The Buffalo Sabres are a 14-year reclamation project, and losing so consistently is currently the norm for the franchise. But every year brings some hope that things will change for the better, and the Sabres will have 82 opportunities to show they're an improved team that's finally going to make it into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And with that said, THN.com is breaking down each of Buffalo's 31 NHL rivalries. We've been making our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central division teams, and in this file, we're focusing on a Pacific Division team -- the Western-Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. 

The Oilers showed last year they could do it all -- at least, leading up to being owned again by the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final -- but there's been notable change in Edmonton since then. So the Sabres will be taking on a significantly different Oilers team this year. And below, we're going to break down Buffalo's chances against Edmonton. Let's get to it: 

BUFFALO SABRES VS. EDMONTON OILERS

NEW OILERS PLAYERS: Andrew Mangiapane, LW; Isaac Howard, LW; Curtis Lazar, C; David Tomasek, RW 

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, Oilers 1-1-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  November 17 at Buffalo; December 9 at Edmonton 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Oilers proved to be the Western Conference's best team last season before falling to the Panthers in the Cup final. But Edmonton and Buffalo were even in their two-game series last year. First, the Oilers won 3-2 in their first game in late January of this year; then, the Sabres won 3-2 in their second game in early March. 

The difference in the series last year might be Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The veteran netminder didn't play in the first game -- journeyman James Reimer played that game -- but in the second game, Luukkonen was stellar, turning aside 32 of 34 Edmonton shots.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Is Buffalo Better Than Rebuilding Flames?The Buffalo Sabres were a major disappointment last season, and the 13 other seasons before that which ended without any Stanley Cup playoff action. The Sabres have been one of the NHL's worst teams, and they're now in a position where they desperately need to get into the post-season. Fans are exhausted with all the losing, and they won't be going on much longer as the same group if they miss the playoffs again next year.

Thus, Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff would be foolish not to play Luukkonen in both games against Edmonton this coming season. Until such time as Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl pick apart Luukkonen's game, Luukkonen needs to be in net against one of the league's top teams.

And it doesn't matter that the two Sabres/Oilers games this season come just three weeks apart. If Luukkonen thrives in the Nov. 17 game, you ride him again against Edmonton. Presumptive backups Devon Levi and Alex Lyon can play another day. If you're Oilers brass and you really want to build confidence as a team, you put your very best up against an elite squad, and see what happens. That's why Luukkonen needs to be The Man in net when Buffalo takes on Edmonton.

Because both games last year were low-scoring affairs, Ruff has to get his team playing well in their own zone. Because the Oilers are going to pressure opponents with their speed and skill, the Sabres need to match their intensity, and rely on Luukkonen to be sharp between the pipes.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Should Sabres Throttle Ducks Again Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres have failed in one consistent way in recent years -- namely, that they haven't played Stanley Cup playoff hockey in nearly a decade-and-a-half. Thus, there's an inordinate amount of pressure on the Sabres to be a playoff team this year. And as we've seen in the NHL's overtime/shootout era, teams can make or miss the playoffs by only one or two standings points, so it's not an exaggeration to say that just about every game is going to be important to Buffalo's playoff hopes.

Ultimately, the Sabres/Oilers games are going to be decided based on which team is disciplined in the heat of the moment, and which team can capitalize on the other team's errors. Buffalo doesn't have the experience Edmonton can draw upon, but the Sabres have much more to prove than the Oilers do. 

Buffalo can't be happy just splitting series after series. If they're to be a playoff team, there has to be a heightened sense of dominance, and there's no better way to send a message to the league than by beating a team that was only one of two teams still playing when games mattered most last spring.

If you're the Sabres, nothing short of a series of sweeps is probably what it will take to get back in the post-season. And they're got two great opportunities to steal the Oilers' lunch and get into the win column both times.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a young team. Almost all of their defenseman, their goalies, and their most impactful forwards are all ahead of their prime in the NHL. If they keep building, there could be some exciting hockey moments coming up for Chicago.

Kyle Davidson, his scouting team, and all of their coaches have done a great job drafting and developing talent over the years. Most of those players have yet to reach the NHL, but they all have that aspiration to one day make it there. 

A lot of their prospects are headed to American colleges in 2025-26, which is a great move for their development. Going up against smart talent with varying play styles will be good for them all. 

For different reasons, Chicago Blackhawks fans must watch these five college hockey teams a little closer than others this year: 

Boston University

One of Chicago's top prospects who won't be playing pro hockey to start the season is Sacha Boisvert. He will play for Boston University after transferring there from the University of North Dakota. 

Boisvert is a two-way center who hopes to impact the NHL once he gets there in all three zones. His competitive level and overall skill are signs that he could be a great pro. 

When BU's season is over, Boisvert is a candidate to sign his entry-level contract and make his NHL debut. Under Jay Pandolfo, he should develop his gifts into what he needs to become an NHL player. 

Boston University will also be one of the more entertaining teams in college hockey. They come into the year as a legit candidate to make the Frozen Four and have a chance at a National Championship. Other top prospects are there with Boisvert, like Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals) and Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders) will help make this an incredible hockey team.

UMass

The Chicago Blackhawks had three first-round picks in 2025. The middle one, Vaclav Nestrasil, is going to attend the University of Massachusetts in 2025-26. 

That makes UMass a must-watch for the Chicago Blackhawks fan, who may want to see one of their top prospects work on their skills against great Hockey East competition. 

Nestrasil has a ton of talent, and making this move from the USHL to the college ranks is smart for his development. Seeing how he can help elevate this program is going to be great television all year long. 

Minnesota Duluth

Chicago has Spencer Knight as the main guy, and he is still very young. They also have Arvid Soderblom and Drew Commesso as aspiring NHL goalies looking to earn jobs in the long term.

However, it is never a bad thing to continue goaltender development because things can change for a goalie in an instant. 

Adam Gajan is getting ready for his second season as a goaltender for the University of Minnesota Duluth. Chicago selected the Slovakian net-minder in the second round (35th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft with hopes that he can become something one day. 

With all the goaltending depth that Kyle Davidson has accumulated, they could make a trade if more than two are NHL worthy, but it also doesn't hurt to be strong at the position in Rockford. Gajan has the tools needed to be a part of that process. Checking him out at Minnesota Duluth is necessary in 2025-26. 

Penn State

Penn State is known for being a football school. They have as good a chance as anyone to be a college football playoff team this season. 

At this point, they have to be considered a hockey power as well. They've had a ton of great players over the years, but they were given a generational boost this offseason. 

After weeks of speculation over what school he was going to choose, Gavin McKenna landed on Penn State as the team he wanted to play for in 2025-26. 

McKenna is going to be the number one pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and he has "generational" labels on him. There will be an incredible amount of hype surrounding him this season. 

Blackhawks fans may want to pay attention, because they might be a team in draft lottery contention again in 2025-26. They might be more entertaining, but their roster is likely to have a bottom-five finish one more time. Those teams will all be looking at McKenna, who would help them all turn things around. 

McKenna is going to have help, too, which will make Penn State an all-around exciting team to watch play. Stars like Jackson Smith (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Luke Misa (Calgary Flames) will also be there looking to develop into pro-ready players. 

If the Blackhawks are one of the worst teams in the NHL by American Thanksgiving, Penn State Games will be must-see TV until the end of their season. McKenna is also just worth the price of admission on his own. 

Providence College

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a handful of players from Providence College over the years, and it won't be different in 2025-26. 

Both John Mustard (67th overall in 2024) and Julius Sumpf (98th overall in 2025) will play for Providence in 2025-26. Mustard was on the team last year and played a big role as a freshman. Sumpf will be going there following a transfer from the QMJHL. 

Watching both of these players develop their games as they work toward becoming pros is something for Blackhawks fans to watch when tuning into college hockey this season. 

North Dakota

Although Sacha Boisvert is no longer going to be attending the University of North Dakota, there is still a reason for Blackhawks fans to watch them. It is similar to the reason why they should tune into Penn State as they look towards the 2026 NHL Draft. 

Keaton Verhoeff is expected to be the number two overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He is a defenseman with an incredible amount of size and skill. He'd go number one in most years, but we already know that McKenna has that spot all but locked up. 

The Blackhawks very well could be selecting second overall in 2026, so they are going to want to keep an eye on Verhoeff with North Dakota in 2025-26. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

When analyzing what constitutes a successful season, there is often an accompanying tendency to focus exclusively on easily trackable statistics like goals or points.

There is an emphasis on offensive statistics, and part of that could be a trickle-down effect that begins with debating the merits of a player's Hall of Fame credentials and carries down through the ranks, eventually resolving whether a player is productive enough for their respective role on their hockey club.

When it comes to the Senators' Dylan Cozens, there may not be another player on the roster whose personal development and growth is as essential to the organization's rise and breakthrough as an Eastern Conference Cup contender. That is not disrespectful to any of the team's young core pieces; it is just that the others have established themselves.

Brady Tkachuk, for example, is one of the preeminent power forwards in the game who can be relied on for his physicality, leadership and 30-plus goals and 70-plus points. Tim Stützle has developed into a well-rounded first-line centre who should play at a point-per-game or higher pace. Jake Sanderson has evolved into one of the most complete defencemen in the NHL and is fully capable of vying for a Norris Trophy.

These players are already among the game's best, so how much more should reasonably be expected from them?

There is still some untapped potential and room for growth for Cozens. The seventh overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft escaped an untenable situation in Buffalo, where the organization has not reached the postseason since 2011.

Croatia's NHL Trailblazer: The Story Of Ottawa Senators Prospect Bruno IdžanResting on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, the Republic of Croatia is a beautiful country renowned for its pebbled beaches, natural scenery and parks. It gained notoriety and traction as a tourist destination in recent years, thanks to the popular Game of Thrones series, which used it as a filming location.

In five professional seasons, Cozens has only broken the 20-goal mark once. It occurred as a 21-year-old during his 2022-23 season when he established career-highs in goals (31) and points (68). The 'Workhorse from Whitehorse' has failed to replicate that production over the past three seasons. Granted, it is unfair to Cozens to hold him to that standard. That career year occurred because the young centre coupled the highest shot rate of his career (9.47 shots/60 in all situations per Natural Stat Trick) with a shooting percentage (14.69) that was five percent higher than his career average. Inevitably, some normalization was going to occur.

The troubling part of Cozens' game has been his defensive game. It has left something to be desired.

From Natural Stat Trick:

• 2020-21: 46.81 CF%, 43.66 SF%, 39.22 GF%, 43.14 xGF%
• 2021-22: 49.56 CF%, 48.09 SF%, 43.18 GF%, 45.94 xGF%
• 2022-23: 48.95 CF%, 47.97 SF%, 48.57 GF%, 50.04 xGF%
• 2023-24: 50.42 CF%, 51.01 SF%, 50.00 GF%, 49.63 xGF%
• 2024-25: 49.27 CF%, 49.05 SF%, 48.60 GF%, 46.14 xGF%

When Cozens has been on the ice, his team has historically been outshot (CF%), with the opposition generating a higher shots on goal (SF%). His teams have also tended to give up a higher percentage of total goals (GF%) and expected goals (xGF%).

In fairness to him, Cozens has played on some terrible teams featuring poor structure and a weak supporting cast.

At the same time, Cozens' isolated defensive impacts have not been particularly strong per HockeyViz.

As a top-10 draft selection, a ton of responsibility was placed on Cozens to help transition the Sabres out of their perpetual rebuild. Systemic losing can drastically erode a player's confidence and suck the life out of a dressing room.

Cozens wore that burden heavily.

"I know I have another level to my game," Cozens relayed on the Coming in Hot Podcast in a June appearance. "These last two years, I have not been happy with it all.

"I think I showed a couple of years ago, you know, what I can be. It's all about getting back to that and then getting better than that. I know I have a lot more to give, and I know that I need to get back to that."

It will be the Senators' responsibility to help Cozens and restore that swagger and confidence. Following the trade deadline, he looked rejuvenated, centring the Senators' second line alongside Drake Batherson. From March 7th on, Batherson led the Senators in scoring with 10 goals and nine points in 21 games. Right behind him was Cozens, who recorded five goals and 16 points in the same number of games.

The pairing enjoyed some productivity, and right away, it was transparent how much better of a stylistic fit Cozens is. Listed at 6'3" and 207 lb, he is bigger than Josh Norris and although he is not as proficient a skater as Norris, Cozens can still move - ranking in the 76th percentile for skaters with 22+ mph bursts, the 84th percentile for 20-22 mph bursts and the 82nd percentile for 18-20 mph bursts according to the NHL EDGE's data.

Norris was renowned for his finishing ability, but his line's possession numbers would often drag because his line frequently relied upon puck recoveries through the dumping and chasing. Cozens has the confidence and willingness to carry the puck from the defensive zone through the neutral zone, creating a different dynamic wherein his line has an easier time establishing puck possession and offensive zone pressure.

Through his first 11 games with the Senators, the returns on the deal were very promising. Cozens tallied three goals and nine points while generating 29 shots on goal.

'Hockey IQ' Is Teachable: Sam Gagner At Ottawa Senators Development CampOne of the more insightful moments from this year's Ottawa Senators development camp occurred when Sam Gagner, the team's new director of player development, discussed hockey IQ.

At five-on-five, Cozens had some of the strongest per-60 rate stats on the team. He was second on the team in points (2.74 Pts/60), shots (8.68 Sh/60), and individual expected goals (0.95 ixG/60). When he was on the ice at five-on-five per Natural Stat Trick, the Senators generated 48.06 percent of the shots (CF%), 50.36 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 60.00 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 47.10 percent of the expected goals (xGF%).

Then things began to take a turn.

In his last 10 games, the centre contributed two goals, five assists and 20 shots. His individual rate metrics plummeted:

• 0.93 Pts/60
• 6.02 Sh/60
• 0.52 ixG/60

The Senators' five-on-five shot and goal metrics cratered when Cozens was on the ice. They generated just 40.89 percent of the shots (CF%), which was the team's worst mark, 43.80 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 25.00 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 36.45 percent of the expected goals (xGF%).

The encouraging part is twofold. These are small sample sizes of data to work with and in the postseason, Cozens' underlying metrics improved. In their six game series against the Maple Leafs, the Senators generated 54.14 percent of the shots (CF%), 49.09 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), and 53.36 percent of the expected goals (xGF%). Granted, the Leafs played a very structured and collapsing defensive game, challenging the Senators to take high-volume shots from the outside while they took away the middle of the ice.

To his credit however, Cozens finished fourth on the team with his individual expected goal rate, but again, we are talking small sample sizes here.

What matters is that if the Senators are to transition from a prospective playoff team to a true Stanley Cup contender, they will need their second line to not only be productive but also tilt the ice in their team's favour against the opposition's best.

Sharing a quarter of the regular season with the Senators and playing in a competitive playoff series with this same group should give Cozens a level of comfort and familiarity with his teammates and coaching staff that can help him have a strong 2025-26 campaign.

The Senators will need it if they are going to take marked steps forward this season. 

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News - Ottawa

More Sens Headlines from The Hockey News:
Ottawa's NHL Dream Began Over Dressing Room Pints After Pickup Hockey
Former Senator Travis Hamonic Signs With Atlantic Division Rival
Brady Tkachuk Adds To His Father's Comments About The Future
Former Senator Mark Borowiecki Now 'Looks At Fighting From A Different Lens
Next NHL Expansion Fee May Be 40 Times More Than The Senators Paid
Is The Senators' 2025-26 Lineup Is Already Set?

The NHL Network released their quarter century team, which has both active and retired players from clubs around the league who made their NHL debuts on or after Jan. 1, 2000.

Surprisingly, the NHL Network's quarter century team did not include longtime Montreal Canadiens star goalie Carey Price. Instead, the NHL Network went with Jonathan Quick and Andrei Vasilevskiy for their goalies. 

Introducing the NHL Network's Quarter Century Team! pic.twitter.com/B9Or6GEJVI

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 15, 2025

There is no question that Quick and Vasilevskiy both have had a ton of success in their careers, but there was also a real case for Price to be included in the NHL Network's quarter century team. Price had a spectacular career with the Canadiens and was one of the best goalies in the NHL during his prime years. 

In 712 games over 15 seasons with the Habs, Price recorded a 361-261-79 record, a .917 save percentage, a 2.51 goals-against average, and 49 shutouts. He also memorably won the Hart Memorial Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and William M. Jennings Trophy for the 2014-15 season. In addition, he appeared in seven NHL All-Star Games.

While Price did not win the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens, he still put up strong numbers during the playoffs as well. In 92 career playoff games, he had a 2.39 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. 

However, with the marvelous career Price had, it was not enough for him to make the NHL Network's quarter century team. 

Canadiens Exciting Winger Named Top Breakout CandidateNHL.com is currently doing a series that is focusing on one fantasy hockey breakout candidate for each team. Their pick for the Montreal Canadiens' breakout candidate was announced on August 15, and it is an exciting player who fans are certainly hoping can hit a new level in 2025-26. 

By Anthony Carbone, The Hockey News intern.

It has been more than 40 years since an NHL team hoisted the Stanley Cup three years in a row. The last club to achieve this feat was the New York Islanders, from 1980 to 1983, capturing four consecutive championships in an era defined by bruising physicality, roster stability, and a grueling playoff grind.

Since then, hockey has undergone significant changes. The salary cap, free agency, and increasing parity have made dynasties almost impossible. Yet, the Florida Panthers stand one title away from joining one of the most exclusive clubs in hockey history.

The Panthers’ back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025 were anything but flukes. In 2023, they came in as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, riding a late-season surge to shock the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in the first round. Led by Aleksander Barkov’s two-way dominance, Matthew Tkachuk’s clutch heroics, and Sergei Bobrovsky’s resurgent goaltending, they bulldozed their way to a Stanley Cup Final only to lose to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

The following year, Florida entered the playoffs as a top seed, dispatching their opponents with ruthless efficiency to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup. And in this past season, the Panthers proved that you don’t need high-end talent to win championships as they defeated Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in back-to-back seasons to win two consecutive Stanley Cups. 

What makes the Panthers a legitimate three-peat threat isn’t just their star power – it’s their depth and identity. Paul Maurice’s squad plays a relentless, structured game, built on forechecking pressure, disciplined defensive positioning, and the ability to roll four lines without a major drop-off. Barkov remains one of the league’s premier two-way centers, Tkachuk is among the NHL’s most impactful power forwards, and Bobrovsky, now a two-time Cup-winning goaltender, has rediscovered the consistency that once earned him two Vezina Trophies.

Management has also played a pivotal role. General manager Bill Zito has managed the cap with precision, keeping the Panthers’ core intact while making shrewd depth additions. Gustav Forsling has emerged as an elite, underrated defenseman. Sam Bennett developed into a star as he won the Conn Smythe Trophy in these past playoffs, along with Sam Reinhart scoring at an elite rate, and Barkov’s elite defensive awareness, making this team look unstoppable. And with the additions of Brad Marchand making his presence known in these playoffs, and Seth Jones, proving that the Panthers have a dangerous team.

The Panthers looked to be losing key players in this off-season, like Bennett, Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad to free agency, but Zito had other plans. In a masterclass free agency, Zito managed to keep all three of his UFAs, and the 2025 Stanley Cup champions will head into this season with virtually the same team. In a league where depth often determines playoff survival, Florida is well-equipped.

But history warns how difficult this task will be. Even the most dominant teams of the salary cap era – the 1997-98 Red Wings, 2016-17 Penguins, and 2020-21 Lightning – fell short in their quest for a third straight Cup. The wear and tear of back-to-back deep playoff runs is brutal. Players fight through injuries, opponents adjust to their systems, and hunger can fade after consecutive triumphs.

The Panthers also face a dangerous Eastern Conference landscape. While the New York Rangers are loaded with skill and goaltending, the Carolina Hurricanes remain a possession juggernaut, and the Toronto Maple Leafs still have the firepower to upset anyone in a seven-game series. Out West, teams like the Dallas Stars, the Oilers, and the Colorado Avalanche loom as potential final opponents with the talent to break Florida’s run.

Still, the Panthers possess something that can’t be manufactured: championship experience. They know the grind, the mental fortitude, and the sacrifices needed to survive four rounds. They’ve proven they can win as underdogs and as favourites, in high-scoring shootouts and tight, low-event defensive battles. That adaptability is rare, and it might be their greatest weapon in chasing a third Cup.

Can they do it? Yes, they can. If Florida does manage to win it all again, they won’t just be remembered as champions. They’ll be remembered as the NHL’s first true dynasty of the cap era, a team that defied modern parity to carve out a place alongside the Islanders, Canadiens, and Oilers in hockey history. The road will be brutal, the competition fierce, and the margin for error razor-thin. But make no mistake: the Panthers aren’t just defending champions, they’re on the brink of making history.

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The NHL regular season is an absolute grind. 

An 82-game schedule, extending six months, plus a two-week pause for the Olympics this year, puts every player to the test. 

For the Nashville Predators, the focus is to show that last season was a "fluke" and that they are ready to not only dominate the regular season but also make a push for a deep playoff run. 

It's Smashville versus everyone and The Hockey News Nashville Predators is examining just how well the Predators stack up against every division in the league.

Today we take a look at the Central Division.  

Winnipeg Jets 

22-23 record: 1-1-2 

23-24 record: 2-1-1 

24-25 record: 2-2-0

The Predators have fared well against the Winnipeg Jets, who have qualified for the playoffs three years in a row and won the President's Trophy this past season. 

This season was a matchup of the best power play in the league against one of the best penalty kills in the league. The Predators did allow three power-play goals over the three games, but none came in either of Nashville's wins over Winnipeg. 

It'll be an uphill battle for the Predators against the Jets as two of three games in this series will be on the road. 

25-26 prediction: 1-2-0 

Dallas Stars 

22-23 record: 0-4-0

23-24 record: 2-2-0 

24-25 record: 2-2-0

The needle has moved a bit since the Predators went winless against the Stars two years ago. 

Nashville lost its regular-season opener to the Stars by a goal, then had a three-goal win in Dallas two months later. In the final month of play, the Stars and Predators traded 5-1 wins to close out the regular season series.

In both of the Predators' wins against the Stars, they had one big scoring period. In the 4-1 win, the Predators scored three unanswered goals in the second period. In the 5-1 win, Nashville found the back of the net three times in the first period. 

The third meeting was the final game of the season for Nashville, meaning the Stars could've been resting players. This year, the Predators and Stars will meet three times, twice at home. The third meeting will be the Predators' second game coming out of the Olympic break in Dallas. 

25-26 prediction: 2-1-0 

Colorado Avalanche 

22-23 record: 0-3-1 

23-24 record: 2-1-0 

24-25 record: 2-1-1 

Outside of an overtime loss, the Predators essentially won their regular-season series against the Avalanche. They picked up five of eight possible points in the series. 

Nashville picked up a 5-2 win in early November before the Avalanche responded with a 3-2 win in overtime later that month. Colorado won again at home, 5-2, the next month. In the final meeting of the season, right after the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Nashville picked up a 2-1 win. 

These games have been a bit closer than other divisional series. Even in the Predators' 5-2 loss, it was two empty net goals that put the game away, and Nashville outplayed Colorado. These two keep it close and it's probably going to be similar this year.

There are four games on the docket again. The first, Nov. 22, will be the Predators' first home game since the Global Series in Sweden. Nashville will have the week off between the Global Series game and the Avalanche game at home. 

The second and third will be four days apart, with a home game against St. Louis squeezed in the middle. The January meeting will be the front of a road back-to-back in Denver and Vegas. 

25-26 prediction: 2-2-0

Minnesota Wild 

22-23 record: 2-1-0

23-24 record: 2-1-0 

24-25 record: 1-1-1 

The Minnesota Wild barely won the regular-season series against the Predators last season, picking up a 3-2 overtime win, which was their first meeting of the season. 

Over the last three seasons, it's been one game that has decided this series. In 2023, it was a 4-3 Predators overtime win in the second-to-last game of the season.

In 2024, it was a blowout 6-1 win in the middle of February, but the Wild did get their lick back in a 4-3 overtime victory 11 days later. This series has had at least one overtime game and a blowout victory in the last few years.

This season, the Predators will see the Wild on the road in early November and late December, the day before the Christmas pause. The Wild are in Nashville on Feb. 4 and April 11, which is the third-to-last game before the end of the regular season. 

25-26 prediction: 3-1-0 

St. Louis Blues 

22-23 record: 2-1-1 

23-24 record: 3-0-0 

24-25 record: 0-4-0 

The Blues needed every point they could get to make it into the playoffs and didn't let the Predators pick up a single point in their regular season series. This was also a year after the Predators swept the regular season series. 

There was one close game, a 3-2 loss in Nashville, but the Predators were outscored 18-8 in last season's series. In every game outside of the 3-2 loss, the Predators went down 2-0 early and could not recover.

In the last meeting, the Predators had a 2-0 lead before the Blues scored three unanswered goals. 

If the Predators improve from last season, these two teams could be in the same area in the standings, so these matchups are going to be critical. They will have a home-and-home series four days apart in December and another game at the end of the month in St. Louis. 

The final meeting of the regular season will be Feb. 2 in Nashville. 

25-26 prediction: 1-2-1 

Utah Mammoth (prev. Arizona Coyotes) 

22-23 record: 2-2-0 

23-24 record: 1-3-0 

24-25 record: 2-1-0 

Last season was the first time the Predators had won a regular-season series against the Coyotes since 2022. 

The Predators' first-ever meeting against the Mammoth was a 4-0 shutout win on Nov. 9. They'd meet again on April 10, and Nashville walked away with a narrow 4-3 shutout win. Utah prevented the season sweep as it'd pick up a dominating 7-3 win four days later. 

Similar to St. Louis, Utah made a late-season push to get into the playoffs, and the Predators could be competing with them this coming season to get in, making these games more critical. 

The Predators will meet with the Mammoth four times this season, with their first meeting coming in the second game of the year on Oct. 11 in Nashville. They'll meet again on Dec. 29 in Salt Lake City in the third game of a seven-game road trip. 

Utah is in Nashville on Jan. 24 and the final meeting is on April 9 in Utah. 

The first matchup is during a home stand, the second is the toughest on the road trip, but the third comes after home games against Buffalo and Ottawa. The final is the end of a six-game road trip. It'll be a tight series. 

25-26 prediction: 2-1-1 

Chicago Blackhawks

22-23: 2-1-0 

23-24: 4-0-0 

24-25:  3-1-0

The Predators have not lost a season series to the Blackhawks since the 2016-17 season, funnily enough, the same year that the Predators went to the Stanley Cup Final. 

That will likely not change this season as the Blackhawks are in full rebuild. However, this is a rivalry series and the games were close last season. Three out of the four meetings were decided by a goal, with two of the games needing extra time. 

The exception was a 7-2 Predators loss on Feb. 7 in Chicago. In two of the three Predators wins, they had to come from behind as the Blackhawks got off to hot starts. 

Nashville will face Chicago for the first time on Nov. 28 in Chicago, the day after Thanksgiving. The Blackhawks are in Nashville on Jan. 10 in the middle of a four-game home stand. In their first game out of the Olympic break, the Predators host the Blackhawks on Feb. 26.

Their final showdown of the season will be on March 22 in Chicago, their only road game in a five-game stretch. 

25-26 prediction: 3-1-0