The Predators’ Unpredictable Season

Every year, the Nashville Predators seem to take fans on a rollercoaster ride. They show flashes of promise that get the fanbase excited, only to fall back into their usual pattern of underperformance. Last season was an exception, as they ended up with 68 points—nearly their worst in franchise history. However, this isn’t the first time the team has done this. In 2017, they made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final, but it took a late push to even qualify for the playoffs with 94 points.

Among the playoff teams from that 2016-17 season, the Predators had the lowest points along with the Calgary Flames. Despite that, they managed to sweep the heavily-favored Chicago Blackhawks in the first round and won two series in six games against the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks. Even then, they nearly pushed the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby, to seven games.

This brings me to why I bring this up: it’s not because I think this year’s team can replicate that magical run. It’s because the current roster isn’t even going to be together if the Predators manage to sneak into the playoffs.

A Team on the Brink of Change

The Nashville Predators have shown resilience and unity despite the looming possibility of a major sell-off at the trade deadline. General Manager Barry Trotz is in a tough spot, with several free agents coming up and a clear goal of making the roster younger for the long-term future. This is something the fanbase has wanted for a while, and Trotz can’t ignore it even if the team is winning.

I don’t believe this team is fooling us again like some fans might suggest. The current squad includes a lot of veterans who underperformed last season and are now living up to their potential. Steven Stamkos is the most obvious example, but there are others like Luke Evangelista, Matthew Wood, Reid Schaefer, and Adam Wilsby, who are making an impact with their youth.

If they had done this last season, things might be different. But I think Trotz’s mind is already made up about trading some of these key players. By playing well lately, they might increase their trade value, which could be beneficial for the team in the long run.

The Trade Deadline Dilemma

Increasing trade value is a priority, and if the team continues to win as a result, that’s a bonus. Then, after the trade deadline, we can see if the younger talent and whoever remains can finish the job and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That would be a great story for the NHL.

Imagine a team selling off its most prized veterans and then relying on younger players to carry them into the playoffs. That would be a win-win scenario, and it could still happen depending on how long the Predators stay in the wildcard race before the trade deadline.

There’s no justification for Trotz to not sell this season. The consequences of losing players for little to no value, combined with the possibility that the team either misses the playoffs or gets swept in the first round by the Avalanche, are real. You can’t pass up the chance to get maximum value at the trade deadline just for that to happen. The fanbase would be upset if that were to occur.

A Unique Situation

This is a unique situation where the locker room is building culture, but also facing an unavoidable trade deadline sell-off. The players want to keep playing together and see this through in Nashville, but the nature of the business doesn’t allow that. If the Predators are in a wildcard spot in the week or two leading up to the trade deadline, will Trotz pull back on accepting great trade offers? It’s hard to say right now with many games left before that decision.

I don’t think this team is actually fooling us again. This is a different situation than in the past, where the focus was on just getting into the playoffs. Now, it’s about building trade value and setting up the future generation of the roster for success.

A Possible Future

What’s really interesting is that I don’t think it’s far-fetched for the Predators to hang around post-trade deadline in the wildcard race, which is full of average teams. If the young talent keeps the team alive down the stretch, that would be a valuable learning experience and a great story. It would also be a huge boost to Head Coach Andrew Brunette’s coaching.

Some people focus on the draft lottery angle and dislike seeing the team win, which I can’t understand. You can’t hope the team loses while also hoping the veterans build their trade values. If the veterans are playing well and building trade value, the team is likely to stack some wins along the way as well. They kind of go hand in hand.

A Positive Outlook

I’m actually pretty pleased with how the season has gone so far, especially considering how it started. I’ll reserve my judgment on exactly how I feel about the whole process until I see how Trotz handles his trades. If he gets completely fleeced on a Ryan O’Reilly trade or gives away Steven Stamkos, I’ll be more critical.

This should all make for a fascinating next few months to see if the Predators can remain on the wildcard bubble. Who will Trotz trade, and how much does he believe in this team’s chances against teams like the Avalanche, Oilers, or Golden Knights in the first round?

I’ll wrap this up by saying I have a lot of respect for how this team didn’t just lie down and accept their fate at the start of the season. They could’ve accepted the reality of a fire sale and started thinking about their next destination, but instead, they rallied around Nashville, the fans, and their head coach. Kudos to that.