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3 burning questions Nashville Predators must answer in 2026 offseason
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- 3 burning questions Nashville Predators must answer in 2026 offseason
The Nashville Predators (38-34-10) overachieved dramatically this season. After a disastrous 2024-25 season where they were one of the worst teams in the NHL, they finally looked like a competent squad. Steven Stamkos scored 42 goals out of nowhere, and Luke Evangelista broke out into a quality top-six forward.
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As a result, general manager Barry Trotz, who's stepping down after the season, decided to hold serve instead of kick-starting the rebuild that was once foreseen in the 2025 offseason. Sadly, the Predators missed the playoffs, so the new GM will have a lot of work to do in the 2026 offseason.
Who is the Predators' new general manager?
Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators incoming general manager Barry Trotz announces the twenty fourth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The resignation of general manager Barry Trotz was emotional. Trotz was the first coach of the Predators, guiding the expansion team to contention and relevance in the NHL.
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However, it was for the best. Trotz, the GM, locked the Predators into some awful contracts ( Brady Skjei , Jonathan Marchessault , Juuse Saro). The 2026 trade deadline should've been a gold mine for the Predators, since it was a seller's market. However, Trotz only traded a few depth pieces and didn't get another first-round pick.
The new general manager, for the first time in their history, will be hired from outside the organization. Right now, former New Jersey Devils ' Tom Fitzgerald seems to be leading the pack, according to NHL insider David Pagnotta .
While Fitzgerald has never served in their front office, he was the team captain from 1998 to 2002. Fitzgerald gave the Devils a lot of young talent while also making them competitive, but his contract negotiating was rough. No-trade clauses to guys like Jakob Markstrom prevented the Devils from making an all-in move.
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Some could argue that he's worth a fresh start, but it feels like the Predators are hiring another retread instead of a fresh perspective, like what was promised. If he's hired, he'll have a major decision coming up.
What direction does this team go?
Apr 16, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The Nashville Predators exit the ice following their final game of the season against the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images
The Predators are stuck in no-man's land, and this past season proved it. They were not bad enough to earn a good lottery spot or good enough to be legit Stanley Cup contenders.
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They had just 86 points on the season, but they were only four points out of a postseason spot. However, the Western Conference was incredibly top-heavy, so the Predators undeservedly had a shot at a postseason spot.
There are two directions the Predators could go in: push harder or rebuild. The Predators have a few players, such as Ryan O'Reilly, who could still provide significant value for a contending team.
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Considering how the 2024-25 season went, and the projections before this past season, it wouldn't be a surprise. They have a surprising amount of young players (Luke Evangelista, Matthew Wood) who are either already making an NHL impact or close to it.
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The Predators could also push harder next season. They could do their longtime franchise stars ( Filip Forsberg , Roman Josi ) right with a few more playoff runs. However, they will need to buy intelligently to take those steps.
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As I mentioned, they have a lot of young talent, but they also have several mid-round picks. They need to improve their scoring output on the wings, and there should be some decent options available they can use some mid-round picks on.
Which bad contracts do the Predators part ways with?
3 burning questions Nashville Predators must answer in 2026 offseason
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Apr 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) skates with the puck during the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
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Regardless of what direction the Predators go with, they'll need to make decisions on some bad contracts this offseason. Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei come to mind here.
The Predators signed both of them, alongside Steven Stamkos, in the 2024 offseason. These moves should've bring the team over the top after a Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in the 2023-24 season, but it's been a disaster.
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Marchessault missed a large chunk of the 2025-26 season due to a nagging injury, and he had his worst output in 10 seasons, with just 31 points in 62 games. Skjei, meanwhile, has never lived up to the value of his contract. He had just 33 points in the 2024-25 season with a minus-24 plus/minus, and his output decreased in 2025 to just 26 points, although he was better on defense (minus-7 +/-).
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The Predators could try to get value out of them via a trade, but if they don't, buying out their contracts would be for the best at this point. Marchessault's buyout would save the Predators over $1.2 million this offseason and free up $2.2 million over the next two offseasons.
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Skjei's ability to stay healthy makes him more valuable, but his contract still has five seasons on it. Nashville would earn between $2.5-4 million for the next five seasons, and while they would be stuck paying him $1.5 million from 2031 onwards, the cap relief it could provide now would be beneficial for the Predators.
