It's hard to make moves into the upper tier of NHL teams when you don't have any clear answers at the center position, and that's exactly where the Nashville Predators find themselves with the quieter part of the offseason upon us.
The big free agency splashes have passed, but there is still some trade chatter out there and some growing rumors about restricted free agents not being stable with their current teams. But let's assume the Predators are forging ahead with the roster they currently have. That leaves them with very few answers at the center position, even up at the top line.
It's not to say that the Predators lack options or talent at the position. They have that with Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos, but two different questions arise. As it pertains to O'Reilly, he's really no longer regarded as an effective top line center anymore. And with Stamkos, that really shouldn't be his primary position anymore and he is way more effective camped out on the wing with his patented one timer shot and pinpoint accuracy.
This makes for a tough choice to make for the Predators. You also have Fedor Svechkov in the mix to be a top-six center, but again, is he ready for the enormous pressure of anchoring the top line? Probably not, and I can't fathom a scenario that he gets picked for that spot over O'Reilly or Stamkos.
Nashville Predators are razor thin at the center position yet again, with Stamkos and O'Reilly at the top and young Svechkov moving in
Whether it is ideal or not, the Predators are left with O'Reilly and Stamkos as their top line center choices. For the sake of the rest of the lineup construction, I'm compelled to stick with O'Reilly on the top line instead of Stamkos.
By choosing Stamkos as your top line center, that effectively removes Svechkov from top-six consideration to start the season. That is something I'm not a fan of with where this team is currently at.
This upcoming season is supposed to be about growth and finally letting the young talent spread the wings and show their long-term potential. It's got to be Svechkov's job for the taking on the second line to open the season unless he just really whiffs in training camp and raises red flags that he's not ready. I can't see that being the case, though.
Even though I'm in full agreement that O'Reilly is no longer at this point in his career top line capable, the Predators are left with no better options. I'm not even trying to be too harsh on O'Reilly. I still think the guy is a stud and important to where the Predators are trying to go in this transition phase. He is a leader on the ice and off the ice. He still manages to score to those clutch and usually gritty goals and makes his lineamtes around him better.
The issue is, O'Reilly doesn't have the elite skill level that most teams have at their top line center position. The ones that can take over games by themselves and just be a mance to deal with for the opposing teams. The Predators don't have that with any of their current crop of centers right now, but O'Reilly remains the best options in my mind.
The caveat to this, and it's again why it's so important to give Svechkov his chance right out of the gate, is that live game performance can change the outlook.
Let's just say in a perfect world that Svechkov dominates and seizes the opportunity on the second line. A long shot, I know, but let's just be hypothetical. Then who knows, maybe you can have the luxury to test out Svechkov on the top line. Then you suddenly do have options to move O'Reilly down to a more comfortable second line role, but Svechkov obviously has to prove it first.
When it comes to Stamkos, you have to do everything possible to keep him on the second line wing at 5-on-5 play. He is just not a top line performer anymore at 5-on-5, similar to O'Reilly. Both are great players, but both are facing father time.
As we all know, Stamkos is going to do most of his feasting on the power play anyway. There is a massive hope that Stamoks can at least slightly improve his 5-on-5 effectiveness, but I'm pretty pessimistic on that.
That leaves your bottom-six centers likely to be Erik Haula and Michael McCarron. Haula is effectively replacing the departed Colton Sissons who was traded to Vegas this offseaosn, and McCarron is the incumbent fourth line bruiser who does fine for his role.
Help is on the way with Brady Martin?
Of course the wildcard is Brady Martin, which Trotz has hinted will be a force to be reckoned with in training camp. That's most likely to get the locker room hype and put guys on notice, but Martin isn't eligible for the AHL as a CHL prospect. So he would have to make the NHL roster for the Predators and take the job from McCarron or Haula. Very far-fetched idea, but I do hope he tests these veterans and plays like a wrecking ball in training camp.
There is an interesting change coming to 2026-27 when NHL teams will be able to pick one 19-year-old CHL prospect to put in the AHL. Presumably speaking, that would be Martin for the Predators, who turns 19 in March.
So if Martin just absolutely takes off and is ready to make a huge impact on the Predators, we're probably going to have to wait one more season before we see him for a sustained amount of time. He could realistically make his brief NHL debut this season.
Right now the Predators have very few viable options at the center position. They have guys who can move over to play center occasionally, but their primary centers are very few. Five to count them realistically if you include Stamkos.
Even in the prospect ranks you don't have many NHL-ready options. Maybe David Edstrom gets his first call-up with the Predators at some point next season, but that would take really poor play from either Haula or McCarron to bring that about.
This is the main reason why I don't have the Predators returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. They don't have the center depth, and the centers they do have available are in elevated roles they shouldn't be in on a contending team.
With that said, this team will be better in the standings than they were last season with 68 points because quite frankly they can't get much worse and have everything go wrong at the same time again. I got them finishing in the mid 80-point range and at least being much more entertaining to watch.