Five Predators Players Have Never Been Playoff Tested; They're All Playing Better Than Ever

There’s no time quite like the first time.

As the Nashville Predators embark upon the 16th postseason journey in franchise history next week, five members of their 24-man lineup - Luke Evangelista, Kevin Lankinen, Tommy Novak, Cole Smith and Spencer Stastney - will get their very first taste of playoff action.

While nothing about the Stanley Cup Playoffs is ever certain, career performances from each of these players through the 2023-24 campaign, and down the stretch, should give Smashville plenty to feel good about before the puck drops for Game 1.

Let’s take a look:

Luke Evangelista

When the Predators return to the ice next week, No. 77 will be both the youngest player and the only rookie forward in Nashville’s lineup.

Don’t make the mistake of holding it against him.

Through 80 contests this season, Evangelista recorded 39 points and 16 goals, both personal bests and the sixth-most among his Predators teammates. His 172 shots on goal were both a career high and the fourth-most among the Predators, behind veterans Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly.

Evangelista additionally concluded his first full NHL campaign with the sixth-most points, goals and assists (23) among all NHL rookies and the third, fifth and fourth most among all Predators rookies in franchise history, respectively.

His five multi-point outings - two of which came during Nashville’s final back-to-back of the season - matched the fourth-most among all franchise rookies.

While it’s not quite the same level as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Evangelista got a good sampling of high-stakes, postseason play during Milwaukee’s run to the Western Conference Final last year and came out leading his Admirals teammates in points (15) and assists (11) in 16 outings.

“Those playoff runs are really important, just experiencing the highs and the lows,” Evangelista said. “You get to feel everything and experience it and learn from those deep runs. Personally, I was really grateful to have the opportunity to go to the conference final and a couple of game fives… Just to experience those big moments, the highs and lows, hopefully I can take what I learned there and use it this playoff run.”

Kevin Lankinen

Watching Nashville’s backup netminder in action this season, it’s hard to believe that Lankinen has never played a second of postseason action, but indeed, the upcoming test with the Predators will be his first.

Lankinen was a steady presence for the Predators in 17 starts this season and closed his second campaign with Nashville with an 11-6-0 record, a 2.82 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Lankinen was a road warrior for the Predators this season, too, earning 10 of his 11 wins and posting a .912 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average in some of the toughest places to play - Dallas, Edmonton, Carolina, Vegas, St. Louis and Florida among them.

No. 32 was a key contributor to Nashville’s historic 18-game point streak, winning all four of his starts and posting a .952 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average during the franchise-record streak from Feb. 17 to March 26.

That span, of course, included the first five-game road sweep in franchise history - which Lankinen saw through with wins in Vegas and Anaheim - and the record-breaker itself, which saw the Predators backup earn his first career shutout with Nashville.

“I feel good, and I've been feeling good for a long time,” Lankinen said. “I feel like all the work we put in with [Predators Goalie Coach Ben Vanderklok] is paying off now. I’m probably the most confident in my game that I've ever been. So, it's a good starting point, but obviously you’ve got to keep your head down, keep working hard and enjoy every experience that comes your way.”

It’s the same collection of evidence that made teammate Filip Forsberg assert that “[Lankinen] has never played a bad game since he signed with us,” that forecasts postseason success for No. 32, if he ever receives the nod.

Tommy Novak

Thought 2022-23 was the benchmark season for No. 82? Think again.

Ending the 2023-24 campaign with a career-high 71 games under his belt, Novak established personal bests in points (45), goals (18) and assists (27), and matched a career-high five-game point streak twice, first from Jan. 29 to Feb. 15 (3g-3a), then from Feb. 20 to 27 (1g-4a).

During Nashville’s franchise-record 18-game point streak from Feb. 17 to March 26, Novak provided depth scoring, putting up 12 points (4g-8a) over the span, the sixth most among his teammates.

Novak, cool and collected as ever, is of course just looking at the postseason as another opportunity to play his best hockey.

“I’m just preparing to try and compete and give it my best,” Novak said. “It's the pinnacle of hockey, right? It's here now and it's going to be a lot of fun. It’s what you work your whole life for, so I haven’t really thought about what I want to take away from it, I’ve just thought about what I want to do during it.”

Cole Smith

The 2023-24 campaign also proved to be a breakout one for No. 36, who ended his 80-game season toppling career highs in virtually every category.

His 23 points, nine goals and 14 assists all bested personal highs established last season, as did his plus-minus rating (+5), average ice time (13:41), game-winning goals (4), shots on goal (112) and shooting percentage (8%).

While his 235 hits couldn’t quite keep pace with the NHL’s newest single-season record holder, teammate Jeremy Lauzon, they were enough to earn second place among the Predators and topple a personal best in that category.

Of course, the 28-year-old forward benefitted from consistent play with linemates Michael McCarron and Kiefer Sherwood, and the trio spent nearly half the season - 39 games - establishing a hard-nosed, grinding identity that will no doubt help in wearing down their first-round opponent.

“I don't think [the timing] could be better,” Smith said. “I think as a team we're playing really well and as a line, to break it down even more, we played pretty well the second half of the season. McCarron, Sherwood and I have an identity that we’ve got to bring and I think once we get in the playoffs, that identity ramps up even more. It's going to be fun for us.”

Spencer Stastney

Of all the postseason first-timers included in this list, Stastney has the least regular-season experience. Still, what he’s accomplished with the time he’s been given has been encouraging, to say the least.

Rejoining the Predators for an 11-game run down the stretch, the 24-year-old defenseman picked up three points (1g-2a), 13 blocked shots and a +3 rating. Overall, Stastney concluded his 20-game season with a +9 rating and 1:46 of shorthanded ice time per game.

“He’s been excellent,” Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette said of his rookie defenseman last week. “His skating is off the charts. He closes on guys, and I think he caught [Winnipeg Jets forward Mark] Scheifele the other night looking like, ‘Where did he come from?’ That speaks to how fast he can skate and how fast he can close on you. And he’ll just get better every game.”

Stastney has also benefited greatly playing alongside a veteran NHL defenseman - not to mention, a two-time Stanley Cup champion - in Luke Schenn.

Per MoneyPuck.com, the duo are expected to allow just 2.09 goals per 60 minutes, the second-lowest number among Predators pairings that have played at least 100 minutes together this season.

“It's awesome,” Stastney said. “Before every game, between every period, and really, between every shift, he's telling me things, he’s calming me down and telling me to skate. He’s been really helpful and has definitely made the transition from Milwaukee to here a lot easier.”