Nashville Predators Have the Perfect Mix of Talent This Season

The Nashville Predators have entered their window to win as all of their best players are signed for multiple years while the team and organization has a lot of talented young players on top of that.

"I feel like there's not just a lot of excitement in the city, but the locker room as well," Juuse Saros said. Nashville's starter re-signed for eight more years this offseason right before the floodgates opened and the Predators brought in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei in free agency.

The players that stuck around know the type of talent that was brought in to add to a team that already made the playoffs last season and went on a very impressive second-half run.

Saros noted that most of the guys now know the system from the start, but it's not going to be easy. Head coach Andrew Brunette introduced a new system in Nashville at the beginning of the 2023-24 season, and as it was much different from what the players were used to, it naturally takes some time to learn and master.

The Predators' starter also added, "It's exciting times. I think we've got a lot of players in their primes and a lot of young players that are getting better all the time. I think it's a good group of guys, so it's just a matter of putting it together on the ice."

The prime of a player's career is different from player to player. Typically, someone that is 33 years of age or older is declining and exiting out of their prime. While that may be the case, 34-year-olds Roman Josi and Stamkos have still been having great seasons. Some elite players decline at a slower pace and both had no problem still putting up over a point-per-game last season.

Related: Predators' Juuse Saros Jokes About Wanting to Score a Goal This Season

33-year-old Marchessault and 35-year-old Gustav Nyquist just had career years. Either can turn around and have a worse season, but there wasn't any indication they were slowing down.

Predators players that are absolutely in their primes are Filip Forsberg, Skjei, Alexandre Carrier, Jeremy Lauzon, Tommy Novak, and Saros himself. The young players that are getting better all the time have also revealed themselves. This group of players who will likely be on the team and are ready very soon include Luke Evangelista, Philip Tomasino, Juuso Parssinen, Spencer Stastney, Zachary L'Heureux, Tanner Molendyk, and more.

While some of the older players will eventually slow down, the younger players will make up for that. It is a great mix of talent on the team and the Predators are in a great spot right now.

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