If there's one person on the Nashville Predators whom you should listen to about success, it's Steven Stamkos. The sniper has done it all, winning two Stanley Cups, a World Cup, a World Junior gold medal, and would have won an Olympic gold medal in 2014 if he hadn't gotten injured before the tournament. The former Tampa Bay Lightning captain knows what a winning team looks like.
Defeating the Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Colorado Avalanche twice in two weeks supports that view, but Stamkos was never the type to be vocal about something he didn't believe in. He clearly doesn't believe that this is a flash in the pan, according to Brooks Bratten via X.
""All four lines are rolling. The D is playing great. Our goaltenders are playing great. Special teams have been great. I mean, it's just a recipe for success.""Steven Stamkos
It isn't just that the Predators have been beating some of the league's top teams, but for the most part, they've been taking the play to them. Barry Trotz's decision to add a bunch of veterans, including Stamkos, a couple of seasons ago was once viewed as a mistake, as it didn't seem like the right puzzle pieces were forming, but Chris MacFarland has found the right pattern.
A two-week stretch in late October-early November doesn't make you a Stanley Cup contender, but the team has been putting together a formula that works. Andrew Brunette, whose seat was getting a bit warm, is now thriving with players who fit his system, notably Ross Colton and Jack Drury, whom MacFarland brought over from Colorado, and Adam Edstrom, whom he acquired from the New York Rangers.
""It just feels like we're building some momentum in terms of how we want to play our game. The style of play of our group, we're getting comfortable. We had a lot of turnover this year with new guys - it takes some time to get adjusted to the systems, for the coaching staff to see what we have, and then kind of put a game plan together.""Steven Stamkos
It's clear when watching the Predators that they now have a clear goal every night. They forecheck hard, and they defend hard, which doesn't make it easy on their opponents. When they do those things right, chances to score come, and they capitalize; when they don’t, their goaltenders back them up. Sounds like a great recipe to me.
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