3 questions facing Nashville Predators

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, three important questions facing the Nashville Predators.

1. Are they a legitimate Stanley Cup contender?

Nashville made the splash of the offseason, signing forwards Steven Stamkos (four years) and Jonathan Marchessault (five), and defenseman Brady Skjei (seven). Stamkos is a 14-time 20-goal scorer, Marchessault has scored at least 20 seven times, and each has their name on the Stanley Cup. Skjei has 76 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience and likely will be on the first defense pair with Roman Josi. Add goalie Juuse Saros and this looks like a team to beat on paper.

The Predators lost the 2024 Western Conference First Round in six games to the Vancouver Canucks and have not won a postseason series since 2018, the year after they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. Will that change this season?

"The future is promising, and I just want to help the Preds to achieve their goal and I think we all have the same goal, which is to win," Marchessault said. "... They reminded me last year of my first year as a Golden Knight, so it's a good thing and hopefully the new guys can come in and help the team to get a championship. That is the goal here."

2. Do they have enough depth at center?

Ryan O'Reilly had 69 points (26 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games last season and has solidified his spot as the top-line center. Tommy Novak likely will begin 2024-25 as the No. 2 center after he had an NHL career-high 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games. 

Stamkos can play center, but has played left wing more recently, so if he doesn't shift to the wing, the Predators could seek depth at the position.

"I would definitely be open to going back to that position," Stamkos said. "It was a position that I played for a long time. Certainly, comfortable in that area, still took a ton of face-offs the last couple of years so I think that's kind of a strong suit as well. We've briefly discussed it with Coach (Andrew) Brunette there. ... Certainly, would be something that I would be open to if the team needed me to play that position."

3. Will Yaroslav Askarov be traded?

The No. 11 pick in 2020 NHL Draft is the top prospect in the organization. The 22-year-old goalie played two games for Nashville last season and was 30-13-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and six shutouts for Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.

Nashville signed Scott Wedgewood to a two-year contract July 1, and the 32-year-old likely will begin the season as the backup to Juuse Saros.

"I know I am going to get a lot of calls on 'Asky' because we got Saros signed (to an eight-year contract July 1)," Predators general manager Barry Trotz said. "... We're going to work with him, (director of goaltending) Mitch Korn, his agency and do what's the best thing for him. We're going to do what's right for our organization. 

"The only thing I do know is Juuse Saros is our No. 1 goalie. … Scott Wedgewood is there, and if we go to camp and Askarov blows our socks off and is ready, then we'll talk to Scott. If Scott beats out Asky, then Asky goes down [to the AHL]."