The Nashville Predators have authored one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NHL history, climbing from the league basement to playoff contention in a matter of months.
As recently as December 8, the Predators occupied dead last in the NHL standings. Now, with just 10 games remaining in the regular season, Nashville sits in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and trails Utah by only three points for the first wild-card berth while holding a game in hand.
"I think each and every one in this room thought we'd be here, and I think that's really all that matters," said Predators forward Filip Forsberg. "Since the trade deadline, I think everyone's been bought in."
Expensive Expectations
The remarkable comeback comes after Nashville's ambitious free agent spending spree in July 2024. General manager Barry Trotz signed two-time Stanley Cup champion Steven Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, and defenceman Brady Skjei, positioning the Predators as Stanley Cup favourites.
Instead, Nashville completely missed the playoffs, finishing with only San Jose and Chicago below them in the standings. The disappointment deepened when the Predators slipped two spots in the draft lottery.
Early-season struggles continued when captain Roman Josi suffered an upper-body injury just eight games into the campaign, sidelining him for 12 games. Meanwhile, big-ticket signing Stamkos managed only six goals and three assists through the first 25 games.
December Turnaround
The tide began turning in December when Stamkos found his scoring touch, netting 12 goals that month. He now leads Nashville with 36 goals — marking only the fourth time in franchise history a player has reached the 35-goal plateau.
Since December 9, the Predators have posted a 24-15-5 record, clawing back from an 11-point deficit to reach their current playoff position.
Coach Andrew Brunette praised Stamkos for maintaining his professionalism during the early-season struggles. "I'm not sure I would handle things the way he handled it where he just came to work every day and try to help as many people as he could," Brunette said.
Veteran Leadership
Other veteran acquisitions have also stepped up during the surge. Josi has recorded 30 points since January 11, ranking fifth among NHL defencemen in that span. Forsberg has contributed 12 points during Nashville's last five games, while Marchessault has tallied 10 assists this month alone.
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Despite Thursday's 4-2 loss to New Jersey that snapped a five-game winning streak, Nashville remains focused on securing their playoff berth.
"We just got to keep doing everything we can to stay on top," Forsberg said.
This story is based on reporting from the Lethbridge Herald. Original article by David Chen.
