Nashville Predators: Six Games I’m Most Looking Forward To This Season
Winnipeg Jets Return to Smashville Oct. 11th
The last time we saw the Nashville Predators play hockey it was in a devastating Game 7 loss to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the playoffs. The Predators/Jets rivalry has been one that has been growing more and more in the past few years. With Chicago’s lack of success the past few seasons, you could make a case that the Jets are Nashville’s new top rival.
With the ever-growing rivalry and the bad taste of that Game 7 loss still in their mouths, the Predators will be aiming to make a statement in their first meeting against the Jets. Both teams have high-powered, fairly young offenses, and two Vezina-caliber goalies between the pipes (congrats again on that Vezina win, Peks). Expect a lot of shots, a lot of speed, and a lot of mutual dislike. A lot like the playoff series, this game is going to come down to which team has the better goaltender that night. Every game against Winnipeg will be a fun watch this season, but there’s nothing quite like the first time.
Nashville Predators Take on Tampa Bay November 1st
I’ll admit that at first this game made my list for a selfish reason. I’m from Orlando, so whenever the Predators head down to take on the Lightning, it’s circled on my calendar. But selfish reasons aside, this is still a great game every season. Much like Winnipeg and Nashville, Tampa Bay is another high-powered scoring offense with a Veniza finalist in net. I’ve been fortunate to witness this game in person the past few years, and it’s always a great game.
Beyond just a matchup of two high-powered teams, another reason to be excited for this game is the Predators’ recent success in Tampa. In the past five years, the Predators have been 3-2 when playing at Amalie Arena. In 2017 and 2018, the Predators beat the Bolts 6-1 and 4-1, respectively. I’m hoping the big margins of victory continues this season when I’m there to witness the game in person. Plus, it’s always good to get a win against a team that’s sure to be at the top of the standings again.
How Well Will Chicago Compete This Season? December 1st Should Set the Stage
Every since sweeping Chicago in the first round of the 2017 playoffs, the Predators/Blackhawks rivalry has felt just a little different to me. There doesn’t seem to be as much of the “big brother vs. little brother” mentality left. I think that can be contributed to a few reasons. One, the Predators are now legitimate Stanley Cup contenders; they’re young, talented, and have most of their guys signed for many years to come. Another reason is that Chicago just isn’t the same team they were a few years ago. They’re still talented, but they’re older and have a lot of big contracts that have caused them to fill out their roster with average players. In this rivalry, water seems to have found its level.
December 1st is the first time that the Predators and Blackhawks meet this season, and we’re lucky that it takes place in Nashville. We’ll be almost two months into the season, so we’ll have a great idea of each team’s strengths and weaknesses. Last season, the Preds and Hawks split the season series at 2-2. This first matchup will be a good indicator as to how the rest of the season series should go. Do the younger, faster Predators have a clear upper-hand on the older Blackhawks? We’ll know on December 1st.
Old Forces Reunite As Buffalo Comes to Town on December 3rd
It feels weird for me to type that I’m excited to watch a Buffalo Sabres game, but here I am. This game is circled on my calendar for a few reasons. One, I love Phil Housley. I was bummed when he left the Predators, but also really happy for him to finally get a head coaching gig in the NHL. Housley made his first return to Nashville last season and got a 7-4 win for the Sabres, so it won’t be the first time Predators fans see him behind the guest bench. However, what makes this game special is that it’s his first time back with another Predator fan favorite.
This offseason, the Sabres signed former backup goalie Carter Hutton. Hutts was a fan favorite, known for his solid backup performances and his famous line, “Hey guys, thanks for having me,” during in-game interviews. He’s made his return to Smashville a few times as a member of the Blues, but returning with Housley is something to look forward to. Also add in Jack Eichel, this year’s number one draft pick Rasmus Dahlin, and the newly acquired Jeff Skinner and you’ve got an exciting game on your hands.
Predators Spend New Year’s Eve in the Nation’s Capital
You could argue there are few better places to spend New Year’s Eve than in Washington DC. They’ve got a great fireworks show, not quite the crowd that Times Square has, and this year, they’ve got a hell of a hockey game scheduled. The Predators travel to DC for NYE to take on the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals. It’s always exciting to see how your team stacks up against the defending Cup champions, especially with the Capitals.
I really think that had Game 7 of the Winnipeg series gone differently, the Preds could’ve beat the Golden Knights and made their second consecutive Cup Final against the Caps. However, that’s not how the cards played out. This season’s NYE game will give fans a look at how a hypothetical Cup Final between both teams would’ve been. Both teams have almost the same exact roster; the only main difference for the Caps being the absence of Barry Trotz.
Another reason I’m excited for this game is this crazy fact: this will be the first time in NHL history that the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals have played a game without Barry Trotz involved. Twenty-one years the Predators have been in the league, and we’re just now getting to see a Preds/Caps matchup sans Trotzy.