The Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets will each start their 2025-26 seasons with a Thursday evening matchup in Nashville that may even mark the Nationwide Hockey League debut of Predators first-round draft choose Brady Martin.
There can be no child steps for the 18-year-old middle, whom the Predators chosen with the fifth choose within the June draft. In Wednesday’s apply, he was the first-line middle enjoying with Filip Forsberg, who led the group with 31 objectives and 45 assists final season, and Ryan O’Reilly, whose 53 factors (21 objectives, 32 assists) final season had been tied for third.
Martin advised reporters on Monday it is a “fairly particular” alternative to play alongside two Predators veterans.
“I am simply taking ideas and methods from them and, yeah, simply studying rather a lot from them,” he defined. “Enjoying with them is fairly straightforward. They only give me the puck.”
Predators coach Andrew Brunette stated whereas the group will proceed to guage Martin, the rookie has earned the chance on account of his preseason efficiency. He scored two objectives and assisted on one other in 4 exhibition video games.
“We weren’t certain, clearly, a younger participant that we’re actually excited for,” the coach advised reporters Monday. “And he got here in, and it was onerous to not have him on that line and to not have him right here at present.”
The Predators can be trying to put a disappointing 2024-25 season behind them as shortly as doable. After making a splash within the free-agent market with gamers like Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos in hopes of creating a deep playoff run, the Predators misplaced their first 5 video games, all in regulation, and completed seventh within the Central Division.
Final season was additionally a stunning and turbulent one for the Blue Jackets. Picked by many to be one of many worst groups within the league, the 24-25 Blue Jackets stayed in playoff rivalry till the next-to-last day of the season. They did that regardless of the sudden, surprising loss of life of Johnny Gaudreau in an accident earlier than the season.
This season, a Blue Jackets group that is one of many youngest within the league — their common age of 27.3 is tied for sixth-youngest, in response to PuckPedia.com — has an eye fixed on the franchise’s first playoff look because the 2019-20 season.
Columbus coach Dean Evason advised reporters Wednesday that he hopes the expertise they gained final season can translate into higher success on the highway. Whereas they completed 40-33-9 (89 factors), the Blue Jackets had been 14-23-4 in away video games.
Defenseman Zach Werenski comes off a breakthrough season the place he led the group with career-highs in each assists (59) and factors (82) en path to a runner-up end for the Norris Trophy.
One place that has not been finalized but is who would be the beginning goalie for Columbus. Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves battled for the No. 1 spot in camp, however Evason didn’t reveal who would get the nod for the opener.
In Sunday’s last exhibition at Washington, Merzlikins stopped 20 of twenty-two photographs he confronted in a 2-1 loss. On Sept. 30, when the Blue Jackets hosted the Capitals, Greaves made 19 saves in a 4-3 loss.
“To not look too far forward, however we’ve got three hockey video games in 5 nights… (The goalie rotation shouldn’t be) set in stone,” Evason stated.
–Area Stage Media
