The Nashville Predators have climbed from the Central Division basement to second place with six straight victories and points in nine of their last ten games. Their most recent win came on Nov. 12 against the Anaheim Ducks, a 4-2 decision that left the Predators (10-4-5, 25 points) holding the second-longest winning streak in the league this season. Along their surge, they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche twice, St. Louis Blues, and Los Angeles Kings.
Nashville's turnaround centers on a restructured defense that finally gelled after coach Andrew Brunette's early-season experimentation. The stable lineup pairs Roman Josi with Adam Wilsby, Brady Skjei with Nick Perbix, and Jayden Struble with Daemon Hunt—the latter two acquired by GM Chris MacFarland mid-season. Each pairing balances offense, transition play, and defensive responsibility across all three positions.
Goaltender Juuse Saros anchors the defensive improvement, posting a .918 save percentage while facing the fourth-most shots in the league. The Predators' power play, featuring Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Ryan O'Reilly, ranks ninth this season—a stark improvement from the 22nd-ranked unit during the previous decade under prior coaching.
