The Nashville Predators had the kind of preseason game that leaves you with two very different feelings at once. For a while, they looked sharp, fast and dangerous against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Then a 5-1 lead disappeared, and the night ended in a 6-5 loss.
Nashville built that cushion by the middle of the second period, only to watch Carolina reel off five unanswered goals. Three of those came in the third period. Logan Stankoven tied it by burying a shot into an empty net with the Predators up 5-4, and with three seconds left, Hurricanes youngster Felix Unger Sorum ripped a shot from the far slot for the winner.
Even with the collapse, there was plenty to pull from the game, starting with Vitali Pinchuk.
Pinchuk, signed from the Kontinental Hockey League late in the 2025-26 season, entered camp with some uncertainty around him. Nashville had added a lot of forwards, and he missed the first two preseason games because of injury, so some expected him to be headed for the American Hockey League. Instead, he made a loud case to stay.
He scored on his first shift, and that alone made an impression. He also set up Jonathan Marchessault with a strong stretch pass on the goal that made it 3-0 Nashville by the first.
On top of that, he has a clause in his contract that prevents him from being sent down to the AHL. As he put it, if he’s demoted to the AHL, he still has rights to Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, so he could leave for the KHL if he doesn’t make the roster.
That had been a concern, but after this kind of debut, the picture looks a lot better for Pinchuk.
Marchessault was another bright spot. His 2025-26 season was a step back from the 56-point campaign he put together in 2024-25, and he finished with 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 62 games.
Injuries and a personal loss were part of that, and there has been talk of him as trade bait. Still, there’s also a belief that he can bounce back if he’s paired with a solid center.
That may be taking shape with Mavrik Bourque in the mix. Bourque, Pinchuk and Marchessault showed good chemistry, and Marchessault finished off a breakaway created by Pinchuk. He looked more spry than he did last season in Nashville, which is exactly the sort of sign the Predators want to see.
The bigger story now is the roster crunch. Nashville has a lot of players on the edge who are making this harder than expected, and only so many spots are available when the group gets trimmed down.
Brady Martin looks like he belongs. He didn’t record a point against Carolina, but he already showed in the two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning that he can handle NHL competition, and there’s a strong case that he should be getting more than fourth-line minutes.
Cole O’Hara also keeps pushing. His work ethic has stood out all preseason, and it showed on his goal against the Hurricanes, when he carried through the neutral zone and scored unassisted. He had a strong AHL season last year, and if he doesn’t make it now, he looks close.
Felix Nilsson has made noise too. The Swedish skater has been excellent this preseason, and he backed up the hype with a long stretch-pass assist to Jack Drury on Drury’s goal. He also had the game-winning goal against Tampa Bay in the Predators’ second preseason game.
Tanner Molendyk has added himself to the conversation on the blue line. The 2023 first-round pick has been steady in every preseason outing, and against Carolina he had two strong point shots that turned into goals.
General manager Chris MacFarland has some difficult choices ahead, especially up front. But even with the loss, Nashville’s showing against Carolina offered a real boost of optimism about the prospect pool heading into the season.
The Predators have one more home game against Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 26, before the regular season begins. They’ll open at home against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, Oct. 1, then host the Dallas Stars on Oct.
- Rosters should be settled by then.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Still Have One Big Roster Question Before Opening Night
The Hurricanes cleared a bit more camp clutter this week by trimming their roster to 28 players, sending a handful of prospects back to the AHL and junior ranks as opening night draws closer. It was also a notable week for their long-term picture in goal, with Pyotr Kochetkov landing a new contract extension that starts in 2027-28, a move that keeps one part of Carolinas future stable even if the immediate focus remains on final lineup decisions.
The bigger question still hanging over the group involves the blue line, where Alexander Nikishins situation has become one of the more interesting storylines around the team. Elliotte Friedman reported that the defenseman has been allowed to speak with other clubs, even though Carolina still controls his NHL rights for three more seasons, leaving the Hurricanes with an unresolved piece of business as camp winds down and the season nears. [Read more 🡒]
Alexander Nikishin Drama Adds Pressure On Hurricanes Before Opening Night
Alexander Nikishins situation has become one of the more awkward September storylines for Carolina, with opening night approaching and the rookie defenseman still not settled into the lineup picture. The 23-year-old Russian blue liner arrived with plenty of upside and was supposed to be part of the teams long-term answer on the back end, but his status has only grown more complicated as the calendar has turned toward the start of the season.
Nikishin has now changed representation while his trade request remains unresolved, a sign that the pressure around his future is not easing any time soon. For the Hurricanes, that adds another layer of uncertainty to a roster that had hoped to get through camp with clarity on the blue line, and it leaves one of their most intriguing young pieces in a hold pattern as the regular season nears. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Preseason Finale Could Shape Carolinas Final Roster Decisions
The preseason is down to its final stop, and the next look for Carolina should come with a lineup full of fresh faces. A newly built top line is set to get its first action together, with Brandon Bussi in line to handle the crease as the Hurricanes sort through one last exhibition tune-up before the games start to count. It is the sort of finale that can still matter quite a bit for a team trying to separate the everyday group from the players still trying to force their way into the conversation.
Eric Robinson, Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal are among the names worth tracking as Carolina makes those last evaluations, while the wider camp picture also includes Nashvilles latest cuts and the thinning field around the league. For the Hurricanes, the focus is less on the scoreboard than on how the roster pieces fit, and Charles Alexis Legault is one of the younger players who could leave a lasting impression with one more strong showing. [Read more 🡒]