With the way things started this season, it's wild that we're even discussing the Nashville Predators as one of the NHL's surprise teams.
Last season the Predators were also a surprise team, but not the kind of surprise you want to be. They very nearly had the worst season in their franchise's history despite going all in with their free agency signings in the offseason.
Now the Predators find themselves right in the thick of the wildcard race here in mid-January, further complicating GM Barry Trotz's original plans to be a heavy seller. It's still unclear if he remains a "heavy" seller or if he'll pull back some and let this team go for it.
One of the most challenging tasks of the season for the Nashville Predators lies ahead with a back-to-back on the road against two division leaders in the West
Next up on the schedule offers a very difficult test in a road back-to-back against the Western Conference's two current division leaders; the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Predators just beat the team chasing the Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, and that's a team that has terrorized them for the past couple seasons in the Edmonton Oilers.
As tall of a task these next two games appear on paper, the Predators have found success against each of these opponents this season. The Predators beat the Golden Knights on New Years Eve by a 4-2 final score, and took down in a shocking upset the Avalanche back on December 9 in the shootout.
This is one of those turning points in a season for a team as we get into the grind. The trade deadline is coming up fast, and even sooner will be the Olympic break.
The Predators have 11 games before the extended break for the Winter Olympics, and where the team sits in the standings at that point will offer a lot of reflection for Trotz on what's next when teams come back to NHL action. The Predators will only have five games before the NHL Trade Deadline after the Olympic break. If they're still near the bubble, say within a couple points, then it will make it really hard for Trotz to break this team up too much.
As for now, these players are just trying to win games and prove that they're not only much improved from last season's abject failure, but also a team that can make noise in the playoffs.
Michael McCarron shared his thoughts on the team continuing to win and to push back on a possible trade deadline sell-off, via Russell Vannozzi of Mainstreet Nashville.
""We’re winning games. That’s our job as players – to make those decisions really, really hard for (management).”"Russell Vannozzi, Mainstreet Nashville
Predators center Michael McCarron on the possibility of avoiding a trade deadline sell-off: "We’re winning games. That’s our job as players – to make those decisions really, really hard for (management).” pic.twitter.com/rP882GTH6Y
— Russell Vannozzi (@RussellV_MSP) January 14, 2026
There is no doubt that sweeping this back-to-back would be the biggest statement this franchise has made in a while, maybe since the infamous 18-game point streak that helped the Predators make their improbable run to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs which ended in a six-game first round series loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Predators enter Thursday night's action idle, but will be watching the fellow wildcard bubble teams like the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth. If the Sharks and Mammoth lose in regulation, then the Predators will have the opportunity with a win to move into a wildcard spot with a win over Colorado on Friday night and possibly even take the top wildcard spot.