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The Nashville Predators brought in veteran talents ahead of the 2024-25 season, looking to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and build off a relatively successful 2024 postseason.
Yet, the regular season didn’t go to plan for them as they became one of five teams that made the 2023-24 playoffs to finish below the red line, joining the defending President’s Trophy-winning New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks.
Through 82 games this season, the Predators only amassed 68 points on their way to finishing eighth in the Central Division and 30th in the NHL, while marquee summer signing Steven Stamkos only scored 27 goals and 53 points.
On the latest episode of Daily Faceoff Live, Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli dive into what the future holds for the Nashville Predators.
Yaremchuk: Which team that made the playoffs last year but missed this year should be most concerned about their long-term future…which one do you think is going to have the toughest time getting back to being a playoff team next year?
Seravalli: Nashville is the team I’d be most concerned about their long-term future. You look at basically what they did last summer, they handed out a ton of dough to older, aging players, and the thought process was, well, we’re paying Juuse Saros, we’re paying Roman Josi and we’re paying Filip Forsberg and these guys are all on the wrong side of 30. So, we’re going to pile in these vets and be a Stanley Cup-contending team.
Then, in years three, four, or five of these contracts, we’ll deal with that when we have to. The premise of that was making the playoffs this year and next, but you finished in 30th place. I think the Nashville Predators are in a very, very difficult position moving forward.
You can catch the segment and the full episode here…
More must-reads:
- Yankees quickly pull plug on key trade-deadline acquisition
- Kyren Williams contract extension with Rams a win for both sides
- The 'MLB playoff home run leaders' quiz
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Canucks sign former top-10 pick to a one-year deal
The former ninth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft is coming back to North America. According to a team announcement, the Vancouver Canucks have signed Vitali Kravtsov to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season. The native of Vladivostok, Russia, was originally drafted by the New York Rangers after playing in 35 games for KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk. Despite only scoring four goals and seven points that year, Kravtsov had previously recorded 13 goals and 36 points in 41 games with a +18 rating for the MHL’s Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk. He was ranked as the third-best European prospect by NHL Central Scouting. He performed much better in the KHL after being drafted by the Rangers, scoring eight goals and 21 points in 50 games, with an additional two assists in four postseason contests. He made his debut in North America during the 2019-20 season, scoring six goals and 15 points in 39 games for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Finally, just three years after being drafted, Kravtsov debuted for the Rangers during the 2020-21 campaign. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic at the time, Kravtsov spent the early part of the year back in the KHL, scoring 16 goals and 24 points in 49 games. He debuted in the NHL in early April, skating in 10:45 of the Rangers’ shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on April 3. Unfortunately, despite seeing his ice time increase down the stretch, Kravtsov finished the season with two goals and four points in 20 games with a -6 rating. His possession and defensive metrics were abysmal, averaging a 43.9% CorsiFor% at even strength, and an 89.7% on-ice save percentage at even strength. Feeling that he needed more developmental time, Kravtsov was again loaned to the Traktor Chelyabinsk for the 2021-22 campaign, scoring six goals and 13 points in 19 games, with another seven goals and 10 points in 15 playoff contests. Inspired by his postseason performance, the Rangers brought Kravtsov back to North America for the 2022-23 season. His second year in New York went mildly better than the first, scoring three goals and six points in 28 games with a +6 rating. Ultimately, the Rangers had seen enough from their recent top draft selection, and they traded him to the Canucks on February 25, 2023, for William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Similarly, Kravtsov had a disappointing showing with the Canucks, scoring one goal and one assist in 16 games to finish out his second year in the NHL. For the third time since making his professional playing debut in North America, Kravtsov left the NHL for Traktor Chelyabinsk, signing a two-year agreement with them after the 2022-23 NHL season. Since he was a restricted free agent at the time, the Canucks retained his negotiating rights should he ever return to NHL action. His two-year tenure with Traktor was highly successful. He registered 45 goals and 92 points in 121 games, along with a +27 rating, including another nine goals and 12 points in 33 playoff contests. Given that it’s a two-way deal, Kravtsov will likely start the 2025-26 season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, while maintaining the possibility of being recalled to Vancouver should his second stint with the team prove successful.
Aaron Judge Assigns Blame As Yankees Continue to Sprial
Aaron Judge didn’t ease into his return. After missing over two weeks with a strain in his right elbow, the Yankees’ captain was activated Tuesday and inserted as the designated hitter. But his presence wasn’t enough to stop the bleeding or the finger-pointing. As the Yankees dropped their fifth straight game, falling 2-0 to the Rangers, the calls for a change in leadership were growing louder. Yankees fans were howling for Aaron Boone’s job and wanted Brian Cashman to be sent packing with him. But, Judge made it clear who bears the blame. “About us in this room, we’ve got to step up, look ourselves in the mirror and do our job,” he said. That was the message from a captain who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first game back. Judge didn’t shift the focus to his own timing at the plate or the limitations of his injury. He kept the spotlight squarely on the team’s performance and their accountability. New York has now lost 19 of its last 27 games and watched a once-secure playoff position slip into a Wild Card race that’s tightening by the day. The loss dropped them behind Boston and just a half-game ahead of Texas for the final AL Wild Card spot. Mistakes continue to mount. On Tuesday, it was another bullpen collapse, another critical misplay in the field, and another night where the offense failed to deliver in key spots. For Judge, the diagnosis was simple. Do your job. With the standings getting tighter, Judge’s words carry weight. The Yankees have time to turn this around, but not if they keep looking elsewhere for answers or excuses. The answers, as Judge reminded everyone Tuesday night, have to come from within.
Cowboys' problem with Micah Parsons may hand Steelers a franchise QB
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most-talked-about NFL organizations throughout the course of the 2025 offseason. One of the biggest headlines that was attached to the franchise involved a rare May trade that sent George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Many expected the wide receiver to be dealt before or during the NFL Draft, but after a move didn't occur, it was believed that he would play out the final year of his rookie contract in the Steel City. Now, he is teaming up with CeeDee Lamb in the NFC, and a duo has been formed that could be very dangerous. Unfortunately for fans of the Cowboys, the two wide receivers have not been the talk of Dallas' training camp. Team owner Jerry Jones is playing hardball with edge-rusher Micah Parsons, and the talented defender recently requested a trade. The decision not to pay Parsons yet has left Jones under intense scrutiny, given the fact that the pass-rusher is one of the league's best. Jones' recent comments also show how dysfunctional the situation has become. In a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," respected analyst Dan Orlovsky found a way to relate Parsons' situation to quarterback Dak Prescott, insinuating that if Jones does indeed trade Parsons, Prescott's Super Bowl window in Dallas would close. "If they trade [Parsons], and I don't think they do, if they trade him, it declares the Dak Prescott era over," Orlovsky said. "This team has no shot of winning a Super Bowl without Micah Parsons. No shot, and if you're doing it, it's to acquire a ton of first-round picks, so you have the ammunition to go get an Arch Manning of the future." The Steelers are set to have 12 draft picks in 2026, which gives the front office plenty of options when it comes to bringing in the next franchise quarterback. Instead of drafting one, however, could an available Prescott be a target for general manager Omar Khan? Orlovsky believes trading Parsons away would upset the Cowboys' best players. "There's no way that you can go to your locker room with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, some of the first-round picks you have on your offensive line, Trevon Diggs, and go, 'Hey, go beat Philadelphia when you don't have Micah Parsons. Go beat the Rams when you don't have Micah Parsons.' Your locker room will sit there and go like, 'Oh, well you've obviously moved on, so we're going to start our process of moving on as well.'" Any team interested in acquiring Prescott would have to take a long look at his contract. Some of the cap hits are astronomical in the coming years, but Khan is known to be a guru when it comes to the finances in deals. There's no reason to believe that he couldn't make something work for Prescott if a trade were to happen during the 2026 offseason. Fans in Dallas shouldn't be panicking just yet, but there were already some rumors about Prescott's long-term position with the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. Certain reports were eventually debunked because it was quite literally impossible for Jones to entertain the idea of dealing Prescott after the franchise altered the quarterback's contract. Prescott has a no-trade clause, but that can always be waived, especially if he is upset about how Jones moves forward. If the Cowboys trade Parsons and pick up a plethora of draft capital, and then go on to invest in a first-round signal-caller, Prescott may be requesting to be traded as well. That's a long way away from happening, but the Steelers immediately come to mind as a team that would likely be interested. The Steelers' best-case scenario would be the emergence of Will Howard It's not easy to make a name for oneself in the NFL, and it's even tougher for players like Will Howard who were drafted in the sixth round. Pittsburgh will be in the quarterback market once again in 2026 if Aaron Rodgers is serious about retirement, so it would be a fantastic development if Howard solidifies himself as the next starter in the Steel City.
Fever Coach Stephanie White Assigns Blame After Loss to Sparks
The Indiana Fever came crashing back down to earth on Tuesday night following their disappointing 100-91 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Fever had a lot of momentum entering this matchup, only to see their five-game winning streak come to an end against a Sparks team that they have failed to beat in three tries this season. Fever Coach Stephanie White Reacts to Loss Indiana head coach Stephanie White was not in a jovial mood during her postgame press conference. The veteran shot-caller was able to see some positives from the loss — including Kelsey Mitchell’s 34-point explosion on seven triples — but White just had to assign blame for the tough defeat. "I felt like we got good shots," White said. "Sometimes they don't fall. ... Oftentimes we can get people going in transition. We couldn't do it because we couldn't get stops. You can't get out on transition when you're consistently taking the ball in the net. "For us, we felt like we had enough, offensively. But we didn't get it done on the defensive end of the floor. ... We got to get better on the defensive end of the floor." Fever Had No Answer for Sparks The Sparks shot 56.1% collectively on Tuesday night, which explains why White just had to call out her team’s defensive shortcomings on the evening. Four L.A. starters scored at least 16 points, with Rickea Jackson (25 points, five rebounds) and Kelsey Plum (25 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 11 assists) leading the charge. Azura Stevens (19 points on 7-of-8 from the floor) and Dearica Hamby (16 points, seven rebounds) also chipped in. Apart from their problems on defense, Indiana’s bench also struggled badly in this one. The bench combined for just two points on 1-of-11 shooting, which is simply unacceptable, especially against a team like the Sparks, who have now won eight out of their last 10 games. Fever Remain Fifth in WNBA This loss saw Indiana fall to 17-13 on the season. They currently remain fifth in the league, and are now 1.5 games behind the Phoenix Mercury, who won on Tuesday, for the No. 4 spot in the WNBA. A top-four finish will secure home-court advantage for the Fever in the first round of the playoffs, and this is an attainable goal they will go and set out for. They will be back in action on Thursday in the fourth and final game of their current road trip. Indiana will battle the Mercury at PHX Arena on Tuesday in a matchup that will have postseason implications.
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