3 Takeaways from Predators’ 6-5 Loss to Carolina Hurricanes

The Nashville Predators had a solid preseason showing against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, although they still lost 6-5. They had a 5-1 lead by midway through the second period, but the bottom completely fell out.

They surrendered five-straight goals, including three in the third period, to lose the game. Logan Stankoven’s shot found the net down 5-4 with the Hurricanes’ net empty, and with three seconds left to go, Hurricanes youngster Felix Unger Sorum ripped a shot from the far slot for the game-winning goal. Here are some takeaways from the game.

Vitali Pinchuk Looked Great

The Predators signed Pinchuk from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) late in the 2025-26 season, hoping he’d be a quality bottom-six player. However, with the many forwards they acquired and Pinchuk missing the first two preseason games due to injury, some thought he’d be one of the skaters sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL).

There are two reasons why I think he makes the roster. The first is because he played a great game against the Hurricanes. He scored a goal on his first shift, which left a great impression. He also had a great stretch pass on Jonathan Marchessault’s goal to make it 3-0 Nashville by the first.

The second reason is that he has a clause in his contract preventing him from being sent down to the AHL. According to him, if he’s demoted to the AHL, he still has rights to Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, so he could leave for the KHL if he doesn’t make the roster. That was concerning a day ago when the news was published, but with his stellar debut, it seems more likely he’ll make it.

Welcome Back, Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault had a rough 2025-26 season. After a 56-point season in 2024-25, his numbers diminished to 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 62 games. He’s dealt with a long-term injury and a personal loss; some have considered him trade bait, but others believe he could have a bounce-back sason if paired with a solid center.

That could be the case with Mavrik Bourque coming into town. Bourque, Pinchuk, and Marchessault showed some great chemistry, with Pinchuk finding Marchessault on a great breakaway goal. Overall, he looked more spry than last season with Nashville.

If Bourque is as good as he’s hyped to be, he could be a jolt to Marchessault, who I want to see succeed. He was signed as a quality middle-six winger, so if he can return to the form he showed in 2024-25, that will be big for Nashville.

Difficult Roster Decisions to Come

The Predators have a lot of players on the fringes of the roster who are making convincing cases for making it. Unfortunately, there are only 12 forwards and six defensemen who can start, and a few extras are allowed, but there are certainly a few youngsters who are making it interesting.

Firstly, I think Brady Martin should secure a roster spot at this point. He’s shown that he can hang with the rest of the Predators’ forward depth, and I think he gets more minutes than just the fourth line. He didn’t get a point in the Carolina game, but the two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning showed he has the juice to be on the roster.

Secondly, there’s Cole O’Hara. He’s really impressed me in this preseason with his work ethic. That was on display on his goal against the Hurricanes, where he crossed through neutral zone and fired it for an unassisted marker. O’Hara played well in the AHL last season, and I think he should be due to make the NHL soon if he doesn’t make it this season.

Felix Nilsson is a similar case. The Swedish skater has had a great postseason, and he showed why I ranked him so highly in my preseason rankings. His offensive instincts are insane, and he showed it on his long stretch-pass assist to Jack Drury on Drury’s goal. He also had the game-winning goal against Tampa Bay in the Predators’ second preseason game.

Tanner Molendyk has also made a case for himself on the back end. The 2023 first-round pick has looked solid in each preseason game; in the past game against the Hurricanes, he had two great shots from the point that led to goals.

There are some tough decisions for general manager Chris MacFarland to make, especially up front. However, even with the loss, the game against the Hurricanes gave me optimism on the Predators prospect pool entering the season.

Schedule

Nashville has just one more home game against Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 26, before their regular season starts. They will host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, Oct. 1, in their home opener, then host the Dallas Stars on Oct. 3. Rosters will be finalized by then, but you can check out my roster prediction here.