A season ago, Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette looked like a dead man walking. After leading the Predators to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2023-24 season, his team completely floundered in 2024-25. They finished 30-44-8, ending with a bottom-five record even after an aggressive offseason. All signs pointed to Brunette being a goner, especially with general manager Barry Trotz stepping down.
However, Brunette has turned the team around completely. The Predators find themselves in a playoff spot, sitting in the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. They have a 33-28-9 record, so it appears that Brunette is no longer on the hot seat. There are a few reasons that Brunette has turned the team around.
Stamkos Has Found His Game Again
Steven Stamkos was expected to be the all-in piece for Nashville. When they signed him to a four-year, $32 million deal on July 1, 2024, they wanted an offensive presence, captain intangibles, and a presence on their lackluster power play.
In Year 1, it didn’t look like his deal was going to pan out. He had 27 goals and 26 assists in the 2024-25 season. Those were double-digit decreases from his 2023-24 numbers, where he had 40 goals and 41 assists.
However, Stamkos has turned a corner this season. He has 33 goals and 22 assists through 69 games. He has the most goals for the Predators and is ranked no. 17 in goals in the NHL. He has been one of the biggest surprises of the season.
Matthew Wood Has Been Stellar
One of the biggest questions entering the season was how much Brunette would play the youth. With the Predators on the edge of a rebuild, fans were eager to see how guys like Matthew Wood, Fedor Svechkov, Joakim Kemell, and Brady Martin would perform this season.
At least one of those rookies looks like a legitimate contender already. Wood has been fantastic. The 2023 first-round pick has 15 goals and 10 assists through 58 games. He has the seventh most goals among all first-year players in the NHL.
While Svechkov hasn’t been as good as Wood, with just three goals and 10 assists through 57 games, he’s shown flashes of being a major contributor. Kemell has been kept in the minors nearly the whole season, but he’s been getting ice time for the Predators recently. Martin is in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Soo Grayhounds, and he’s been very solid, with eight goals and 16 assists through 24 games.
The Pacific Division Has Been Terrible
The Predators are also the beneficiaries of a top-heavy Western Conference. The three Central Division spots are taken up by the Colorado Avalanche (102 points), Dallas Stars (97), and Minnesota Wild (92), so there’s no chance the Predators land a playoff spot through the top three spots in the Central Division.
However, they’re in the last playoff spot because the Pacific Division has been rough. The Vegas Golden Knights (78, 4-8-0), Los Angeles Kings (72, 4-4-2), Seattle Kraken (71, 3-7-0), and San Jose Sharks (70, 4-5-2) all have losing records in March. The Kraken have only recorded six points, the lowest amount in the month.
Related: 2 Takeaways From Kraken’s 3-1 Loss to Predators
The Predators have taken advantage of this. They have a 6-4-1 record, and they’re on a four-game winning streak. They have wins against the Winnipeg Jets (March 17), Kraken (March 1), Golden Knights (March 21), and Blackhawks (March 22) during that span, and they play against the Sharks (March 24) too.
Final Thoughts
As a result of the winning streak, the Predators are in a playoff spot. Their veterans have bounced back after a rough 2024-25 season, especially Stamkos. The youth have been a bright spot, and the Predators have taken advantage of the Pacific Division’s slump.
Time will tell who the Predators’ next general manager will be, and his team structure could be different from Brunette’s. However, Brunette is showing his coaching chops this season, and it will give the Predators a tough decision this upcoming offseason.
