Nashville Predators Finding Their Identity - and Forcing Barry Trotz into a Tough Decision
If you had the Nashville Predators penciled in as a playoff contender back in October, go ahead and take a victory lap - because you were in the minority. After last season’s free agency swing-and-miss and a finish that nearly rewrote the franchise’s record books for all the wrong reasons, expectations were modest at best. But here we are in mid-January, and the Preds are right in the thick of the Western Conference wildcard race.
That’s not just a surprise - it’s a full-blown plot twist.
This turnaround has thrown a wrench into what many assumed would be a clear-cut trade deadline strategy for General Manager Barry Trotz. The plan?
Sell. Hard.
Rebuild with purpose. But now?
That plan’s looking a lot murkier. With the team surging and the standings tightening, Trotz may have to pivot - or at the very least, pump the brakes on a full-scale sell-off.
And the next stretch on the schedule could play a huge role in shaping that decision.
A Crucial Back-to-Back Looms
The Predators are staring down a brutal back-to-back road set against the top dogs in the West: the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights. That’s two division leaders, two hostile environments, and two measuring-stick games - all in less than 48 hours.
But here’s the thing: Nashville’s already shown they can hang with these teams.
They beat Vegas 4-2 on New Year’s Eve, a game that wasn’t just a win - it was a statement. And they stunned Colorado in a shootout back on December 9, a gritty, grind-it-out kind of game that teams with playoff aspirations need to win. The Predators have already proven they can compete with the league’s elite - now they’ll get a chance to prove they can do it consistently.
The Clock Is Ticking
With the Olympic break fast approaching, the Predators have 11 games left before the league hits pause. Where they land in the standings at that point will go a long way in determining what kind of moves Trotz makes - or doesn’t make - ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
After the break, Nashville will have just five games before the deadline. If they’re still hovering near the bubble - say, within a couple of points of a playoff spot - it becomes a much tougher sell to dismantle a team that’s clearly fighting to stay in the mix.
The players know it too. This isn’t just about winning games - it’s about sending a message to the front office.
“Make Those Decisions Really, Really Hard”
That’s how center Michael McCarron put it when asked about the trade deadline chatter. His message was simple, but powerful: *“We’re winning games.
That’s our job as players - to make those decisions really, really hard for (management).” *
This team isn’t just playing better hockey - they’re playing with purpose. They’re trying to prove that last season’s collapse was the outlier, not the new normal. And if they keep stringing together wins, they’ll force Trotz to think twice before hitting the reset button.
A Season-Defining Stretch
If Nashville can somehow sweep this upcoming back-to-back, it would be their biggest statement since the 18-game point streak that launched their improbable 2024 playoff run. That surge carried them into the postseason, where they eventually fell to the Vancouver Canucks in six games - but it gave the fanbase a glimpse of what this group could be when everything clicks.
Now, they’re trying to recapture that magic.
As they rest up ahead of Friday night’s showdown in Colorado, the Predators will be watching the scoreboard. If teams like the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth - fellow wildcard hopefuls - drop points, Nashville could jump into a playoff spot with a win over the Avs.
A second win in Vegas? That could vault them all the way into the top wildcard position.
It’s not just a pivotal stretch of the season - it’s a defining one. And if the Predators keep playing like this, Barry Trotz may find himself doing something he didn’t expect this season: buying in.