Predators 5 of the Most Frustrating Games of 2023
It's easy to remember the highs, but let's look at the low points of the Predators season
2024 is here. The New Year is the perfect time to set new goals, make resolutions, and start anew with a positive mindset.
However, before we get too optimistic, we must air our frustrations.
Problems with coworkers?
Get it out.
University grades are making you question your major?
Get it out.
Does your favorite hockey team frustrate you beyond reasonable measure?
Well, we at The Hockey Writers are all ears.
2023 saw ups and downs for the Nashville Predators. Their eight-year playoff streak ended, former president of hockey operations and general manager David Poile called it a career, and injuries capsized the shaky boat that was the 2022-23 roster.
But, positive moments also shone through. The Predators' 2023 NHL Trade Deadline masterclass, Barry Trotz's return to the organization, and their whimsical offseason featuring marquee prospects and players entering the organization gave the team a much-needed facelift.
While it is easy to think about the positivity flowing through Nashville right now, let's take a moment and think back to five of the most frustrating Predators games in 2023.
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February 11 vs Philadelphia
Three days before Valentine's marks our first frustrating loss of 2023 for the Predators. At the time, the Predators were four points back of the Minnesota Wild for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with two games in hand—the Calgary Flames sat between them.
On the Predators' schedule, that night was the 22-22-9 Philadelphia Flyers, which happens to be the game where Filip Forsberg went down with an injury. The Predators missed Forsberg for most of the game but managed to squeak out an overtime win.
Forsberg's injury—later revealed to be a concussion—kept him sidelined for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. While the Predators went on to win the game, losing their best offensive weapon made the playoffs seem like a long shot.
March 18 vs Winnipeg
Similar to their game against the Flyers, the Predators matchup versus the Winnipeg Jets is infuriatingly frustrating due to the player injured during it. Captain Roman Josi got a concussion, which kept him out of the lineup for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
The injury occurred when the Predators were in a race for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with the Calgary Flames and the Jets. They sat one point back of the Flames and four-back from the Jets with three games in hand on both—with a win against the Jets on Mar. 18, their postseason path would’ve been clear.
Instead, the Predators lost their top defenseman for the rest of the season and fell 3-2 in overtime.
Adding Josi to the long list of players out with injury proved too much for the Predators. They couldn’t overcome the Jets and Flames in the wild-card race and missed the 2023 postseason by three points, ending their eight-year playoff streak.
November 11 vs Arizona
The offseason time jump makes things look all sunshine and roses between their game against the new Winnipeg Jets and their game against the former. While many games following their Mar. 18 loss could be slotted here, the writing was on the wall once Josi went down.
Likewise, various games from the beginning of the 2022-23 season are candidates for this five-match list. However, frustration spilled over on Nov. 11 after a 7-5 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on home ice.
The Predators were up 2-0 and 4-2 throughout the game, but fans only remember the multiple blown leads, disappointment, and players’ frustration stemming from the 7-5 loss that night.
"It just drains the confidence out of us when we play a game, and then we follow up and then find a way to lose another game and then get a chance to respond to come back strong, and then it snowballs, and you find a way to lose this game, too," Ryan O'Reilly told reporters after the game. "It's frustrating."
O'Reilly was the most outspoken postgame, and for good reason, but other players echoed his frustration.
"We're shooting ourselves in the foot," Forsberg said.
This game marked their third consecutive loss, dropping them to 5-9-0 on the season.
November 14 vs Anaheim
Picking back-to-back games feels lazy. After all, the emotions from one game to the next aren't too different. However, this, so far, is the lowest point of the Predators' 2023-24 season.
The Predators followed up blowing multiple multi-goal leads against the Coyotes by blowing another to the Anaheim Ducks. After going up 2-0 against one of the worst teams in the NHL, the Ducks scored three consecutive goals to stifle the fans at Bridgestone Arena.
Despite frustration overflowing from Predators players in their loss to the Coyotes, head coach Andrew Brunette applauded the team's effort. But he didn't mince his words after their fourth straight loss to the Ducks.
"We lose a little bit of focus on some of our systematic responsibilities,"Â Brunette told the media postgame. "We go a little bit rogue and part of that is we're not mentally sharp. We're not grasping the big moments in games."
In addition, Brunette said it felt like they were in "mud." His comments, while blunt, were fair. The Predators opened a five-game homestand with two consecutive losses, four-straight in total, and were flirting with second-last in the league with a 5-10-0 record.
Fortunately, the 2-13-1 San Jose Sharks claimed sole possession of 32nd.
The Predators proceeded to escape the metaphorical mud following this random early-season game against the Ducks by rattling off six wins in a row.
December 23 vs Dallas
Recency bias? Never heard of it.
This game doesn't have the weight of the four before it—no excruciating losing streak and no major injuries. However, it did feature a humiliating ending that sent Predators fans home in disbelief.
The Predators clutched a 2-1 lead in the dying minutes of the third period against their rivals—the Dallas Stars. It seemed the Predators would prove victorious and enter the NHL's holiday break with a win over a Stanley Cup Contender as the game's clock ticked into the final minute.
As we all know, things didn't turn out as planned.
The Stars scored twice in the last 15 seconds, stunning Predators' fans. Instead of leaving Bridgestone Arena bursting with joy, they left shocked, astonished, and appalled. Â
Maybe this loss isn't too frustrating in the grand scheme of things, but entering the NHL's holiday break like that will leave a bitter taste in fans' mouths.