Nashville enters 2026-27 with the same early-season warning light flashing. The Predators went 38-34-10 last year, placed sixth in the Central Division and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their second straight postseason miss. With the NHL regular season set to begin Sept. 29, Andrew Brunette’s club needs to find its footing before another October hole turns the winter into a chase.
The starts have been costly. Nashville opened 2024-25 with five consecutive defeats and was 8-17-6 by the middle of December before finishing with 30 wins. Last season brought another sluggish opening, with the Predators at 8-13-4 heading into December. They recovered with a 30-21-6 run, but still ended four points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the West’s second wild-card berth.
Brunette begins his fourth season behind the bench with a reshaped forward group. Mavrik Bourque, Ross Johnston, Jack Drury, Adam Edstrom and Nils Hoglander are new to the mix, and the club will need those pieces to settle quickly. Better defensive work is also essential after Nashville surrendered 3.26 goals per game, 26th in the League.
Center ice and the crease set the tone
Bourque may be the most important new face. Acquired from the Dallas Stars on July 1, the 24-year-old arrives after producing 20 goals and 21 assists in all 82 games last season while averaging 15:29 per night. He played on the wing in Dallas, but sees center as his natural position and said he wants to prove he can handle the job in the NHL.
That opportunity could come immediately, with Bourque projected between Steven Stamkos and Matthew Wood on the second line. He could also move past Ryan O’Reilly as the top center as the year develops. Bourque posted career bests in goals, assists, points, 147 shots, 78 hits and average ice time last season. His finishing profile was strong as well: 14 high-danger goals placed him in the 87th percentile among his position group, while his 59 high-danger shots and 17 long-range shots ranked in the 83rd and 86th percentiles, respectively. A spot beside Stamkos, who scored 42 times last season, and first-unit power-play work with Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi could expand Bourque’s offensive ceiling.
The bigger reset may be required from Juuse Saros. He appeared in 59 games, the second-highest total in the NHL, but posted a 3.16 goals-against average, the highest of his 11-season career. His .894 save percentage was also a career low aside from his one-game appearance in 2015-16. Nashville can use Justus Annunen as the backup, but its playoff hopes are closely tied to Saros returning to his usual standard.
Brady Martin is another center to watch through camp. The No. 5 selection in the 2025 NHL Draft played three NHL games last October before returning to Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League. The 19-year-old scored eight goals and added 16 assists in 24 OHL games. Milwaukee in the American Hockey League remains the likelier opening destination, though Nashville’s need for young centers could put Martin back in the NHL quickly if his camp is sharp or the club again stumbles out of the gate.
Ozzy Wiesblatt will be trying to turn a productive AHL record into a permanent NHL role. The 24-year-old has one goal and five assists across 45 NHL games, including 40 appearances last season. Injuries limited him, and an upper-body issue alone cost him 21 games. In 2024-25, he recorded 15 goals and 25 assists in 64 games for Milwaukee. Staying available would give him a real chance to hold down a bottom-six job.
Projected Nashville lineup
| Unit | Projected players |
|---|---|
| First line | Filip Forsberg — Ryan O’Reilly — Jonathan Marchessault |
| Second line | Steven Stamkos — Mavrik Bourque — Matthew Wood |
| Third line | Ross Colton — Jack Drury — Nils Hoglander |
| Fourth line | Adam Edstrom — Alexander Kerfoot — Ozzy Wiesblatt |
| First defense pair | Roman Josi — Nick Perbix |
| Second defense pair | Brady Skjei — Justin Barron |
| Third defense pair | Nicolas Hague — Ilya Lyubushkin |
| Goaltenders | Juuse Saros; Justus Annunen |
The Predators have enough established scoring up front, led by Forsberg, Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, but the season will likely hinge on whether Bourque can give them another credible option through the middle and whether Saros can shut down the leaks at the other end. Nashville has shown it can play meaningful hockey after December. This time, it needs to make October count too.
