32 Teams, 32 Players: Steven Stamkos

The Nashville Predators top offseason signings are struggling so far, but players with their track records should still have some big years ahead of them.

Now that the 2024-25 NHL season has arrived we are going to highlight one player on each team that stands out for the season. What kind of player? Well, a player that could make a difference, be an X-factor, be on the verge of a breakout, or just simply be a player under the microscope and needing to have a big season.

Basically — which player do I think is the most fascinating on each team.

We are not going in any particularly order and continue today with Steven Stamkos of the Nashville Predators

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We already discussed the Nashville Predators this past week and their early struggles, but let’s turn our focus to one of their top players and biggest offseason additions in Steven Stamkos.

It is a little weird seeing him in a uniform that is not the Tampa Bay Lightning, but I had high hopes for what this move could do for a Nashville team that simply needed somebody that can still score goals the way Stamkos can.

He was part of Nashville’s offseason spending spree that saw them sign Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in free agency, while also extending starting goalie Juuse Saros on a long-term deal.

In total, they committed nearly $170 million in total salary in that quartet. That sort of spending — and this sort of big-name appeal — brings major expectations. Not only for the team, but also for the players.

For the team to succeed, the players have to deliver.

So far, they haven’t.

There is always some concern when you dip into the free agent market because you are spending top dollar on a player that has probably already played their best hockey for somebody else. Even though Stamkos still topped the 40-goal mark in two of the past three seasons, it is pretty clear that he is not quite the exact same player he was at his peak. He is not quite as consistent during 5-on-5 play, his defensive game leaves a little something to be desired and now that he is 34 years old you have to expect some sort of a decline at some point.

But the Predators have enough players on their roster that can control things at 5-on-5 and defend. They were one of the best possession-driving and defensive teams in the NHL a year ago. They need somebody that can score goals without simply being a liability on the defensive end.

Can Stamkos (and to a slightly lesser extent) Marchessault still provide that?

Let’s talk about it.