The Nashville Predators are a loss or two away from this feeling like a very bad, no good, pointless, lost season. With a veteran core that remains unimmune to aging, one of the most feared words in hockey has been bandied about recklessly recently.
Rebuild.
The calls for Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz to tear down and rebuild the roster have been loud, and the temptation to do so grows with each frustrating loss.
Surely the phone is ringing in his office with teams calling, wondering if they'll be able to pry away a star, a talented young player, or a specific cog for their own playoff needs. Getting back cap relief and draft assets seems like a win in scenarios like this, but ultimately will be the wrong play for the Predators.
Exhaust All Options
The results have not been there for the team, but they're still a very good roster. Nobody wants to beat the dead horse of "it's still early" but the reality is that it is still early. The St. Louis Blues were a last place team that turned it around in half a season and won a Stanley Cup.
Now Ryan O'Reilly might not be that player anymore but he isn't far off, and there isn't a player on that roster as good as Forsberg. The season isn't over yet, and there are still tactics to be played by the coaching staff.
Last year's turnaround started with a canceled team event. Maybe this one can turn around with one. That's former NHL'er Mike Commodores' suggestion.
Coach Brunette…last year you cancelled a team concert, it pissed the fellas off and they went on a heater…that ain’t working this year..the fellas look miserable…time to do the opposite…you book a MANDATORY TEAM RAGER at a concert & tell them to #FloorIt. #LetsGoPreds!
— Mike Commodore (@commie22) December 11, 2024
The Roster Will Flip Anyway
There's at least eight players on the roster who will be UFA's within the next year or two. You have some wiggle room with people you can get rid of, or people that you would lose for nothing and turning them into something.
This kind of player movement can be used as part of a greater overall strategy of gaining assets to make a splash, or clearing the way for young talent.
Trading Gustav Nyquist this year isn't a rebuilding move, it's just good business, especially knowing it likely helps free a top-six spot up for your next round of young talent and brings down the average age of your roster.
A Tank Might Actually Work This Year
The 2025 NHL draft is one that seems to be swimming with top end talent. The Predators are a lottery team at the moment and currently have the 2nd-best odds of winning the No.1 overall pick. Players like Michael Misa, James Hagens, Matthew Schaefer, Porter Malone, and Anton Frondell could all be franchise impacting or franchise altering picks. There is a great level of optimism.
The Predators might not be one player away from a Stanley Cup, but finding a solid top-4 defender or top-6 forward in the draft that they can plug into the lineup makes the offseason vision that much clearer.
The Top Talent Still Works
The top-eight scorers on the Predators are the usual suspects. Nobody in the group has fallen off of a cliff in terms of production or skill level. If they can't right the ship this season, then as the year progresses if you lower the load the core group carries and allow the younger players valuable extra minutes and special teams time, you could end up with a renewed and refreshed group raring to take on the 2025-26 season.