There is a long list of reasons why the Nashville Predators are one of the most underperforming teams in recent memory, and how much the defensive corps has changed over the course of the season is one place to start.
The Predators have six games left and are looking to at least move ahead of their worst point finish in franchise history, which was their first season as an NHL franchise in 1998-99 when they had 63 points and suffered 47 losses.
It's hard to find one single strengths this team has this season, but one I will say is the defense has dug deep at times despite all of the changes. The team has used 14 different defensemen, up from when the team only used nine the season before.
Nashville Predators have used 39 different players this season, 14 different defensemen
Just to do the simple math, you start six defensemen each game and sometimes have one extra, meaning the Predators have rotated in eight extra defensemen this season. The changes started before the injuries plagued the team. Dante Fabbro was inexplicably waived in early November and claimed by the Blue Jackets, and then Alexandre Carrier was traded just over a month later in a swap with the Canadiens for Justin Barron.
Barron has since gained a regular role in Nashville's starting lineup with mixed results. He's only 23-years-old and signed through 2025-26, so he'll get his shot most likely to impress the powers that be that he's the answer to help turn things around quickly next season.
Then the injuries happened. Jeremy Lauzon has been out since December 31, Adam Wilsby out since February 3, and Roman Josi since February 25. All three are important pieces to the Predators that has forced the team to field a defense that is struggling to keep up against most NHL opponents.
Luke Schenn was also dealt at the trade deadline, leaving the Predators with a current defensive corps of Brady Skjei, Nick Blankenburg, Justin Barron, Jordan Oesterle, Andreas Englund and Marc Del Gaizo.
No disrespect to any of these guys because they have played hard, grueling minutes and have been thrown into elevated roles they weren't expecting, with the massive exception of Skjei who is just simply not lived up to the seven-year contract Trotz gave him last offseason.
The good news is, the Predators have a lot of options and friendly roster competition to sort through in the offseason at the defense position. Wilsby should be close to a mortal lock to be a day 1 starter of 2025-26. Josi will be back as the top pairing guy and it's on the organization to find him a viable top pairing partner. It shouldn't be Skjei, who is better off being second pairing as a left shot defenseman.
Barron is working hard to fulfill that role and he does flash a commendable shot that could complement being on a line with Josi. But both are not strong on their defensive side, and so pairing them together on the top pairing spells likely disaster on the other end. So Barron is an option, but definitely not idea if Trotz has any plans to bounce back into playoff contention in 2025-26.
Blankenburg has been one of the few overperformers for Nashville Predators
I really have the utmost respect for how Blankenburg has carried himself this season. With so much negativity and underperformance from many players on the Predators, Blankenburg's name shouldn't come up in that discussion.
Blankenburg has already set a personal best for NHL games played in a season at 54 games, and has matched his season high in points with 14. Another crazy stat that will blow your mind and is a testament to how much Blankenburg has actually rose to the occasion in an elevated role is his plus/minus rating.
The Predators are an abyss when it comes to team goal differential. They are third-worst in the NHL at -60, even though their Expected Goal Differential is actually +10. That's a story for another day, but Blankenburg is the only regular skater of over 30-plus games to be in the positive in plus/minus, sitting at a +6.
Excluding Wilsby with only 23 games played and sitting at a +3 plus/minus, the next closest regular skater for the Predators is Luke Evangelista at -4. All of this to say, Blankenburg hasn't been a problem and if anything has been an unexpected bright spot on a team full of dark spots, and he should have a decent chance to make the starting lineup in 2025-26 out of training camp.
Blankenburg is currently one of just two pure right shot defensemen in the Predators starting lineup as the season draws to a close.
Spencer Stastney was supposed to be the next young prospect to take over in the NHL for the Predators from their defensemen, but he wasn't able to start the season playing games due to personal reasons. He has since chipped in 22 games on the NHL level, and is signed for one more year with Nashville.
Like the other previously mentioned defensive prospects like Barron and Blankenburg, Stastney will be in training camp as well looking to win a starting role for the season opener of 2025-26.
Even if Trotz does go out and sign an offseason free agent defenseman for the right side, which is a glaring need, we're still going to see a lot of roster competition from the prospect core of the organization. It will make for an entertaining training camp to watch for the fans, but also a challenging one for the higher ups to choose who is right for the NHL roster in 2025-26.
My early estimation is that the Predators will add a right shot defenseman from the outside, then stick with Josi and Skjei as their top two defenseman on the left side. The likes of Del Gaizo, Stastney, Wilsby and even Molendyk will battle for the other left side role, then you'll have Blankenburg and Barron in the mix to fill out the defense on the right side.
2025-26 estimated defensive starting lineup: Josi-???, Skjei-Barron, Wilsby-Blankenburg, Stastney the extra.
A lot of youth in the Predators defensive corps for 2025-26 with where we sit right now. Six more games left of auditioning for guys like Barron, Blankenburg, Del Gaizo, Stastney and Englund to show the organization they're important pieces of the upcoming retool of this franchise.