Much has been made of Ryan O’Reilly’s postgame comments following the Nashville Predators’ 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. But for those of us who cover him here in Nashville, we know how comfortable he is in the realm of self-deprecation.
Oh, and for what it’s worth, O’Reilly can, in fact, “make a six-foot pass to save [his] life” – he made two of them to log a pair of assists on Saturday against the Stars.
Regardless, O’Reilly’s frustrations are illustrative of a team-wide struggle to score goals – one that has carried over from last season. Nashville is generating plenty of chances on offense, ranking second among all NHL teams in offensive zone time this season (43.6%), but finishing on those chances remains a problem. O’Reilly’s comments, plus the continued offensive struggles from key veterans – most notably, Steven Stamkos – have sparked plenty of rumors that the Predators could soon begin their sell-off and finally embrace a youth movement in 2025-26.
Filip Forsberg Paces The Preds
Filip Forsberg scored a go-ahead goal on Saturday to give Nashville a 3-2 lead over Dallas in the second period. Forsberg is set to skate in his 799th and 800th career NHL games at the 2025 NHL Global Series in Sweden later this week, and can also record his 700th NHL point in his home country. (He currently has 694, with Nashville set to play in New York Monday before departing for Stockholm.)
Forsberg currently leads the Predators in points (13) and goals (7), and his six assists are tied for second on the team behind Luke Evangelista’s seven.
Another Stamkos Goal Ends Up Not Mattering For Nashville
Steven Stamkos scored his 24th career go-ahead goal in the third period against Dallas to put the Predators up, 4-3. The only active players with as many such tallies are Alex Ovechkin (31) and Chris Kreider (25). Of course, Stamkos’ goal ended up not factoring into the outcome of the game, as Nashville lost by a final score of 5-4.
Any hope of Stamkos’ cold start to his first season in Nashville last year being a one-off has all but disappeared. His offensive struggles have persisted through the first 17 games of the 2025-26 season, and he currently ranks 11th on the Predators in scoring with four points (3G-1A), tied with the likes of Michael McCarron, Brady Skjei and Justin Barron.
Stamkos’ goal on Saturday served as a reminder that he can still shoot the puck really well, but he lacks an elite distributor who can get him enough looks in the right spot. He still has the skillset to be a 35-40 goal scorer, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that if that’s going to happen, it won’t be in Nashville.
Nick Blankenburg is streaking
Nick Blankenburg extended his point streak to five games with a pair of assists on Saturday. Blankenburg previously had never recorded a point in more than two straight games in his NHL career, and he now has six points through seven games this season.
Blankenburg has drawn in on the Predators’ blue line ever since Adam Wilsby went down with a lower-body injury on Oct. 28. Wilsby is now skating with the team and appears to be nearing a return, but it’s hard to justify scratching Blankenburg at this point – especially with role as power play quarterback on the second unit. Perhaps a third-pairing role opposite Spencer Stastney would suit Wilsby best upon his return, with Justin Barron drawing out as a healthy scratch.
Zach L’Heureux out, Joakim Kemell In For Nashville
The Predators recalled forward Zach L’Heureux from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals last week, but he managed to injure himself before making it into a game. The Predators announced prior to Saturday’s game that L’Heureux, who debuted and appeared in 62 games last season, will miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. The 22-year-old was seen leaving Bridgestone Arena in a walking boot following Nashville’s loss to Dallas.
In the meantime, the Predators announced Monday that they have recalled forward Joakim Kemell from Milwaukee. Kemell made the Opening Night roster and played in two games for the Predators this season, averaging 11:04 of ice time with one shot on goal. After being reassigned to the Admirals on Oct. 16, he has posted six points (1G-5A) in six games.
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