The Nashville Predators have had a busy summer, signing Brady Skjei, Jonathan Marchessault, and Steven Stamkos.
These new players are expected to play key roles, with Stamkos joining Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg on the top line. The team spent $20.5M to make these moves, hoping it will help them reach the playoffs after missing out by just three points last season.
However, success isn’t guaranteed by star power alone. Depth is crucial for any team aiming for the Stanley Cup. Thomas Novak is a standout in this regard. Last season, he excelled as the third-line center despite less ice time compared to 2022-23. He scored 18 goals and 45 points in 71 games—career highs all around .
Depth Matters:
Fans might think that even with big names like Stamkos, it’s really the depth players who will make or break the season. Novak could move up to the second line if Stamkos plays as a winger. In that case, he would likely be supported by Gustav Nyquist and Marchessault.
Nyquist’s experience and Marchessault’s fresh start are exciting storylines themselves. But Novak’s performance as a second-line center will be pivotal for Nashville’s top-line effectiveness.
Nashville’s bottom six forwards also present opportunities for younger players like Cody Glass, Luke Evangelista, and Philip Tomasino who have yet to secure consistent roles. They face competition from prospects Juuso Parssinen, Zachary L’Heureux, Joakim Kemell, and Fyodor Svechkov during training camp.
Which young forwards win out will be key in determining Nashville’s ‘X-factors.’ Tomasino and Parssinen are still unsigned restricted free agents but integrating them with veterans like Colton Sissons and Cole Smith could solidify their bottom-six lineup.
On defense, Skjei adds star power alongside Roman Josi but doesn’t fully solve depth issues on the right side unless he plays off-hand—a role he’s handled before. This leaves room for Dante Fabbro, Alexandre Carrier or Luke Schenn in top-four positions.
Prospects Ryan Ufko and Andrew Gibson may offer unexpected depth later in the season but aren’t ready for NHL action yet .
Despite these uncertainties on defense, goaltenders Juuse Saros and Yaroslav Askarov provide some stability from the crease position. With over $20M spent this summer plus adding future Hall-of-Famer Stamkos should push Nashville into Stanley Cup contender talks within Western Conference circles.
What do you think? Will these changes bring success?
