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Grant: Setting Reasonable Expectations For The Predators In 2024-25

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Brunette
Photo of Andrew Brunette courtesy of the Nashville Predators

After several seasons of mediocrity and only at times achieving above-average results, the Nashville Predators swung for the fences this offseason in hopes of catapulting themselves back to Stanley Cup contender status.



To be fair, the Predators overachieved last year. Their franchise-best 18-game point streak was far better than mediocre. It was elite.

But that period of play in the grand scheme of the full season was minor. Yes, arguably, the results secured them a playoff berth. But when the postseason began, the Predators looked nothing like the squad that had two winning streaks of six games or more during those 18 contests. It really made you wonder whether that span of success was a fluke or a glimpse of what the team was capable of. 

General manager Barry Trotz has preached from the start of his tenure that he wants “serial winners.” He wants to build a team of players who have experienced success at the highest levels and know what it takes to win consistently. Having more “serial winners” may have helped the Predators re-find their game seen in the 18-game point streak when they needed it the most – their first-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.

Trotz signed players he thinks are serial winners, inking Steven Stamkos to a four-year, $32 million deal, Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year, $27.5 million contract, and adding Brady Skjei to the defense, paying him $49 million over the next seven years. 

It’s been nearly a month since the names above became Predators. Enough time has passed to let the initial, and maybe premature, excitement subside.

Some high expectations were thrown around in the immediate aftermath of the signings. Some fans called for a Stanley Cup. Earlier in the month, Adam Vingan from 102.5 The Game proclaimed that the Predators need to secure home-ice advantage for at least the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, meaning finishing either first or second in the Central Division, for them to be considered successful.

But what is reasonable for the 2024-25 Nashville Predators?

Let’s get it out of the way early: it’s unlikely the Predators win the Stanley Cup next season. It’s not impossible, of course, but that goal is way too lofty, especially in the first year.

Stamkos said in his introductory press conference he believes this squad can be the last team standing next season.

“We want to win a Stanley Cup,” the two-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner said. “That’s why we play the game, and I think some people are sometimes afraid to say that, and it heightens expectations. But at the end of the day, I’ve always been a big believer that you have to believe that you can do it in order to achieve it.”

Saying anything less may have landed Stamkos in hot water with fans because confidence is key. If the players don’t believe it, why should the fans?

But the reality is, sometimes you must look past the names on the back of the jersey and who they once were and concentrate on who they are today. 

Stamkos is 34 and will turn 35 during the 2024-25 season. He’s proven he can still play, recording 40 goals last season and 34 the year before. Despite the injury concern that has seen him miss 143 regular season games over the past eight seasons, Stamkos has missed just five in the past three years.

However, the real problem is the competition. The Central Division is arguably one of the toughest divisions in the NHL. It may take Stamkos and Marchessault – who’s currently 33 – in their prime to compete with the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets. It can’t be argued that the Predators’ big-name additions are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.

This is not to say the Predators haven’t improved. They have, dramatically. But looking at the teams around them, the Predators seemingly still have further to go. Right now, it’s tough to list them as true contenders.

Granted, listing the Jets as one of the Central Division’s best teams is debatable, but they were impressive last season. It’s always dangerous when you have extremely talented forwards like Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, not to mention a goalie who could backstop them to success if he gets hot. 

But the Jets may not even factor into the equation if the goal is to clinch home-ice advantage for their first-round series in the postseason. Achieving that feat means being better than the Avalanche, a team with arguably the game’s best forward and defenseman, or the Stars, who looked to be the class of the Central Division last year and show no signs of slowing down.  

To be clear, missing the playoffs with this roster or barely qualifying will not be acceptable. But considering we’re entering just the first year with the new-look Predators, we may need to pump the brakes on what’s fair to expect. 

Since their last Central Division title in 2018-19, the Predators have routinely been one of the final teams to punch their ticket to the postseason. The previous two times they have qualified for the tournament, they have entered as a wild card.

So, a jump from wild-card status to the division’s third-best team will be a welcome improvement and measurable success for a squad that is utilizing all its available cap space. 

The Predators have not won a playoff series since 2018. Making it out of the opening round is achievable and should now be expected. 

When Trotz was announced as David Poile’s successor, he stressed the importance of patience. Building a winner doesn’t happen overnight. Finishing third in the division only to lose in the second round would be a bitter pill to swallow, but it would be an improvement from the handful of infuriating recent seasons. It’s reasonable to expect the Predators to make noticeable progress from their recent standards and consistently build upon that year by year.

Remember, none of the most notable additions from this summer signed a one-year deal. There will be time for the Predators to elevate more each season.

But for now, finishing in the top three of the division, vanquishing their first-round demons, and even making their second series competitive would be obtainable and fair. 

Stamkos has already alluded to that being his mindset.

“The expectation will be to make the playoffs and go on a run, and I think that’s a pretty fair assessment of what this group can accomplish,” he said.

This has been one of the most exciting and eventful summers the Predators have had in some time. Brighter days are seemingly ahead. But setting the bar too high this early may just be setting the team and fanbase up for disappointment.