After a disappointing 2024-25 season, the Nashville Predators are 44 days from the start of the 2025-26 campaign, as they look to right the ship. They were busy again over the last couple of months as they look to bounce back from last season’s turbulent stability. The Predators kick off their season on Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home in Bridgestone Arena. However, before we get to the start of the upcoming season, what does the roster look like currently as general manager Barry Trotz tries to build a contender?
Predators Roster Projection 1.0
Following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, where the Predators finished with a 30-44-8 record (68 points), Trotz got busy once again. One of his first moves was re-acquiring former Predator Erik Haula from the New Jersey Devils on June 18. He sent Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick in return for the 34-year-old Haula. A few days later, following the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, he sent Jeremy Lauzon and Colton Sissions to the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Nicolas Hague and a conditional 2027 third-round pick. He followed up the trade for Hague by signing him to a four-year, $22 million extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $5.5 million.
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The 26-year-old Hague was a restricted free agent (RFA), and the contract will carry until the end of the 2028-29 season. The only signing that Trotz completed at the start of free agency on July 1 was for defenseman Nicklaus Perbix. The Predators signed Perbix to a two-year, $5.5 million deal, coming out to a $2.75 million AAV. The most recent signing was for Brady Martin, whom the Predators drafted fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Martin signed his entry-level contract (ELC), which comes out to three years, $2.93 million, with the AAV being $975,000.
While it wasn’t quite as busy as the previous offseason, when the Predators signed Brady Skjei, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault, Tortz at least tried to address some needs before the 2025-26 season. Following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Marchessault managed to finish second on the team in points (56), along with Stamkos, third (53), and Skjei, sixth (33). However, that was not enough, as even with Luke Evangelista tallying 32 points, the scoring saw a decline overall for the Predators. Filip Forsberg (76) and Ryan O’Reilly (53) were two of the four forwards to finish in the top five in points. Roman Josi had the most points among the defensemen (38). Outside of that, scoring was lacking up and down the roster.
| LW | C | RW |
| Filip Forsberg | Ryan O’Reilly | Jonathan Marchessault |
| Steven Stamkos | Fedor Svechkov | Luke Evangelista |
| Michael Bunting | Erik Haula | Zachary L’Heureux |
| Ozzy Weisblatt | Michael McCarron | Cole Smith |
| Matthew Wood |
Even with the addition of Haula, the Predators will have to manage a center depth that is borderline okay after O’Reilly. Fedor Svechkov played in 52 games last season, tallying eight goals and 17 points. It’ll be a tough task for the 21-year-old Russian to be the team’s 2C following O’Reilly as the top line center. Haula had 11 goals and 21 points in 69 games for the Devils last season, not giving a ton of confidence in the center core that has a combined 19 goals between the 2- and 3C. Now, Haula does provide some two-way play to his game, but a ton of pressure will be on O’Reilly to carry the load, especially with Svechkov and Haula not being lamp lighters.
It will once again come down to the wingers to drive the play for the Predators in 2025-26. Forsberg continues to be that guy for Nashville, year in and year out. His 76 points this past season came after his 48-goal and 94-point 2023-24 season, where he went absolutely off for the Predators. He has played 82 games in back-to-back seasons, however, with mixed results on the plus/minus. In 2023-24, Forsberg was a plus-16; this past season, he was a minus-27. That is not indicative of his play; it was mainly a whole issue for the Predators team, who could not score goals or keep the puck out of the net. If Marchessault and Stamkos can give another high-50 or low 60-point seasons to help Forsberg, the Predators could see an upward trend in scoring. Furthermore, they will need a jump from Evangelista, following a 10-goal and 32-point season. If he wants to play in the top six, he needs to be closer to a 45-point or more player.
When discussing with Emma Lingan of the Locked On Predators podcast, it feels like Ozzy Weisblatt is more NHL-ready when it comes to a roster spot compared to Matthew Wood and Joakim Kemell. Some people have bigger question marks for Weisblatt, but she feels like he is more ready, especially with his physical play. Lingan thinks that his play will translate better with Michael McCarron and Cole Smith, allowing Zachary L’Heureux to play on the third line. Plus, Wood had to make a huge leap last season from the NCAA to the NHL, and Kemell struggled. If there has to be someone to fit within the lineup, it’s Weisblatt, with Wood as the extra forward. There seems to be a sense that the defense has better options, depth-wise, than the forwards.
Pairing Hague with Josi could make the top pair progress more as the season goes along. Plus, it gives Skeji a chance to show why he was worth the seven-year, $7 million AAV deal following his time with the Carolina Hurricanes. Pairing him with newly signed Perbix gives the top four a boost, especially in a tough Central Division that has the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and others.
| LD | RD | G |
| Nicolas Hague | Roman Josi | Juuse Saros |
| Brady Skjei | Nick Perbix | Justus Annunen |
| Adam Wilsby | Justin Barron | |
| Jordan Osterlie | Nick Blackenburg |
Instead of seven defensemen, there is a scenario where the Predators carry eight blueliners during the 2025-26 season, especially when the forward core seems muddled compared to the defense. That is where Nick Blackenberg and Jordan Osterlie come in as depth defensemen in case of injury and/or rest for guys who could be logging more minutes this upcoming season. If they only carry seven defensemen, there is a chance that Kemell gets a look as a 14th forward. One of the position groups that did not see a change was the goaltending. After acquiring Justus Annunen in a trade with the Avalanche for Scott Wedgewood, he will be backing up Juuse Saros in his first full season with the Predators. In 34 games, Annunen had a 15-15-1 record with a .883 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.18 goals-against average (GAA). It is clear what his role will be this upcoming season.
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Saros hopes to rebound for the Predators in 2025-26 after having a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. In 58 games, he finished with a 20-31-6 record with a .895 SV% and a 2.98 GAA. His 31 losses led the NHL last season. It was the first time Saros finished with a sub-.900 SV% since the one game he played in 2015-16. While his 2.98 GAA was the worst in a season when he has played more than 20 games, he still carries a sub-3.00 GAA since 2016-17 (3.10 GAA in 2015-16, one start). While he did struggle for the Predators, Saros is still the goalie who finished fifth in Vezina Trophy voting the previous season. It comes down to the mistakes the team in front of him was making all season. If the Predators can limit the shots on goal and play some middle-of-the-league defense, they could see themselves propel up the standings in 2025-26.
Some still believe that they will finish in the bottom third of the league, but if most of the team can turn it around, there is a chance they can right the ship. However, if it is another mediocre season, where they finish in the bottom five of the league, could there be some changes on the horizon for the Predators, on and off the ice?
