85), while allowing the fourth-fewest (2.48).

“I knew it was going to take a little while with the players kind of wondering why we're doing certain things and why I’m asking them to do them,” Brunette said following a team practice on Thursday. “It was a little different, it was a little strange and it took a while. And I think it was good to have that little run in February, because I think they started to understand what it takes to get to our level of play. And now they're understanding why I'm asking them to do certain things.”

Under Brunette, the Predators have seen career seasons from players up and down the lineup. Take Gustav Nyquist as just one of several available examples.

Arriving in Nashville this summer with more than 700 career games under his belt, the 34-year-old forward had never iced a 60-point season, nor had he ever reached 40 assists.

After 80 games in a Gold sweater, he’s put up 74 and 52, respectively, while simultaneously notching his first 20-goal campaign since 2014-15.

While there are certainly a number of factors at play, Brunette’s influence can’t be overlooked.

“[It’s] just how he prepares us and what he demands from us,” Nyquist said. “He’s been around the League, and I think it helps when you've played for such a long time. It’s a long season and I think it's valuable, the knowledge that you get being in a locker room as a player. He obviously deserves some credit for that, too.”

Indeed, a veteran of 1,110 career outings, Brunette simply sees the game - and his players - differently.

“He had to get to know us and we had to get to know him,” Josi said. “And I think through communication you build a lot of trust… Everywhere he’s been, guys have loved him, guys have loved his coaching style. And I think sometimes as a player it might be a little uncomfortable in the beginning trying a new system, and there might be games where it doesn't work out. And it's easy to doubt everything - doubt yourself, doubt the system, doubt all that stuff - and I felt like we all just did a great job trusting in him, and he trusted us. We trusted the system and we kept working on it and got better and better.”

Nyquist isn’t the only example, either; just look at his linemates.

Ryan O’Reilly is on pace to match a career high in goals he established five years ago, while Filip Forsberg has already eclipsed personal - and franchise - bests in just about every scoring category.

At the other end of the lineup, it isn’t much different, with Nashville’s fourth line of Michael McCarron, Kiefer Sherwood and Cole Smith each eclipsing career highs in points, goals and assists, too.

Regardless of what happens when the Predators begin postseason action next week, don’t be surprised if Brunette’s name sneaks into the Jack Adams conversation.

Maybe then he’ll take his credit.

“When it doesn't go well it's easy to go off script, but he stayed with it,” Josi said. “He believed in us, he believed in the system and he's done an amazing job.”