In the world of NHL, the Nashville Predators were expected to dominate after major off-season acquisitions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. However, reality hit hard as the Predators stumbled their way to a disappointing 0-4-0 record at the start of the season, with their most recent loss being a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions for the Predators, who found themselves unable to recover after falling behind 3-2 to the Oilers late in the second period. Jonathan Marchessault expressed the team’s current fragility post-game, stating, “Right now, I think we’re a little fragile group. Like the beginning of the season is not going like we want. In the off-season everybody says how good you guys are going to be and everything, and we maybe have to think that we’re a good team but not good enough. We’ve got to work harder than the opponent.”
The game-winning goal by Connor McDavid came with just 91 seconds left in the second period, crushing the Predators’ hopes of a comeback after Marchessault had tied the game at 2-2. Predators coach Andrew Brunette attributed the team’s struggles to a lack of urgency in key moments, stating, “I don’t think we started particularly well, but I thought we eased ourselves into the game a little bit. So a little lack of urgency to start. I think we were feeling ourselves out early. And I thought we’re kind of going in spurts right now where you put four or five good shifts together, but we can’t sustain those things.”
With a goal differential of 18-8 over their four losses, the Predators now face early pressure to turn their season around and secure a playoff spot. Captain Roman Josi emphasized the importance of every play, saying, “We’ve got to find a way. It’s hard right now. Every little thing matters. It’s just one of those times where we’ve got to dig in for every little play. We’ve just got to play a little harder. Everybody’s got a little more, and we’ve just got to dig in a little more to get that first win.”
The Predators will have a chance to redeem themselves as they host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday in hopes of securing their first win of the season. Stay tuned for more updates on the Predators’ quest to bounce back from their rocky start.