Top-5 Nashville Predators Home Games to Attend for Upcoming Season
Seattle Kraken vs Nashville Predators: October 12 2023 at 7 pm
The home opener always seems to be a game that falls into the category of must-attend, and this one is no different. Of course, the sheer fact that it is the home opener adds that much more excitement, especially at a time when everyone is alive for the playoffs.
But this matchup is one that is actually fascinating for the new-look Predators. The Kraken are an emerging team that is full of speed and depth, and that particularly makes them a tough test for anyone in the league.
They still do not have a full-blown superstar after the most deciding stretch of the offseason, but they can roll any forward line and defensive pair on any night. They also still have several players who are only getting better and could eventually rise to superstar status.
It is a major overreaction to judge a team based on one game in the first week of the season, but this will be a good test to see what the Predators have.
Games against deep and more established teams are good for ones that have little experience playing together, and this one could show that the Predators need more time to get in sync, or that they could actually be pretty lethal.
It will also be interesting to watch this game because the Predators themselves have been vocal about wanting to add more speed and skill to their game moving forward.
Going up against a Seattle Kraken team that is known for that will show just how much the Nashville Predators will have to do in that regard.
Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators: November 18 2023 at 1 pm
Who doesn’t like some Saturday matinee action against two teams that hate each other? Well, if you are a Predators fan, this game will especially appeal to you.
There is hardly a team that Predators fans loathe more than the Blackhawks, and the Predators have had a fair amount of success against them recently. They only play against each other in Nashville one more time during the year and it is on a week night, so there will not be a more convenient time to see this matchup in person than at this time.
Additionally and maybe more importantly, this will be the first time that first overall pick Connor Bedard will be playing in Nashville.
Take a second and put aside bitter feelings about him being drafted by the Blackhawks (in Nashville for that matter), or apprehension that he could dominate the game. If you call yourself a hockey fan, then you absolutely relish the opportunity to see a player of his talent and hype, and this is no different.
So to summarize, fans who attend this game can see one of their biggest rivals, as well as one of the most anticipated draft picks of all time, and then spend the rest of their day living it up in the city of Nashville. Who could say no to that?
Dallas Stars vs Nashville Predators: December 23 2023 at 2 pm
Do you know the only thing that is better than Saturday matinee action against one of your biggest rivals? When said game is right around Christmas time.
Yes, the Predators will go into a probably much-needed holiday break after a matchup against the Dallas Stars.
Even for a Predators team looking to change their style of play, games against the Stars are always guaranteed to be fierce, intense, and very chippy, as neither team can stand each other in the slightest.
This will be the first time the two teams face off against each other in 2023-24, and from the Predators point of view, they will be looking to get back on track.
The Predators failed miserably to beat the Stars last season after having a fair amount of success in the previous years, so they will want to take control of a newer rivalry that has only picked up in the past few years.
Additionally, this will be Matt Duchene‘s return to Nashville, and unlike many situations where players leave previous teams on bad terms, Duchene actually wanted to stay in Nashville and did not leave on his own, and only grew as a leader and person in his time here.
Yes, Duchene may now play for the Stars who Predators fans rightfully loathe, but Duchene himself deserves a joyous ovation in his return. He made great contributions to the team and city of Nashville, and I can tell you that I am looking forward to cheering his name in his return, as should the rest of the fanbase.
It will only add to the excitement of a big rivalry game around the holidays in which both teams should be in a dogfight, as per usual in this matchup.
Los Angeles Kings vs Nashville Predators: January 31 2024 at 6:30 pm
The Predators almost never play at home on a Wednesday night, and their three games this year is more than I can remember, at least in quite some time. It only seems logical that one of them would make this list, and this one takes the cake.
First of all, it is a special 6:30 puck drop, and although it has not officially been announced, it is almost sure to be on national television. Additionally, it is not their first return, but it is always fun when fans can see former Predators back in the building, and they will get to see Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala on the other side.
We will not know it until way closer to the time of the game, but this could be a pivotal one as far as determining how legitimately the Predators are in the playoff hunt. The season still remains a bit of a mystery right now, but the one thing that should be expected is gelled chemistry and overall improvement as the season progresses.
The season will be over halfway completed at this point, so we should have a more clear idea of where the Predators stack up against teams like the Kings, who should be well in the playoff race. Both teams also do want to implement that speed and skill approach to their games, making the results of this game potentially even more indicative of where the Predators are in their new approach.
It will be a big occasion against a big opponent, and will say a lot about the state of their team, so they need to bring their absolute best that night.
Detroit Red Wings vs Nashville Predators: March 23 2024 at 4 pm
You are probably sensing a theme here, and it is probably like most years, in which games at unusual start times are some of the most desirable to go to. This one fits that bill, but is also not quite like the others on this list.
This game is the only one that is not against a fellow Western Conference opponent, so it is not like either team is fighting against each other for anything. It will be late in the year, so both teams could be playing for their own playoff lives, but conflict of interest will be essentially nonexistent here.
What is really going to make this matchup exciting to watch is that both teams are very similar in terms of their current positions. The Red Wings are looking to get out of a long rebuild and have added some new pieces to get over that hump, and we know that the Predators are in a serious retool and trying to jumpstart a new era with a significantly altered roster.
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Both teams are in positions where they may not start off the season super well, but could pick up steam as it goes on. There is no better time than at the tail end of the season to gauge just how far teams like the Predators and Red Wings have progressed, and it will only help the comparisons that both want to play similar styles of hockey.
It should be a very exciting game against two young and fresh teams who have greatly changed recently, and you will not want to miss it.