The Nashville Predators concluded their preseason schedule with a 6-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena. The result gives the Preds a 1-3-0 record to finish the exhibition slate with training camp concluding this weekend.
After a 6-5 loss to Carolina on Thursday, the Predators were hoping for a better result to finish the preseason. Instead, they were left without a goal and few positives by the end of the day.
“Pretty much everything,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said when asked what his club needs to fix before Opening Night. “It was a real disappointing game for our group, especially knowing the importance of it. I thought it was a really good camp. I thought today we just didn't have any energy, and we didn't put much of an effort in.”
“I just think right from the start we weren't really ready to play,” Preds defenseman Brady Skjei said. “We weren't real sharp, didn't have a ton of energy in the first period. The second period we got going a little bit, and then the third period wasn't great either… I just don't think we were ready right from the start.”
Carolina had a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes of play, and they added another in the second period for a 4-0 advantage before potting two more before the day was done.
With Nashville’s management and coaching staff working to make final roster decisions, Saturday’s game provided one last opportunity for players to make an impression - but the Preds were hoping for a better showing all around.
“There's some tough decisions,” Brunette said. “Obviously, we're trying to fit a few different pieces in to see where they go and how they fit. And today wasn't a great, I guess, exhibition for anybody. So, it kind of makes it even harder because it wasn't [as if] any of them felt like they earned a spot today, or played well enough to push other guys out, or to get one themselves.”
With the preseason now complete, the Predators will turn their attention to a trio of scheduled practices ahead of Opening Night against Minnesota on Thursday - with a better start to the season top of mind.
“There's no time to waste,” Preds forward Alex Kerfoot said. “This obviously wasn't a good showing, and there's nowhere to look but at ourselves. We have to be ready to go for day one, because we've been talking about how the starts are huge, and we obviously didn't show up tonight. And we have to be ready for opening night on Thursday.”
Notes:
During Saturday’s game, the Preds claimed defenseman William Trudeau on waivers from the New York Rangers.
Predators Training Camp officially concludes this weekend, and Nashville’s 23-man roster must be submitted by 4 p.m. CT on Monday ahead of opening night.
The Preds will open the 2026-27 regular season on Thursday, Oct. 1 when they host the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena.
