Predators trying to bounce back after last season's expensive flop

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators spent big on signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in a spree that made them one of the Stanley Cup favorites a year ago.

Then the Predators flopped in a season to forget.

They stumbled from the start and limped to the finish with the NHL's third-worst record. The top pick overall in the entry draft was closer than a playoff spot, though the Predators couldn't even hold onto their slot in the draft lottery slipping to No. 5 overall.

“What’s happened in the last year?" Nashville center Fyodor Svechkov said with a smile. "I don’t remember. Looking forward to this year.”

The Predators open the season Oct. 9 hosting Columbus and look like they're simply running everything back hoping it's different this time around. Few outside the team expect it to work now.

“We’ve proved the experts wrong two years in a row, and we’re hoping to make it three,” general manager Barry Trotz said.

Nashville did beat expectations in 2024 by making the playoffs. Then the Predators did it again last season with their expensive and spectacular bust.

Skepticism stems from Trotz keeping coach Andrew Brunette, a roster with a handful of aging stars and a now 30-year-old goalie Juuse Saros in the first year of a high-priced, eight-year extension. The Predators insist they are more than ready to move on and prove the lessons learned and the changes made.

“There was a lot of outside noise last year, and I think that’s toned down a little bit this year," Stamkos said. "And if anything, we use that as some internal motivation to prove some people wrong.”

They struggled to score goals with only 214 — ahead of only Chicago's 210 despite spending plenty of time with the puck in the offensive zone. They also didn't defend well enough in front of goalie Juuse Saros enough as Nashville gave up 274 goals.

“We had a bad season,” said Forsberg, who scored 17 fewer goals (31) than the season before. “You don’t want to necessarily dwell on that too much. We’ve had enough time to digest that and move on.”

Forsberg had company.

Two-time Cup champ with Tampa Bay, Stamkos had only 53 points despite playing all 82 games. Marchessault scored 21 goals — half of what he had his last season with Vegas. Skjei had a minus-24 rating with 14 fewer points than the season before with Carolina.

Trotz has said repeatedly he expects the veteran Predators veterans to play up to their own standards with Stamkos, Marchessault and Skjei more comfortable in Nashville combined with simple pride.

There have been some other changes not nearly as noticeable that Trotz and the Predators are counting on.

Brunette talked with the leadership group and a number of other players before the coach and his assistants tweaked the schemes and systems trying to better fit Nashville's talent. Assistant Todd Richards was replaced by former Chicago head coach Luke Richardson to focus on defense.

Trotz has been busy refilling the prospect pool drained from so many trades chasing a return to the Stanley Cup Final since Nashville's lone appearance in 2017. Nashville wants young forwards like Brady Martin — the fifth overall draft pick in June — to earn roster spots and bring energy and enthusiasm.

“We got bigger, and we got about on average about four years younger,” Trotz said. “And that bodes well for the now and it bodes well for the future.”

Still, how the Predators fare this season will depend on 2024's trio of free agents along with Forsberg and captain Roman Josi now healthy after being diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, known as POTS.

“You can only go as far as your core,” Trotz said.

Marchessault criticized Brunette's offensive system after the season ended in April. The 35-year-old forward recalled missing the playoffs one season only to come back rested and energized, which he hopes the Predators do now. He calls it a step backward to take two forward.

“I’m just excited to play hockey this year,” Marchessault said. "I’m excited with the group we have and less expectations. And, sometimes that’s good for teams.”

Forward Erik Haula wanted to sign with Nashville this offseason sensing the Predators' frustration at how last season went. He said those seasons build character and camaraderie in a locker room. It also has provided extra motivation.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a guy in the locker room who wants to feel the way that they did last year, and nobody’s giving this team much of a chance,” Haula said. "So, we’re going to embrace that challenge.”

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Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, left, blocks a shot on goal by Florida Panthers left wing Hunter St. Martin, right, during the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg, center celebrates his goal with right wing Matthew Wood (71) and defenseman Roman Josi (59) during the second period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) is congratulated after his goal by center Steven Stamkos (91) and right wing Matthew Wood (71) during the second period of an NHL preseason hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Fighting raged Saturday morning along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, even after U.S. President Donald Trump, acting as a mediator, declared that he had won agreement from both countries for a new ceasefire.

Thai officials said they did not agree to a ceasefire. Cambodia has not commented directly on Trump’s claim, but its defense ministry said Thai jets carried out airstrikes Saturday morning.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Saturday that some of Trump's remarks didn't “reflect an accurate understanding of the situation.”

He said Trump’s characterization of a land mine explosion that wounded Thai soldiers as a “roadside accident” was inaccurate, and did not reflect Thailand's position that it was a deliberate act of aggression.

Sihasak said that Trump’s willingness to credit what may be “information from sources that deliberately distorted the facts” instead of believing Thailand hurt the feelings of the Thai people “because we consider ourselves — we are proud, in fact — to be the oldest treaty ally of the United States in the region.”

The latest large-scale fighting was set off by a skirmish on Dec. 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire promoted by Trump that ended five days of earlier combat in July over longstanding territorial disputes.

The July ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

More than two dozen people on both sides of the border have officially been reported killed in this past week’s fighting, while more than half a million have been displaced.

The Thai military acknowledged 15 of its troops died during the fighting, and estimated earlier this week that there have been 165 fatalities among Cambodian soldiers. Cambodia has not announced military casualties, but has said at least 11 civilians have been killed and more than six dozen wounded.

Trump, after speaking to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, announced on Friday an agreement to restart the ceasefire.

“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.

Trump’s claim came after midnight in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Anutin had, after his call with Trump, said he had explained Thailand’s reasons for fighting and said peace would depend on Cambodia ceasing its attacks first.

The Thai foreign ministry later explicitly disputed Trump’s claim that a ceasefire had been reached. Anutin's busy day on Friday included dissolving Parliament, so new elections could be held early next year.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday morning, also made no mention of a ceasefire.

Hun Manet said he held phone conversations on Friday night with Trump, and a night earlier with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and thanked both “for their continuous efforts to achieve a long-lasting peace between Cambodia and Thailand.”

“Cambodia is ready to cooperate in any way that is needed," Hun Manet wrote.

Anwar later posted on social media that he was urging the two sides to implement a ceasefire on Saturday night. Cambodia's prime minister, also posting online, endorsed the initiative, which included having Malaysia and the United States help monitor it. However, Thai Prime Minister Anutin denied that his country was even in negotiations over the proposal.

Thailand has been carrying out airstrikes on what it says are strictly military targets, while Cambodia has been firing thousands of medium-range BM-21 rockets that have caused havoc but relatively few casualties.

BM-21 rocket launchers can fire up to 40 rockets at a time with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). These rockets cannot be precisely targeted and have landed largely in areas from where most people have already been evacuated.

However, the Thai army announced Saturday that BM-21 rockets had hit a civilian area in Sisaket province, seriously injuring two civilians who had heard warning sirens and had been running toward a bunker for safety.

Thailand's navy was also reported by both sides' militaries to have joined the fighting on Saturday morning, with a warship in the Gulf of Thailand shelling Cambodia's southwestern province of Koh Kong. Each side said the other opened fire first.

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Peck reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Serei Saophoan, Cambodia, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

A man sits in a tent as he takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

An evacuee cooks soup as she takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

An evacuee tastes soup as she takes refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing from home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees cook food as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Children raise their hands while receiving donation from charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Evacuees wait to receive donation from local charity as they take refuge in Banteay Menchey provincial town, Cambodia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, after fleeing homes following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Village security volunteers and resident run into shelter while the blasts sounded too close in Buriram province, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, following renewed border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)