Nashville Predators sink to lowest point in over two decades after loss to Panthers

Another uninspiring loss for the Nashville Predators with a 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, and more eye-opening postgame comments from frustrated players.

Fans have reached their breaking point with this team. Bridgestone Arena has become quieter than the local library, with the exception of the droves of away fans who make the journey to Nashville to have a mini vacation while watching their team likely getting the easy win.

This is unequivocally the lowest point this franchise has been in in over 20 years, even lower than the 2007 scare of relocation. The reason why is that was more of an ownership issue and fan turnout issue, and not so much the product on the ice.

The problem isn't even that this team continues to lose to superior opponents, like the Panthers are, but it's how they're losing. No fight, no grit. They're just getting punked nearly every night, with the occasional upset win like they did against the Avalanche, which was thanks to a strong night from Juuse Saros.

I can live with this team losing if they're going down swinging, but that just doesn't seem to be happening anymore. The life has been sucked out of this team.

This is a lower point for franchise than the relocation to Canada scare in 2007

The Predators put up 110 points in the standings in 2006-2007, and followed that up with a 91-point campgain the following year and another playoff appearance. The franchise was saved from relocation, and ever since then, almost always a strong regular season team that just can't get over the playoff hump with the exception of 2017.

You can actually argue that this is the lowest point ever in franchise history. At least in the early years of the franchise we knew what the product was as the team was in its infancy as an expansion franchise. The talent gap on paper was wide on most occassions, and fans were just thrilled to have an NHL franchise in Nashville.

Luke Schenn had a pretty unfiltered response to the team taking another loss while only managing to score one goal, as he told Emma Lingan of The Hockey News.

Ryan O'Reilly has also recently verbalized his frustration with this team, someone who is viewed as very loyal to the franchise and not seeking a trade, even though he is this team's best trade chip.

""No one's excelling, creating, scoring and feeling good about themselves... it's been so frustrating."- Ryan O'Reilly on lack of scoring
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Russell Vannozzi, Main Street Nashville

This franchise has pushed off the rebuild for as long as they possibly can, but this is the breaking point. General Manager Barry Trotz is in a difficult position to go full-on rebuild because of the no-move clauses that many of the veterans have, and also with contracts no team is going to want.

There are 25 games left this season for the Predators, and they sit at 47 points. The franchise season low for points has stood the test of time going all the way back to the inaugural season. That team finished with 63 points, back when ties counted as one point. They had seven ties and 47 regulation losses in 1998-99.

The Predators keep sinking lower and lower, showing no optimism for the future

This current Predators team, after making the enormous offseason free agency splash they did last summer, is flirting with being the worst in franchise history. No matter how much they say Head Coach Andrew Brunette's job is safe, there is simply no way you keep him into next season if this team finishes with the worst record in franchise history.

Trotz completely struck out on his free agency spending spree. Steven Stamkos hasn't registered a point in 10 games, the longest of his illustrious career. And yet Stamkos is still fifth on the team in points. How sad is that?

Brady Skjei, who has a seven-year contract commitment from Trotz, has been awful for most of the season. So many defensive breakdowns and very little offense to make up for it. Skjei has 71 giveaways on the season, with the year before with Carolina only having 36.

You look at the youth of the lineup and you're seeing no growth, only regression. Luke Evangelista has just five goals in 44 games, Tommy Novak is nowhere close to being a point-per-game player like he nearly was in 2022-23.

With how bad things are right now, and also with the sell-off coming at the trade deadline, this roster is going to be even more depleted in a couple weeks. It's going to be an enormous task for them to win eight more games out of 25 remaining to equal the 1998-1999 squad.

I've numb to this team now. It's just a comedy of errors at this point. My focus is on how they manage to get something in return of value at the trade deadline, and of course where their final draft position ends up being, which is hopefully top-3.