The Nashville Predators head into Thursday night with a simple test in front of them: can they handle Colorado’s altitude and still keep this run going, or will the Avalanche slow them down in Denver? The twist is that Nashville is bringing the dads along for the trip, and the team is hoping that extra family fuel matters in one of the league’s toughest buildings.
Roman Josi said the Predators will need it.
"Playing on the road in Colorado, obviously one of the hardest buildings to play in, we’re definitely going to need some of that dad strength," Preds Captain Roman Josi said Wednesday. "But when you have the dads in town, there’s a little extra motivation."
Nashville arrives with momentum after a stretch that has started to look a lot more serious. The Predators beat Colorado 6-2 at home, then picked up points in four of their last five games, including wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes. Another victory over the Avalanche would send a clear message that this team belongs in the playoff conversation this season.
There are still a few lineup decisions hanging over the night, though. Jonathan Marchessault is the biggest name to watch after missing the win over Carolina with a day-to-day injury. He was the only player not on the ice at practice Wednesday in Nashville.
Nicolas Hague is another question mark, but his path back looks less certain. Nashville has won two straight without him, and with the forwards playing well, it does not seem likely the Predators will make a change there right now. The team has not given up on Hague, but the timing is rough with Nashville playing some of its best hockey while he remains scratched.
The schedule has already been unforgiving, and Colorado is only the next heavy lift. Still, Nashville is right in the mix in the division, and a regulation win Thursday would pull the Predators level with the Avalanche.
After that, the road doesn’t exactly get soft. Nashville returns home Saturday to face the St.
Louis Blues before heading out on a West Coast trip that includes the California teams and the Vegas Golden Knights, then closes with the Minnesota Wild. By the time that stretch is over, it should be much clearer where the Predators stand.
In Other News...
Predators Fans Finally Have A Clearer Read On Yegor Surin
Yegor Surins path to Nashville is starting to come into focus after a stretch of uncertainty around when the Predators might actually get him in the fold. The young forward has been playing in the KHL, and agent Dan Milstein said there is now a clearer expectation that Surin will sign with and join the Predators once the current year wraps up.
For Predators fans, the bigger picture is the timeline that comes with it. Milstein has been upbeat about Surins upside, pointing to his development and physical tools as reasons to believe he can eventually matter in Nashville, even if the wait is still a long one. For now, the organization at least has a better sense of where the next step begins, and the anticipation is building around when his NHL arrival might finally happen. [Read more 🡒]
Predators May Have Found An Early Difference-Maker In Adam Edstrom
The Predators have gotten an early jolt from Adam Edstrom, whose arrival has quickly started to look like more than just a depth move. Since coming over from the Rangers, he has carved out a steady role in Nashvilles lineup and has become a useful piece on the penalty kill while also adding timely offense.
What has stood out is how seamlessly Edstrom has fit alongside fellow offseason additions Jack Drury and Ross Colton, giving the Predators a line that has brought both energy and production. For a team always looking for reliable two-way help up front, his early impact has been hard to miss, and it has only added to the sense that Nashville may have found an immediate difference-maker. [Read more 🡒]
Predators May Have To Pay Big For This Blue Line Upgrade
The Predators are still looking for ways to sharpen their blue line, and Simon Edvinsson has become a name worth watching as the December 1 deadline gets closer. The 23-year-old restricted free agent remains unsigned by Detroit, and his recent presence in Nashville has only added to the buzz around a possible move.
For a team trying to improve on defense, Edvinsson checks a lot of boxes on paper, which is why the speculation has picked up around him. Any deal, though, is expected to come at a steep price, and Nashville may have to weigh how much of its future it is willing to part with to land a player who could change the look of the back end. [Read more 🡒]