We've been speculating for nearly two months about whether or not the Nashville Predators can hold off this impending sell-off at the trade deadline if they can remain in this race for the wildcard.
The Predators have suddenly hit a roadblock in their playoff push, losing four of their last five and with three of those four losses coming by multiple goal defecits.
There are five games left before the break for the Olympics, and then another five games before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline on March 6. GM Barry Trotz has made it pretty clear that he still intends to sell and that everything is on the table, per Adam Vingan.
I asked Barry Trotz yesterday during our weekly chat on @1025TheGame if it is safe to assume that Ryan O’Reilly will NOT be traded before the deadline. Here was part of his response: pic.twitter.com/wWE4Ram8vX
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) January 28, 2026
""No, I think everything has to be on the table. ...I have to listen to all offers. If there's an offer that blows my mind a bit, I have to listen.""Barry Trotz, per Adam Vingan
Barry Trotz appears ready to sell despite the wildcard being within reach with 30 games left, and 10 left before the Trade Deadline
This quote was also referring more specifically to Ryan O'Reilly's trade status, and even this fan favorite isn't completely off the table for Trotz.
This is way I say these next five games are a critical juncture in the Predators' season, and I'm sure everyone on the team realizes that. Most certainly the veterans who are on the trade block realize that, including O'Reilly, Steven Stamkos, Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Michael McCarron, Nick Blankenburg, Cole Smith and Jonathan Marchessault.
That is a pretty long list of names, all regular starters and most forwards. Now obviously they won't all be traded because you have to field an NHL lineup, but my thinking is three to four very well could be on their way out if the Predators drop their next three or four.
And to be frank, even if the Predators win three or four of their next five before the break, it still might not be enough for Trotz. He's watching the standings and he understands the limitations of this team. The last thing he wants is to damage this team's long-term future and gamble with a wildcard race.
One thing we have to realize is that the Predators aren't just chasing one team. When you put it that way, it sounds very feasible that the Predators can make up four points over their 30 games remaining. But what makes this so tricky and unpredictable is how many teams are in a similar situation, with only two spots available.
And more realistically, only one wildcard spot appears available and seems to exclusively belong to the Utah Mammoth who are playing outstanding hockey right now and may even have their sights set on chasing down Dallas or Minnesota for top-three.
Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast revealed that some are speculating that teams are more willing to be sellers because they see the wildcard prize is facing the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
Elliotte Friedman: A couple people did say to me...they think there's more sellers than care to admit; I wonder about some of these teams that are right around it, and go ugh, Colorado first round, that could be really ugly - 32 Thoughts (1/26)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) January 29, 2026
The Nashville Predators have failed to build a long winning streak and create distance from themselves and the rest of the wildcard bubble teams
We'd be having a different conversation if the Predators weren't in this cluster of medicrity that is the Western Conference wildcard bubble. Ten points seperates the current second wildcard holder, the San Jose Sharks, and the 15th-place team in the entire Western Conference, the St. Louis Blues.
For the Predators to have fully convinced Trotz to buy into this playoff push, they really needed to create some separation from the pack and they haven't been able to do that. They haven't been able to build more than three-game winning streak at any point this season. And while they also hav avoided the dreaded four-plus game losing streak dating back to early November, they have simply traded too many wins with losses.
This is what prompted me to tweet out six days ago my target point total for the Predators, and since then they've lost 5-2 to the Mammoth and managed to salvage an overtime point at the Bruins:
#Preds obviously can't afford to trade wins and losses from here on out to make the playoffs.
— Chad Minton (@chad_minton) January 23, 2026
They have 32 games left and my ballpark estimate is at minimum win 20 of those and mix in a few OT losses for a target of 20-9-3 over the rest of the way. Puts them at 95PTS.
My target record was 20-9-3 with 32 games left, and they've started that with an 0-1-1 record. Now it's not some magic formula and more of a realistic prediction from me, but 95 points is historically the average minimum point total to make the playoffs. Sometimes low 90's can squeek you in.
So let's look at these remaining five games before the Olympics. The Predators are on the road to take on the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. A team that has drastically underperformed, and in desperation mode being nine points out of wildcard, but also only five points back of the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Predators need a win bad to keep this from spiraling and the doubt from creeping in. Then the Predators stay on the road to take on the Islanders, a team their opponent tonight is chasing. The Predators beat the Islanders 2-1 in a shootout victory on January 8.
Two winnable games for the Predators, and if they can find a way to win both then it at least keeps them in the hunt a little longer.
The Predators then return home to host the fading St. Louis Blues who are currently six points back of the Predators and last place in the Central Divison. Needless to say, a must-win for the Predators.
They'll then host the Minnesota Wild, who they did beat right before Christmas. But I'll go ahead and say that it's a long-shot that they beat them again. Minnesota has managed to overtake Dallas for second place in the Central Division and still has a lot to play for wanting to have home-ice advantage in the first round.
Finally to wrap it up before the Olympics, the Predators will go on the road to take on the Washington Capitals. Another quality opponent that the Predators beat in January.
So zooming out and looking at these five games, winning three of these five is manageable. But to really make Trotz think over the Olympics, they need to win four and even hold that wildcard spot over the break. There's just something symbolic about that if the Predators are actually in a playoff spot while the Olympics are happening.
On the flip side, if the Predators lose any more ground in the wildcard race in these next fives games then I suspect Trotz will be pretty aggressive in shopping some of his veterans and building long-term assets at the trade deadline.
Regardless of how these next five games go, I think Marchessault has to be your top trade priority, folllowed by Bunting and Haula. I don't see Stamkos or O'Reilly getting traded unless the Predators really fumble the bag coming up and fall so far out that Trotz just decides to push the full reset button.