Chris MacFarland has wasted little time putting his imprint on the Nashville Predators, and the early message has been anything but simple. The new general manager has pushed the roster younger without tearing the whole thing down, making a series of moves that suggest he’s trying to reshape the team on the fly rather than start from scratch.
That started with the additions of Ross Colton and Jack Drury from Colorado, Mavrik Bourque from Dallas, and Nils Höglander from Vancouver. Each move nudged the Predators in the same direction: younger, faster and a little more versatile up front.
MacFarland didn’t appear interested in just patching up the existing group. He was also building toward what he wants the next version of this team to look like.
Then came the Luke Evangelista trade, which complicated the picture. Evangelista, coming off a career year at 24, was dealt to New Jersey for a conditional 2028 first-round pick and a second-round pick.
MacFarland said the move was about creating roster room and adding draft capital, but it still felt like a strange turn given the rest of his approach. He had been adding youth and long-term pieces, and then he sent out someone who still fit that same timeline.
It muddied the water.
That’s where the Predators are right now: a roster still loaded with veterans on expensive contracts, and a front office that seems willing to keep adjusting the direction as it goes. Ryan O’Reilly is the clearest example.
He’s in the final year of a four-year deal worth $4.5MM, remains productive, and has said he wants to stay in Nashville. But his age and contract status don’t line up neatly with the team’s future.
If the Predators are out of the playoff race before the NHL Trade Deadline, MacFarland will likely want to move him, especially since he doesn’t have trade protection. If Nashville hangs around the race, that decision gets tougher.
The same basic issue applies to the rest of the veteran core, though some of those deals are much harder to work around. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault were brought in a few years ago to help lead Nashville back into contention, but that push hasn’t delivered.
Stamkos put up 42 goals last season and would be a straightforward trade candidate if he agrees. Marchessault is a different story.
His play has dropped off over the last year-plus, and his no-movement clause makes him far more difficult to deal.
For now, the Predators are stuck in an uncomfortable spot. They’ve won just three of their first ten games, and if that kind of start keeps up, MacFarland probably won’t wait long to keep reshaping the roster. That could mean moves fans and players won’t love.
On paper, Nashville should be better than it has been. The talent is there, but the results haven’t matched it, and the team doesn’t look strong enough to break into the top tier of the Western Conference.
That leaves them in the middle again, which is exactly where these moves seem to point. MacFarland has already shown he’s willing to exchange established NHL talent for draft picks, while also sending picks out for NHL-ready players.
It’s a workable strategy, but it sends different signals at the same time.
The plan in Nashville still doesn’t look fully settled, though there’s time for that to change. The Predators have nearly six months before the NHL Trade Deadline, and MacFarland’s future-focused moves with Bourque and the others have already helped the team this season. Over the rest of the year, Nashville could end up with tradeable veterans, future assets or both - and that will tell the story of where MacFarland wants this team to go.