The Nashville Predators are coming off a disaster of a season. The Preds were seen as a potential sleeper to make a run in the Western Conference. They would stumble to start the year, starting the campaign with five straight losses. The team would never get back on track. They would finish third to last in the Western Conference, and nearly 30 points outside of a playoff spot.
After being swept out of the playoffs in 2022, they would miss the 2023 postseason, but rebounded to make it again in 2024. This led Barry Trotz to go all in for the 2024-25 season, signing players like Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos. These signings did not bring success, though. Marchessault would come away with just 21 goals, his lowest in a season when playing over 60 games. Further, he amassed just 56 points, his fewest since the Covid-shortened seasons.
Meanwhile, Stamkos had just 53 points in 2024-25. That was his lowest when playing 40 or more games in a season since his rookie campaign. With Stamkos and Marchessault coming off down years, and potentially declining as they get older, new players need to breakout. These are three young players ready to take the next step in Nashville in 2025-26.
Nick Perbix will have a strong debut year for Predators
The addition of Nick Perbix to the blue line for the Predators may have been their best move of the offseason. With questions surrounding the health of Roman Josi, the team needs a new top-end defender. Perbix is going to get every opportunity to be that player. In Tampa Bay, he was averaging just 14:41 of ice time per game. He was behind Erik Cernak and J.J. Moser in the rotation on the right side. He will likely get much more time on the ice with the Preds.
Josi, Brady Skjei, and Nicolas Hague are all primarily left side defenders, which will give Perbix a chance to be the right side defender on the top rotation, if not the second. The increase in ice time will lead to a breakout season for the American defenseman.
He has already shown some offensive ability, having 19 or more points in all three of his seasons at the NHL level. Further, he has increased in expected goals and individual point percentage in each of his three years. Meanwhile, he has also shown to be a physical presence. He has had 50 or more hits in all three seasons, while blocking 181 shots in the last two years. With more time on the ice, the blue liner will continue to improve and will be a top rotation defender in 2025-26.
The Predators find another effective center in Fedor Svechkov
The second line center position was a major point of contention for the Preds in 2024-25. Ryan O'Reilly is locked in as the top line center, and Stamkos struggled in that spot last campaign. The team traded for Erik Haula from the New Jersey Devils. He is projected to be the third line center, with Fedor Svechkov taking the second spot.
The Russian was the No. 19 overall pick by the franchise in the 2019 NHL Draft. He would join the AHL Milwaukee Admirals in 2023-24 and get the call to the show in 2024-25. The young forward found the back of the net eight times while adding nine helpers in 52 games.
Svechkov showed a ton of potential, specifically in January. In 12 games that month, he lit the lamp four times, including twice on the powerplay. Further, he had three assists. Consistency was the major issue for the rookie skater. He would not score a point in February, but would pick back up in March, adding five points in a 10-game stretch during the month.
His two-way ability will also warrant the second-line center position being his. He ended the year with 32 hits and 24 blocked shots, rates per 60 minutes of ice time that made him one of the top defensive forwards on the team. With the Preds wanting to feature the young center more, he could be primed for a breakout season.
Luke Evangelista becomes a star
The second line for the Preds is getting an overhaul in 2025-26. Stamkos is projected to play on one wing, with Svechkov potentially in the center. Luke Evangelista will complete the line. He has been mentioned as a breakout candidate in the past, and this is the year it comes to fruition. While the Canadian forward has yet to be re-signed as a restricted free agent, a deal could potentially be coming soon.
He has shown major improvements in his first three NHL campaigns. He scored just 10 goals in 2024-25, but that was in 68 games. Still, he added 22 assists during the season, and saw many of his offensive rates go up. His IPP rate jumped nearly 20 percentage points, as the forward became more involved in the offense. His shooting percentage did go down in 2024-25. If he can return to the shooting rates of prior seasons, combined with his improved passing, Evangelista will become a star in Nashville.
The Predators were one of the biggest disappointments in the NHL in 2024-25. Their reliance on aging veterans did not pay off, as those players began to regress. Now it is time for younger players to take the reins. On defense, Perbix will provide a solid right-side presence, something that the team was lacking. Meanwhile, the second line will be younger, faster, and more dangerous as Svechkov and Evangelista break out in 2025-26. If they can turn into 50 to 60 point producers, the Predators could go from disappointment to playoff contender next spring.
