2016–17 Nashville Predators season

October

The Predators opened their season on October 14 with three power play goals in a 3–2 victory over the Blackhawks. Newly acquired defenseman P. K. Subban scored the first goal for the Predators in his debut for the team. The next night on the road, the Predators fell in a three-goal hole after 10 minutes into the first period and scored three to pull within one in the third period, but a hat trick goal by Richard Pánik with 91 seconds remaining secured a 5–3 victory for the Blackhawks.

Back home in Nashville on October 18, the Predators tied the game in the second period with a power play goal from captain Mike Fisher. But it wasn't enough to overcome goals from Adam Cracknell and Jason Spezza, and the Predators fell 2–1 to the Stars. On October 21, the Predators traveled to Detroit and Subban, Mike Ribeiro and Fisher scored to extend the Predators NHL-leading eight power play goals to that date. With 22 seconds remaining, however, Darren Helm scored an empty net goal to secure a 5–3 victory for the Red Wings and hand the Predators their third straight loss. They returned home the next day to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins despite multiple illnesses, involving starting goaltender Pekka Rinne and captain Mike Fisher – Juuse Saros made his first start of the season.

In the first of a five-game road trip on October 26, the Predators – suffering a second period collapse of surrendering five goals, including two shorthanded goals for only the fourth time in franchise history – fell 6–1 to the Ducks. The next night at the Staples Center, the Predators scored on a shorthanded goal by Viktor Arvidsson one minute into the third period to jump to a 2–1 lead. Tyler Toffoli of the Kings responded 41 seconds later to tie the game, however, send it into overtime where Jeff Carter shot past Rinne with 29 seconds remaining in overtime and the Predators fell 3–2. The Predators capped their month of play on October 29 with a 4–1 loss to the Sharks.

November

Starting off the month of November, the Predators killed all four of Colorado's power play opportunities and scored five goals, two from Craig Smith, to beat the Avalanche 5–1 and end a three-game losing skid. The Predators ended their five-game road trip in Glendale, Arizona with a 3–2 shootout loss to the Coyotes. Back home in Nashville on November 5, the Predators and the Hurricanes played through an even matchup, with goals from James Neal and Matt Irwin, that went to shootout where Jaccob Slavin made the winning goal past Rinne and the Hurricanes beat the Predators 3–2.

In their next game on November 8, the Predators returned to winning form putting up three goals by Ryan Ellis, Neal and Subban in a 3–1 victory over the Senators. Against division rival St. Louis, the Predators scored three goals in the span of six and a half minutes between the second and third period – two by Calle Järnkrok and one by Neal – to beat the Blues 3–1. In the final game of the four-game home-stand on November 12, the Predators put on a shutout with goals from Ellis, Neal, Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi, and 27 saves by Rinne in a 5–0 victory over the Ducks.

On the road for the first of several swings through Canada this season on November 15, Arvidsson and Neal put two goals on the board for the Predators, but Marek Mazanec – starting in place of Rinne, who sat out with a lower back injury – allowed six goals on 32 shots, including a hat trick James van Riemsdyk, and the Predators lost 6–2 to the Maple Leafs. Two nights later in Ottawa, the Predators rebounded from their first regulation loss of the month with a 5–1 victory over the Senators. Neal scored in his sixth straight game during the contest, setting both a career-high and tying the franchise record for longest goal streak. Concluding their road swing in St. Louis, the Predators only mustered one goal from Ribeiro in a 3–1 loss to the Blues.

Back in Nashville on November 21, the Predators made easy work of Tampa Bay with a goal from Arvidsson and two goals from Subban in a 3–1 victory over the Lightning. Facing off against Dallas two nights later, the Predators – led by goals from Fisher, Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Neal and Smith – held the Stars to two goals in a 5–2 victory. On November 25, Winnipeg got on the board early with a first period goal from Dustin Byfuglien, but the Predators responded with five unanswered goals – three in the second period alone – with two each from Johansen and Colin Wilson, and one from Neal in a 5–1 victory over the Jets. In a rematch up in Winnipeg two days later, the Predators were shut out for the first time this season in a 3–0 loss to the Jets.

The Predators bookended the month of November in Denver with goals from Arvidsson (whose second period goal seven seconds in tied the franchise record for fastest opening goal in a regulation period), Kevin Fiala, Fisher, Johansen and Austin Watson in a 5–3 victory over the Avalanche.

December

Facing off against New Jersey in Nashville on December 3, the Predators, thanks to goals from Fiala (with two), Josi and Subban, carried a 4–1 lead into the third period. But the Devils responded in the third period with three goals from Michael Cammalleri, Andy Greene and Adam Henrique to tie up the score and send the game into overtime. Cammalleri scored with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to hand the Predators a 5–4 loss. The next evening, the Predators, who were 27 for 28 in power play kills at home to that point, gave up two power play goals to Wayne Simmonds in a 4–2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Playing Colorado on December 6, the Predators capitalized on mistakes by the Avalanche's defensemen with goals by Arvidsson, Neal and Subban, and Josi scored the winning goal one minute and four seconds into the third period on a 5 on 3 power play to beat the Avalanche 4–3. Arvidsson scored a shorthanded goal in the first and Järnkrok scored in the third period on December 8 at Dallas, but the Predators couldn't overcome Rinne giving up four goals on 18 shots in the first period and fell 5–2 to the Stars. On the road in Arizona on December 10, The Predators only put up one goal, by Josi, in a 4–1 loss in their contest against the Coyotes.

Back home in Nashville on December 13, the Predators fell in a three-goal hole by the start of the second period against St. Louis thanks to Brad Hunt, Ryan Reaves and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Predators – on the sticks off Fisher (who scored two goals), Forsberg, Johansen, Neal and Ribeiro – rallied with six unanswered goals to defeat the Blues 6–3 on December 13. Two nights later, Nashville, with goals from Ellis and Fisher, held Minnesota to a one-goal lead through the third period. As the Wild's offense sputtered through the final two periods, however, former Predators goalie Devan Dubnyk picked up the slack with 34 saves and the Wild, thanks to two empty net goals, beat the Predators 5–2. Capping the week on December 17 against the New York Rangers, the Predators tied the score with a second period goal by team captain Fisher, but their miserable run in overtime continued as Jimmy Vesey – who was drafted by the Predators in 2012, but opted not to sign with the team and received an overall negative reception from the Nashville crowd in his first game at Bridgestone Arena – scored the first goal in the shootout and the Rangers won 2–1.

On the road in Philadelphia on December 19, Forsberg tied the game in the third period to send it into overtime and Ellis scored the lone shootout goal to win a game in overtime for the first time this season (they were 0–5 in overtime coming into this game) in a 2–1 victory over the Flyers. The next night in Newark, New Jersey, the Predators matched their highest offensive score of the season with goals from Mattias Ekholm, Forsberg, Johansen – who scored a short-handed goal – and Neal, who scored two, and Juuse Saros allowed just one goal to Sergey Kalinin in a 5–1 victory against the Devils. Back home in Nashville on December 22, the Predators ended the week in a 4–0 shutout to the Los Angeles Kings.

Back in action at home on December 27 following Christmas break, Reid Boucher and Forsberg scored for the Predators in the second period and tied the game, but Jared Spurgeon of Minnesota scored the winning goal in overtime to hand the Wild a 3–2 victory. Two nights later against Chicago, the Predators, who got on the board in the first period with a goal by Forsberg, broke a 1–1 tie in the third period with a Fisher power play goal. But a penalty call on Smith for tripping put the Blackhawks in the power play and Jonathan Toews tied the game back up at two midway through the period. Patrick Kane scored the go-ahead goal with five minutes remaining and the Blackhawks defeated the Predators 3–2. The next night in St. Louis, the Predators closed out the month of December with goals by Arvidsson, Forsberg, Yannick Weber and Wilson, and Saros earned his first career shutout in a 4–0 victory over the Blues.

January

Starting off 2017 on January 3 at home, the contest played out as a goaltender duel between Carey Price, with 22 saves, and Rinne, with 41 saves, until it was broken up by Fiala scoring for the Predators with 53 seconds remaining in the second period. Four minutes into the third period, former Predators captain Shea Weber, playing his first game in Nashville since being traded to Montreal prior to the start of the season, scored the tying goal that sent the game into overtime. With 19 seconds remaining in overtime, Max Pacioretty scored the game-winning goal and the Predators fell 2–1. Two nights later on January 5 in Tampa, Florida, Colton Sissons led a high-scoring attack with his first career hat trick and goals from Ellis, Fisher and Forsberg in a 6–1 Predators victory over the Lightning. The next night in Sunrise, Florida, the Predators failed to build on their high-scoring victory from the night before as Smith scored their only goal in a 2–1 loss to the Florida Panthers. Traveling up to Chicago on January 8, the Predators – being without top scorers Arvidsson, Neal, Subban and Wilson the entire road trip – mustered only two goals by Ekholm and Watson in a 5–2 loss to the Blackhawks.

Back in Nashville on January 10 to face Vancouver, Watson put the Predators on the board 35 seconds in the second period. The Predators controlled the game the rest of the way until Brandon Sutter scored the tying goal for the Canucks with 49 seconds remaining in regulation and sent the contest into overtime. Facing a 4 on 3 power play situation, Järnkrok scored the game-winning, short-handed goal with only a second remaining in overtime to give the Predators a 2–1 victory over the Canucks; their first non-shootout overtime victory of the season and third non-shootout overtime victory since the start of the 2015 season. Two nights later, Watson and Forsberg scored for the Predators while Saros made 35 saves and allowed just one goal in a 2–1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Making their third trip of the season to Denver on January 14, the Predators spotted the Colorado Avalanche two goals to start the game, but scored three unanswered goals – credited to Fisher (tying), Foresberg (go-ahead) and Cody McLeod, whom the Predators acquired in a trade with the Avalanche the day prior – to win 3–2.

Flying up to Vancouver on January 17, Canucks center Henrik Sedin scored the lone goal of the game with seven and a half minutes remaining in the contest to hand the Predators their third shutout loss of the season and snap a three-game win streak. A Derek Grant goal in the first period for the Predators was overturned on review, despite such a play not being reviewable by NHL rules, after the NHL declared that game referee Ghislain Hebert, who was standing behind the net when the goal was scored, "was in the process of blowing his whistle to stop play when Miller covered the puck with his blocker before the puck crossed the goal line." Continuing their swing through Canada on January 19 in Calgary, the Predators jumped to a 4–0 lead – thanks to Ellis (twice), Forsberg and Neal – at the beginning of the third period. Saros made 32 saves and held off a three-goal rally in the final four minutes of the game to beat the Flames 4–3. The next night in Edmonton, Ardvisson and Ellis scored for the Predators, while goals by Matt Hendricks and Milan Lucic of the Oilers sent the contest into overtime. Ellis and Neal scored in shootout to give the Predators a 3–2 victory over the Oilers. Back in the United States on January 22 to conclude their five-game road trip, the Predators scored four unanswered goals – thanks to Forsberg (two), Johansen and Neal – to overcome a two-goal deficit, defeat the Minnesota Wild 4–2 and give head coach Peter Laviolette his 500th career victory.

Back in Nashville for the first of a two-game home stretch on January 24, the contest played out as an even matchup with the Predators and Buffalo Sabres matching one another goal for goal until the Predators took control of the game in the third period with a go-ahead goal by Arvidsson and a goal by Neal a few minutes later. With less than six minutes remaining, Brian Gionta pulled the Sabres within a goal by scoring one on Saros's blindspot and tied the game, and subsequently sent it into overtime, with a Kyle Okposo goal with 65 seconds remaining. Two and a half minutes into overtime, Jack Eichel broke past Subban and Wilson, got off a shot and snapped a three-game win streak for the Predators at 5–4. Two nights later, in their final game prior to the All-Star break, the Predators – thanks to goals from Jarnkrok, two goals from Smith and Harry Zolnierczyk – held off a late comeback by the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 4–3 victory.

Closing out the month of January on the road in Pittsburgh, the Predators mustered just two goals, by Järnkrok and Wilson, and fell 4–2 to the Penguins.

February

Starting out the month of February in Nashville on the 2nd, Arvidsson and Johansen scored for the Predators, and Rinne put up 31 saves to earn his second shutout of the season to lead the Predators to their seventh–straight win over the Edmonton Oilers. Two nights later, not one of 42 shots on goal got past goaltender Petr Mrázek and the Predators fell 1–0 to the Detroit Red Wings.

Facing Vancouver on February 7, the Predators rebounded from their shutout loss against Detroit – with goals from Arvidsson, Fisher, Forsberg (who's goal was initially waved off, but restored after video review showed the puck crossing the line under Jacob Markström's glove) and Järnkrok – with a 4–2 victory over the Canucks. On the road at Madison Square Garden two nights later, Järnkrok and McLeod put the Predators up to a two–goal lead, but a power play goal by Josi in the third period couldn't overcome four–unanswered goals by the New York Rangers and the Predators fell 4–3. Back in Nashville on February 11, Arvidsson recorded a hat trick and Josi scored for the Predators, but it wasn't enough to overcome surrendering four goals in the second period in a 7–4 loss to the Florida Panthers. The next day against division rival Dallas, the Stars got off to a three–goal lead, two of which came on power play goals (one being a 5–on–3 power play) thanks to undisciplined play by the Predators. Late in the second period, the Predators – with goals from Fisher, Forsberg, Järnkrok and two from Josi – scored five–unanswered goals to defeat the Stars 5–3.

Traveling up to Saint Paul, Minnesota to face the Wild following their five–day break, Subban and Wilson scored to pull the Predators within a goal midway through the third period. But a breakaway goal by Jason Zucker and an empty net goal by Eric Staal sealed a 5–2 victory for the Wild. The next evening in Columbus, Ohio, the Predators and Blue Jackets matched one another point–for–point with goals from Ellis, Fiala, Järnkrok and Mattias, who scored the game–winning goal that broke a 3–3 tie halfway through the third period, and Saros made 35 saves in a 4–3 victory over the Blue Jackets.

Back home in Nashville on February 21 to face Calgary, the Predators fell into a three–goal deficit early in the contest but rallied with a four–goal second period – three of which came from Forsberg, earning him his third career hat trick, and Wilson – to take a one–goal lead at 5–4. Midway through the third period, Mikael Backlund scored the tying goal for the Flames and the game went into overtime. Forty–three seconds into overtime, Mark Giordano scored the winning goal for the Flames and the Predators fell 6–5. Two nights later, Forsberg achieved back–to–back hat tricks and led the Predators to a season sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in a 4–2 victory. On Saturday, Forsberg was denied a third straight hat trick, but he scored a goal – along with Arvidsson, Fisher and Josi (2) – and led the Predators to a 5–2 victory over the Washington Capitals. The next night, the Predators – with goals from Arvidsson, Ellis, Vernon Fiddler, Forsberg and Wilson – scored their ninth straight win over the Edmonton Oilers in a 5–4 victory.

Player stats

As of February 27, 2017

Goaltenders

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Predators. Stats reflect time with the Predators only.
^‡Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Predators only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Roster

Updated February 26, 2017.

Transactions

The Predators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2016–17 season.