The Nashville Predators enter their March 8, 2025, matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks with a 22-32-7 record, reflecting a season of inconsistency and unmet expectations. Despite a roster boasting talent, the Predators have struggled to find cohesion, resulting in their current standing outside the playoff picture. Offensively, Nashville has averaged 2.59 goals per game, a statistic that underscores their challenges in generating consistent scoring. Filip Forsberg has been a bright spot, leading the team with 57 points, including 24 goals and 33 assists. His playmaking abilities have been pivotal, but the lack of secondary scoring has hampered the Predators’ offensive depth. Defensively, the Predators have been moderately stable, allowing an average of 3.03 goals per game. Goaltender Justus Annunen has been a cornerstone, posting a .898 save percentage and often shouldering the burden of keeping games competitive. The defensive unit, led by Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm, has been effective in limiting high-danger scoring chances, but lapses in defensive coverage have led to costly goals against. Special teams have been a mixed bag for Nashville. Their power play operates at a 21% success rate, showcasing their ability to capitalize on man-advantage situations. However, their penalty kill stands at 80%, indicating room for improvement in shorthanded scenarios. Discipline will be crucial in the upcoming game, as unnecessary penalties could tilt the balance against them. Playing at Bridgestone Arena has provided the Predators with a modest home-ice advantage, as they have covered the spread in 55% of their home games this season. While they haven’t dominated at Bridgestone Arena, they have performed significantly better at home compared to their road struggles. Given Chicago’s difficulties in away games, this matchup presents an opportunity for the Predators to assert themselves and secure two points in front of their fans. One of the key factors for Nashville in this game will be their ability to generate offense beyond their top scorers. Filip Forsberg has been carrying much of the offensive workload, but he needs more support from players like Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Evangelista, and Tommy Novak. O’Reilly, known for his two-way play and faceoff dominance, has been solid but not as productive offensively as the team would like. Evangelista has shown flashes of his potential, but he remains inconsistent. If the Predators want to take control against Chicago, they need more contributions from their middle-six forwards and power-play unit.

Defensively, Nashville’s blue line will be tested against a Chicago team that, despite its struggles, has talented offensive players capable of capitalizing on mistakes. Roman Josi, who remains one of the best two-way defensemen in the league, will be relied upon heavily to shut down Chicago’s top line while also generating offense from the back end. Josi leads all Nashville defensemen in scoring, and his ability to control the tempo of the game will be a major factor. Alongside him, Mattias Ekholm and Jeremy Lauzon will need to play a physical, shutdown role to prevent the Blackhawks from gaining momentum. Goaltending has been one of Nashville’s more concerning areas this season. Justus Annunen has taken over much of the workload in net due to injuries and inconsistent play from other goaltenders. While he has had some strong performances, his .898 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average indicate that he has struggled at times. The Predators will need Annunen to be sharp in this game, especially if they want to avoid letting Chicago hang around in a low-scoring contest. If Annunen falters, Nashville may turn to backup Yaroslav Askarov, who has shown promise in limited action. Special teams will be a deciding factor in this game. Nashville’s power play, operating at 21%, has been effective at times but inconsistent. The Predators need to take advantage of Chicago’s weak penalty kill, which has struggled throughout the season. On the other hand, Nashville’s penalty kill sits at 80%, which is respectable, but they will need to stay disciplined and avoid giving the Blackhawks too many power-play opportunities. With the Predators sitting outside of the playoff race, this game represents an opportunity to build momentum and finish the season strong. If they can execute their defensive structure, capitalize on their scoring chances, and get a strong goaltending performance, they should be able to secure a victory against a struggling Chicago team. The key will be taking control early and not allowing the Blackhawks to find confidence in a building where Nashville has historically performed well.