For the Americans, Thanksgiving is here and they are ready to bless those they're thankful for. In the case of Nashville Predators fans, they're not too thankful about their team's performance this season. After finishing last season with one of the worst records in franchise history, many hoped the Preds would bounce back with something—anything—to be thankful for. Instead, Nashville sits dead last in the NHL standings and is somehow on pace to make things even worse.
Still, even in a season that’s felt like a cold plate of leftovers, there are a few bright spots worth appreciating. A couple of players have taken real steps forward, and some have fought their way back from injury. Let’s look at three things Preds fans can still be thankful for this holiday season.
Matthew Wood Is Already One of Smashville's Finest, and He's a Rookie
Former Preds General Manager David Poile selected Wood 15th overall in the 2023 draft. It took him a couple seasons to make his debut and when he did, there wasn't much to write home about. However, this year, Wood returned to the Preds after an incredible performance in the preseason. He rested for a few games with an injury but two games into his return, he notched his first point of the year, off a goal from Filip Forsberg.
He was pretty much absent in his next two games but became noticed when he scored his first NHL goal against the Philadelphia Flyers the day before Halloween. Wood then proceeded to go on a four-game point streak where he recorded three goals and two assists. He's been racking up points almost every night and has been going up the team leaderboard in almost every stat.
Wood brought some excitement in a blowout loss against the New York Rangers as he scored all three goals for the Preds, turning heads and letting the hats fly. Since that stellar effort, he has failed to record a point in four straight contests. Given, it's been a hot minute since his linemates could produce so he's been on the low. However, if there's one thing we should be proud of, it's Wood's presence on the ice.
Injuries Haven't Stopped Roman Josi So Far
If last season wasn't bad enough for the Preds, the team got a major loss in an injury from Josi which sent him on injured reserve for the final 29 games of the year. It was later announced that the captain was diagnosed with POTS which could've potentially limited his abilities on the ice. Fortunately, his recovery was smooth over the offseason, and he returned to the game with no problem.
He skated with Nashville wearing a special neck guard to assist with his condition. Unfortunately for Josi, he was only able to play eight games before getting another upper-body injury. He missed an entire month of hockey to recover but suited up last week where he racked up 24 shifts. Even though he isn't play on par with some of his greatest, we should be thankful that he's back and not out of the lineup. If we're being realistic, I don't think anyone on the Preds blueline could replace Josi's star power.
Luke Evangelista Has Not Slowed Down Since Signing New Contract
He is on pace for breaking his career best of 39 points. Evangelista has scored two goals, but the real deal is his playmaking. The four-year veteran has nine assists so far, six of which are primary. Not only is he playing excellent 5v5, but he is performing on the power play. Despite playing on one of the worst power play units in the league, Vange is still finding ways to set up his teammates.
In Nashville's 8-3 loss against the Florida Panthers, he managed to play to his best when his team wasn't. He saw an opportunity early in the first when he stole the puck off the faceoff and saw Forsberg sitting in front of the net. Vange shot the puck and set up perfectly for a tip-in from Forsberg to put the score at 2-1. Of course it didn't stay like that for long but you get the point.
Outside of offense, he's drastically improved his defensive game. He already has four blocked shots and seven takeaways. He's also minimized the number of giveaways in the defensive zone so it's safe to say that he isn't a problem on D. There aren't many times you'll see him in the box since he is too busy drawing penalties instead. If it weren't for Vange, the Preds might not have as much power play goals as of late then they do.