Know The Enemy: Nashville Predators

As we get you ready for the 2022-23 NHL regular season, we’re previewing the other seven teams in the Central Division. A team that surprised a lot of people with a playoff appearance last year was the Predators, who had a massive financial decision to make before the trade deadline and again after the season. They decided to spend the money on Filip Forsberg, and the analysts like their roster to be a playoff team again this season.

How will they do?

IneffectiveMath Projection: 93.6 (3rd in Central)
JFresh Projection: 96 (4th in Central)
The Athletic Projection: 97.2 (3rd in Central)
DraftKings Over/Under: 96.5 (3rd in Central)

What’d I miss?

I spy with my little eye Kevin Lankinen on the second line under goaltenders. Good for him! Good to see him get a gig with another team — and a decent one, too.

Their biggest addition this offseason was stealing from the cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning. The addition of Ryan McDonagh to their blue line is significant, and they got him for what amounts to just about nothing. A huge win for Nashville.

Remember the time the Preds traded Martin Erat to Washington for Filip Forsberg? Yeah, well, Forsberg is now the all-time leading scorer in Nashville franchise history (yeah, not a long history but still a record-holder) and this summer he got the bag.

When do they play the Blackhawks?

  • Dec. 21 — vs Nashville
  • March 4 — vs Nashville
  • March 16 — @ Nashville
  • written by

    Tab Bamford has been writing about the Chicago Blackhawks for almost two decades. He joined Bleacher Nation as the lead Blackhawks writer in May 2022. Tab is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and is the author of two books about the Blackhawks: "100 Things Blackhawks Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books) and "Chicago Blackhawks: An Illustrated Timeline" (Reedy Press, 2021). Find him on Twitter/X/Instagram/Threads at @The1Tab

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