Nashville Predators vs. Coyotes Preview: An Appetizer before the Deadline

In case you were so wrapped up in NHL Trade Deadline madness, the Nashville Predators do indeed have the rare Sunday night game tonight.

The Nashville Predators will take on the Phoenix Coyotes for the third time in 2022-23, a matchup that has been a thorn in the side going back to the end of last season when the Predators failed to beat the Yotes and got the first round prize of taking on the pressure cooker. The Colorado Avalanche.

In case that season finale against Arizona isn’t embedded in your nightmares, the Predators blew a four-goal lead in the first period before the Coyotes gradually chipped their way back in.

Back to this current season, the Predators lost 4-2 to the Coyotes in an uninspired effort that kind of felt like the final straw to clinging onto whatever hope was left. The pleas to sell got really loud after that loss.

So yeah, this matchup carries extra motivation for this Nashville Predators team to exorcise some demons, and the Coyotes have actually been playing some commendable hockey as of late.

In Case You Forgot, Never Underestimate the Yotes

The Coyotes only have one loss by more than a goal in the month of February, and even posted a shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning following their win over the Predators.

The duo of Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram is formidable. Both former players within the Nashville Predators system. Vejmelka got the start three days ago, so the Coyotes are saving Ingram to face his former club that didn’t re-sign him last season and instead went with Kevin Lankinen as Juuse Saros‘ backup.

Ingram has posted a save percentage above 90 in six-straight starts including a 47-save shutout over the Lightning. So nothing will come easy for a Predators team that usually has trouble scoring, but did feast a bit against some bad opponents in Vancouver and San Jose.

The Predators have to figure out who is filling in after the trade of Nino Niederreiter on Saturday. A trade that pocketed them a 2nd-round pick in the 2024 draft. Filip Forsberg would be ideal, but we haven’t heard any recent updates on his progress.

Ryan Johansen is also out with a season-ending injury, so the Predators have lost three core veterans in the span of the last 15 days. Very daunting to overcome, but at least the young core continues to get valuable ice time.

The Coyotes are also in the middle of the trade drama, with Jakob Chychrun leading the way. He has been healthy scratched since February 10.

How Will the Trade Drama Affect the Nashville Predators’ Play?

This game will be interesting and is more of a toss-up than anything. What type of Predators team comes out? One that is hungry and competitive, or one that is beaten down and opens the game without much energy.

With so many Predators players on the trade block, including Tanner Jeannot, it makes you wonder how this will affect their play. They might respond well to the adversity or it might screw up the focus. We really have no way of knowing until the game happens.

Quite frankly, I have no clue how this game will go. I guess that makes it all the more entertaining to watch.