Seven years ago, the Nashville Predators snagged a wild-card bid to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and caught fire. They swept top-seeded Chicago en route to a Western Conference title, fighting to the Stanley Cup final. Yellow banners flew from lampposts on Lower Broadway. Star goaltender Pekka Rinne’s elegant Finnish cheekbones appeared around every corner. Fans rallied behind show-stopping Canadian defenseman P.K. Subban; at home games, they tossed smuggled catfish onto the ice in what became a culturally cohesive pregame ritual. After 20 years, hockey’s unlikely import into a midsize Southern city finally made sense. The formula was simple: exceed expectations.
This was the last best moment to be a Predators fan. Nashville dominated the 2018 regular season, but lost to Winnipeg in the second round of the playoffs. Good seasons turned into early playoff exits in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Pekka Rinne retired. The team traded Subban. Colorado swept the Preds in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, one of the most embarrassing moments in franchise history. In 2023, Nashville failed to qualify for the postseason altogether.
The Nashville Predators goalie announced his retirement Tuesday after 15 years with the team
The Predators were not supposed to be good this year. And really they weren’t, until about a month ago. Of the past 17 games, Nashville has won 15 and lost two in overtime (a result that still earns standings points in the NHL), good enough for a franchise-record points streak. (More on that from sports reporter John Glennon over at our sister publication, the Nashville Post.)
The Preds are set to take on the Colorado Avalanche on March 30. Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, superstars who have anchored the team for a decade, lead the team in production. Goalies Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen share credit for league-leading stats.
Tuesday night’s game pits Nashville against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the league’s defending champions. Home games against the St. Louis Blues (April 4) and Winnipeg Jets (April 9) are ones to circle. Just decent hockey will earn the team a playoff berth — after that, anything can happen.
