NASHVILLE - The Nashville Predators (3-2-3) are through the first three weeks of the 2026-27 season after an offseason filled with changes. The organization hired Chris MacFarland from the Colorado Avalanche as its new team president of hockey operations and general manager this summer and brought in nine new players, and placed an emphasis on getting the season started quickly.
The Predators have had a mixed bag of results over eight games, as the record clearly reflects. Nashville's won a game they probably should've lost in Montreal. The team's lost games they had late leads in, against Toronto and Ottawa. The Predators came from behind to earn a point against San Jose, were beaten handily by Vegas, and had strong performances against Dallas and St. Louis, resulting in victories.
Nashville sits tied for fifth place in the Central Division and finds themselves in a three-way tie for the second Wild Card spot in the Wester Conference. The Predators position in the standings seems fair considering the offseason changes, the shortened NHL training camp and the competition they've faced.
Nashville has three more days until its next game, creating an opportunity to take a breath and assess how the first three weeks have gone before the Predators head out on the year's second road trip.
Special Teams Success
The Nashville Predators have been deadly on the power play through eight games. The Predators rank fourth in the NHL in power-play success, scoring on 29.6 percent of their extra-man opportunities. Nashville ranks sixth in the league in total power-play goals, scoring six goals through eight games. Steven Stamkos leads the way with two goals and five points on the power play.
On the flip side, the Predators have been one of the NHL's best penalty-killing teams. Nashville ranks seventh in the league, killing 85.2 percent of their penalties this season. The Predators have allowed four power-play goals and scored two shorthanded goals of their own, stepping up their game throughout the season when down a man.
The MVP through eight games is unquestionably goaltender Juse Saros. Saros has been rock solid between the pipes, playing in seven of the eight games this year because backup goaltender Justus Annunen opened the year on injured reserve.
Saros is 23rd in the NHL with a .906 save percentage, but is second in the league in total saves, stopping 193 shots this year. His presence in the crease has allowed the Predators to experiment with numerous blue line combinations as Nashville sorts out its best defensive pairings. Saros is still looking for his first shutout of the season, but he's started strong and has given the Predators a chance to win every night he plays.
Adam Edstrm
MacFarland acquired Edstrm this offseason from the New York Rangers for a fifth-round pick. He was often one of the last names mentioned when talking about the Predators' new additions, but he's quickly become one of the offseason's best acquisitions. He's played with physicality on the fourth line and has become a mainstay on the penalty-killing unit. Edstrm is tied with Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos for the team lead in goals with four, scoring two shorthanded and two empty-net goals.
Honorable Mentions:
MacFarland acquired Nils Hglander this offseason from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick. Hglander has found a home on the second line beside Filip Forsberg and Matthew Wood. He's scored three goals, already passing his season total from a year ago, and offered the Predators an aggressive forward to go alongside Forsberg and Wood.
MacFarland's only in-season trade sent a second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Jayden Struble. Struble has played in the Predators' last four games, and his presence has already improved the blue line, as he controls his gaps well and is strong in puck retrieval on the back end.
The Predators found success in five-on-five play against the St. Louis Blues, scoring three goals on Saturday during even-strength play. That's a step forward for Nashville, as the team has struggled to maintain offensive zone possession and generate consistent scoring chances in five-on-five play. Nashville is 21st in the NHL in total goals scored with 23, but only 11 have come during five-on-five play.
Defensively, the Predators have allowed too many odd-man rushes this season. Nashville's struggles to possess the puck have given opponents too many odd-man rush opportunities. The Predators have improved defensively over the last week with the addition of Struble, but the team still needs to improve to support Saros as the offense finds its footing.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/predators/onsi as What We've Learned About the Nashville Predators in the First Weeks of the Season .
