Not sure if you have noticed, but the Nashville Predators are the hottest team in the NHL right now.
Eerily similar to how things went during the 2021 season, the Predators are getting hot at the most opportune time. Following a huge 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers, Nashville has reeled off four straight wins, and has picked up points in 16 consecutive games, a franchise record.
For a team with little expectations coming into the 2023-24 season, the Preds are starting to make doubters believe they can not just make the playoffs, but also be a threat in the first round.
The Predators currently hold the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, five points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights. They are also fourth in the Central Division, seven points out of first place.
On Friday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk explain what is working right now in Smashville.
Tyler Yaremchuk: They’re doing a lot of the scoring at 5-on-5, at even strength. There was a point a couple of months ago where we were like…”Whoever gets into the eighth seed…they’re going to get smoked.” That is not the case, this Nashville team could be a threat.
Frank Seravalli: I love how they’re doing it in different ways, with different help. I don’t know what the playoffs hold for this team, a lot of it is going to be matchup-dependent, but they’re at least creating not just a conversation but a threat. I think what’s the most special thing to watch about this team is that, you look at this group on paper and you say, “Maybe not the most talented group.” The one thing that stands out to me is there’s clearly some kind of cohesive bond that ties this group together.
You can watch the full segment, and the entire episode here…
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