Nashville Predators: Final Regular Season Grades

Coaching: C+ (Improved From D)

You will find very few who were adamant that Head Coach John Hynes, hastily hired in 2020, was/is not the answer. Hell, I’m still not sure he’s the long-term solution that will ultimately help the Predators lift the Cup.

That being said, I have to tip my cap to him for the way he’s navigated this peculiar season and gotten this team back to the playoffs.

The Predators had a 0.34% chance of making the playoffs going into March. Look at them now. They have a 100% chance because they’re in there like swimwear.

What credit Hynes deserves, I’m not sure. However, he has started to get more consistent with his lines, and the system of play seems more consistent.

Hynes also learned that the team needed a line to set the tone and began rolling the Herd Line out for period starts and in big moments that called for momentum swings.

At this point, the Predators are a team that was projected 5th or 6th in the Discover Central Division and is now getting prepared for a playoff run. Because of the turnaround this team completed, John Hynes is playing with house money.

Though I’m not sure he deserves it, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hynes get a contract extension if he can get this team past the first round. Still, crazier things have happened in Smashville.