The Nashville Predators are walking into the 2025-26 NHL season with a new array of hope. After trading away some pieces and reeling in new ones, the organization is anticipating a much better year than the mess that happened in their last. The boys will still be under pressure as two straight years of lost expectations could result in a massive roster turnover.
Besides the stress for players and fans, both parties should be excited to see a mix of old and new faces on the ice in early October. Recent roster changes have opened up new spots in the bottom 6 and closed some on defense. These two will spark competition for anyone wanting to get a taste of the home opener. Despite being 3 months out, we might have an idea of what it'll look like. Let's check out the potential starting lineup for your Nashville Predators.
Forward Line 1: Forsberg, O'Reilly, Marchessault
To start things off, we're going to look at the the starting 3 forwards. It's a given that Filip Forsberg will man the top line. He managed to tally 76 points last year which is impressive given the team's lackluster offense. He put up a career year a year ago with 94 points, including an astounding 48 goals. He was on pace for nearly 100 points just a few years ago so it's pretty clear that he's the heart and soul of the Preds offense.
When it comes to his centerman, I'd like to believe that Ryan O'Reilly would be the guy. Steven Stamkos typically played next to Forsberg but that was quickly proven as a bad strategy. If Head Coach Andrew Brunette learns his lesson, we'll hopefully see a true centerman start on the top line. O'Reilly is one of the best faceoff takers in the league, having a career faceoff win average of 55.7%. If the Predators want to kickstart the offense, having a good centerman is a must, and O'Reilly is that.
On the right side, Jonathan Marchessault is the most likely candidate. At 34, Marchy is still a solid goal scorer. He's a season out from a 42-goal performance with the Vegas Golden Knights. If Nashville returns to normalcy, he could find a way to reignite that elite goal scoring ability. He had a career year on the powerplay with 23 points tallied, 3 more than his previous best. Pair him with Forsberg and O'Reilly and we got something.
Forward Line 2: Stamkos, Svechkov, Evangelista
As seen in in Tampa Bay and now Nashville, Steven Stamkos is way more offensively confident on the wing. For years, him and Alex Ovechkin ruled the left side with their insanely accurate one-timers. While we did see this on the powerplay this year with his 14 PPG, it'll be nice to also see it on 5v5, a place where the team deeply struggled. Even though Stamkos is reaching up there in age, he still has gas left in the tank. If he's both on the wing and paired with a skilled playmaker, things will be fined.
On the same topic of skilled playmaking, Fedor Svechkov makes the perfect candidate for the 2C position. We saw last season what he can do when he's given ice time. His hockey IQ is to say the least, on par with some of the league's young stars. Even at 6'4", Svechkov somehow remains unseen on the ice which he takes advantage of. He has a hard puck release which is also a plus at having him at center. Just watch this play where he whips one home to give Nashville the overtime victory.
FEDOR SVECHKOV WINS IT FOR THE PREDATORS IN OVERTIME!#Smashville pic.twitter.com/EmVbQqetC2
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 9, 2025
On the right side, it's pretty obvious who slots in. When a Luke Evangelista deal does get done, I'd expect him to get second line minutes. His point production has been relatively the same, remaining around the 0.47 point-per-game mark. If he's given a more elevated role on both 5v5 and special teams, we could only expect that number to rise. Vange is a big rebound scorer. If Stamkos or Svechkov's shots were blocked, he'd be able to capitalize and knock the puck in when the goalie isn't paying attention.
Forward Line 3: Bunting, Haula, Wood
Michael Bunting is in a weird situation. If Barry Trotz wants Svechkov to take over the 2C role, that'll mean that one of the previous centers would need to play wing. With this problem already addressed with Stammer, Bunting would have to get pushed down in the lineup. At $4.5M per season, he's getting paid big money to play bottom-6 minutes. He scored 5 goals with Nashville last season and is looking to score more in his first full season as a Predator.
Erik Haula is another player with an unclear future. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils earlier this offseason and his most likely placement in the lineup would be the third line. The former Preds forward posted 21 points in 69 games with the New Jersey Devils. His sole purpose in Nashville is to provide scoring depth at center while also feeding the puck to the up and coming forwards like the next person on this line.
In his stint with Nashville at the end of last season, Matthew Wood notched a singular assist. With what we've seen in his first 6 NHL games and at development camp, Wood seems more confident with the puck and has gotten faster. Brunette's main focus this offseason is to gear the squad to a faster game style: Wood fits the bill. His powerful righthanded shot should be solid when paired with guys like Haula and Bunting.
Forward Line 4: L'Heureux, McCarron, Smith
The 4th line should be a bit of a wildcard for Nashville. There are a plethora of rising stars looking to crack the lineup. Guys like Brady Martin and Joakim Kemell are at the top of the chain but realistically, they might need more time to develop. One young stud who will be a starter is Zachary L'Heureux. The Montreal native recorded 15 points (5g, 10a) in 62 games last season with Nashville. His get-in-your-face playstyle is most similar to Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. His youthful energy is something the Predators need to stay afloat.
Mike McCarron is another one of the grinder-style players. At 6'6", Big Sexy stands tall above his opponents, and some of his teammates. His height allows him to reach for the puck in tight spaces where smaller guys couldn't. He racked up 102 penalty minutes this season, in large part due to his multiple brawls on the ice. McCarron isn't scared to drop the gloves for his team and that makes him a cornerstone piece in the locker room. His 54.4% at the faceoff dot makes him one of the team's best centers.
Cole Smith is the final forward in the starting lineup. His wife recently gave birth to their first child so Smith will have some dad energy on the ice this year. The winger from Minnesota is another physical presence with his 6'3" frame. If there's one thing we ought to know about the 4th line, it's going to be a nasty one. The mixture of size and grit will be tough to play against.