Predators are a hard team to read after winning streak

The Nashville Predators did not enter this season with high expectations from prognosticators around the league after a pair of disastrous seasons saw them finish outside the Stanley Cup Playoff picture and institute wholesale organizational changes.

Those changes have paid immediate dividends, though, as new president of hockey operations Chris MacFarland seemingly pushed all the right buttons this summer to improve the roster on the margins.

The Predators have won six games in a row to move from 4-4-5 to 10-4-5, putting them in second place in a loaded Central Division, ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed whether or not the Predators will be able to stick around with the established giants at the top of the Central Division.

Tyler Yaremchuk: There was someone who threw in their earlier, we didn’t touch on it, Hutts: ‘Look out, the Nashville Predators have won six hockey games in a row.’ Your former club is second in the Central already.

Carter Hutton: Yeah, they’re buzzing along, too. Finding ways to win games, like even last night, on a back-to-back against Anaheim. You figured there’d be that, but this is a pretty decent hockey team. We saw them in spurts last year with their veteran leadership finding ways to score. This is another team that’s just so intriguing to me, because you have some pieces that potentially move out, but if you’re hanging around, it’s a tough, tough decision. Are you trying to squeak in? It’s just really interesting how this team is built, but right now they’re finding ways to win games, in a market like that is important. Keep the building filled. It’s right downtown, they need the fan base to be happy, Ty.

Tyler Yaremchuk: You’re right. In a market like that, I don’t think they can ever fully tank and go through a stretch of years where the building is empty because you’re playing a lineup of American Leaguers and trying to get first overall picks. I think it’s very, very difficult to do that, but at the same time, it’s a tough balance because you also need to, the goal is to win Stanley Cups, not just come eighth or ninth every year. So they’re a team I’m going to be fascinated by throughout the season. Do they get closer to the trade deadline, and you know maybe they’re even a sneaky team Hutts, where Chris MacFarland who we know loves to make moves; he’s one of the most active GMs in the NHL. Does he do like almost a little bit of both throughout the year?

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…