The Predators have a strong chance of making the playoffs for the 2022-23 NHL season. They’ve won at least 31 games since 2013-14 and have remained one of the better contenders in the league.
The Predators got off to a mixed start to the 2022-23 campaign, but if they can find consistency they will be worth a look in NHL betting markets to finish another campaign that goes beyond the regular season.
Predators team captain Roman Josi is a highly-touted player with four All-Star appearances. He won the 2020 Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. He was also named to the first All-Star team in 2020 and 2022.
Aside from Josi, the Predators are also getting production from Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene. Mikael Granlund is a steady source of assists, while Juuso Parssinen and Ryan McDonagh are essential players in their starting rotation.
Their second line also features the likes of Colton Sissons, Filip Forsberg, Tanner Jeannot, Mattias Ekholm, and Alexandre Carrier. They also get production from Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johannsen, and Cole Smith in their third line. Mark Jankowski, Yakov Trenin, and Michael McCarron are always ready to contribute once head coach John Hynes has called their number.
In minding the net, the Predators have impressive goalies in Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen. Saros has a 90.9 save percentage while Lankinen’s is 93.4, which should help Nashville to perform at both ends of the rink.
The Predators won 45 games in 2021-22 to mark their eighth consecutive playoff appearance. Throughout that stretch, they reached the Stanley Cup Finals once in 2017 and the second round twice. They’ve missed the playoffs only eight times since their inaugural season.
The team has gone out at the first round of the playoffs in the last two years and will be hoping to progress further in 2022-23.
The Predators franchise became a reality when the NHL granted an expansion franchise to Craig Leopold in 1997. The team started playing in the NHL a year later, winning 28 games in their first season. It took them six years to clinch their first postseason berth, but they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the conference quarterfinals.
The Predators entered the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2016-17 season. Unfortunately for Predators fans, they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. Nashville also won back-to-back division titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Aside from one conference title and two division championships, the Predators had one Presidents’ Trophy in 2017-18.
The Predators play their home games at Bridgestone Arena, formerly known as Nashville Arena and the Gaylord Entertainment Center. It was opened in 1996 and can accommodate up to 17,159 spectators for a hockey game. In 2017, the arena was named the loudest venue in sports. Visiting teams should expect an energetic crowd, making communicating with one another problematic.
The Predators have had some playoff feuds with the Anaheim Ducks. They’ve had 49 hockey fights, which will likely continue to grow in future. The two teams have met in three postseason series, all going Nashville’s way.
The Predators have also played with the Detroit Red Wings in three playoff series, with Nashville taking one. Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks are their most bitter rival, with 59 hockey fights. They’ve met in the playoffs thrice, with Nashville sweeping them in the first round of the 2016-17 postseason.
