The Nashville Predators hired new General Manager Chris MacFarland this offseason, with the expectation that he would help turn this roster into a contender. He hit the ground running, making a flurry of moves to add more depth. A trio of these newcomers has gone on to form the Preds' most effective line of the season.
As is the case with many GMs taking over in a new market, MacFarland first wanted to bring in some guys he was familiar with. Striking up a deal with the Colorado Avalanche, and old Coworker Joe Sakic, he acquired Ross Colton and goalie Isak Posch in exchange for goaltender Magnus Chrona and two third-round picks.
"Ross is a versatile, two-way winger who will add sandpaper and grit into our middle six group."Chris MacFarland
After losing forward depth and talented two way players like Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, and Colton Sissons, there was a hole in the Preds' forward group that needed filling. In acquiring Ross Colton, MacFarland added some toughness and a guy who can play up and down the lineup while being responsible in his own zone.
Colton has goals in three straight games and has five points in his last five games. Impressive output for a guy seeing only a 34.7% offensive zone start percentage on his shifts, according to Dobbers Frozen Tools. Head Coach Andrew Brunette trusts him a lot in the D zone to start, knowing he'll get the puck moving the other way.
Just 8 days later, MacFarland returned to his old team to make another move. Zachary L'Heureux and Fydor Svechkov were sent to Colorado in exchange for Chase Bradley, Jack Drury, and a third-round pick. Drury is an effective player in his own zone and in the faceoff circle. The exact type of add this team needed for its depth. Although it cost them two young players the team spent a few years developing in their own system, they added a rare asset in today's NHL, a center in their prime.
"Jack Drury is a hard-working, reliable, full-sheet of the ice center who can handle the tough assignments while being elite in the faceoff circle"Chris MacFarland
In Pierre Lebrun's piece with The Athletic, MacFarland noted Drury's two-way play, and that defensive minded play is what is seeing him get a large role on the penalty kill to start the year. The Preds have the league's third best penalty kill percentage, thanks in part to his contributions. The effectiveness in the faceoff dot has yet to really come on in full, and Drury currently has his career low win percentage at 48.6% on the year. In the last four games, he has a 55.7 percent however, so things could be turning around there.
Last but not least (especially in size), MacFarland added the third piece of the puzzle Adam Edstrom from the New York Rangers for Massimo Rizzo and a fifth. Measuring at 6' 7", this massive winger was pretty much an unknown to most of Music City, and the move flew under the radar. After hearing talk of him having a big camp though, ears perked up at the thought of this monster throwing the body.
Adam Edstrom with his career high 6th goal of the season. What a find he’s been. pic.twitter.com/T41XhmIF2k
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) November 4, 2026
Edstrom has seen his role increase since joining the Predators. With an average of 15:30 of ice time this season, he's skating nearly 6 minutes more per game than his average over parts of three seasons in NY. Some of this time is coming from his new role as a penalty killer, which he's excelled at, chipping in two shorthanded goals. The Swedish winger has already surpassed his previous career high in goals with six on the year so far. He brings much desired speed to the lineup, something the roster lacked. According to NHL Edge Stats, he ranks in the 84th percentile in max skating speed and the 97th percentile in skating speed bursts over 20 mph.
"If it's not our best line, it's our second-best line all through the year."Andrew Brunette after beating Carolina
"They were exceptional tonight," added the head coach after a huge win against defending Cup champions Carolina, thanks in large part to stellar play by the Preds' third line on the depth chart. The trio has skated 4 seconds shy of 100 minutes together at 99:56 and has posted solid numbers. With a 55.8% Corsi for and outscoring opponents by two goals, they've combined for 125 hits and are noticeable every time they come over the boards.
On a four game winning streak, the Predators find themselves in a wildcard position close to American Thanksgiving. With many trades already made to bolster this lineup, including the most recent Shane Wright deal, MacFarland has targeted a similar age range to Edstrom and Drury to fit in around the Vets like Colton and the mainstays Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, among others. With a lot of time left to play, it appears MacFarland built the team's best line and could look to add more to this lineup if they keep finding ways to win.
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