Stamkos: Expectation for Predators is to 'go on a run' in playoffs

Steven Stamkos' arrival in Nashville undoubtedly raises expectations for the franchise, but the veteran forward believes the Predators are well-equipped to handle the added pressure.

"You look at elite goaltending, you look at an elite defenseman, you look at elite forwards, they've checked those boxes off. ... The expectation will be to make the playoffs and go on a run," he explained Tuesday. "I think that's a pretty fair assessment of what this group can accomplish."

The two-time champion added: "We want to win a Stanley Cup. That's why we play the game. I think some people are sometimes afraid to say that and it heightens expectations but, at the end of the day, I've always been a big believer that you have to believe that you can do it in order to achieve it."

Stamkos thinks the Predators proved they had the right "building blocks" last season. They were one of the best teams in the league after mid-February, closing out the season on a 20-5-3 run.

That stretch helped Nashville secure a place in the postseason after missing out in 2023, though the squad was eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks in six games during the opening round.

One of the Predators' biggest issues this past spring was scoring: They ranked 14th out of the 16 playoff teams in both goals per game (2.00) and shots per game (25.0).

General manager Barry Trotz addressed that weakness when free agency opened on July 1, signing Stamkos to a four-year, $32-million deal and bringing in 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault.

"I've been so fortunate to have won a championship before and know how hard it is to get there and the experience that comes along with that," Stamkos said. "We've added some players that have done that as well and I think that's just a contagious attitude we can have in this dressing room. ... We have a lot to be excited about."

The Predators have never won the Stanley Cup, but they made the finals in 2017.

Though no one can predict what awaits Nashville at the end of the 2024-25 season, fans likely won't have to wait long for Stamkos' first goal in Music City with his new team.

The longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain still recalls the last goal he scored at Bridgestone Arena, even though it was almost two years ago.

"That overtime winner, one-timer? Yeah, I remember that," he said with a wry smile. "Good screen by Corey Perry in front."

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