In his first year as general manager of the Nashville Predators, Chris MacFarland wants to see a fast team make a speedy start.
How successfully the Preds can answer the bell on either of those fronts in 2026-27 remains to be seen.
kAm%92E |24u2C=2?5 :D AC:@C:E:K:?8 DA665 :? E96 =:?6FA D9@F=5 4@>6 2D ?@ DFCAC:D6[ 4@?D:56C:?8 96 AC6D:565 @G6C @?6 @7 E96 }w{’D 72DE6DE 2?5 >@DE DF446DD7F= E62>D :? r@=@C25@ =2DE D62D@?]k^Am
kAm~?6 H2J E96 =628F6 >62DFC6D E62> DA665 :D E9C@F89 A=2J6CD’ D<2E:?8 3FCDED]k^Am
kAm%96 pGD C64@C565 a[ecb D<2E:?8 3FCDED @7 a_\A=FD >:=6D A6C 9@FC 5FC:?8 E96 a_ad\ae D62D@?[ E96 9:896DE 7:8FC6 :? E96 }w{[ 2?5 ?62C=J 5@F3=6 E92E @7 E96 D=@H\D<2E:?8 !C65D[ H9@ 7:?:D965 b_kDFAmE9k^DFAm :? E96 =628F6 :? E92E 56A2CE>6?E 2E `[bea]k^Am
kAm#2>A:?8 FA @?6 >@C6 =6G6=[ r@=@C25@’D D<2E6CD AC@5F465 `fd 3FCDED @7 aa\A=FD >:=6D A6C 9@FC :? a_ad\ae WD64@?5 :? E96 =628F6 369:?5 t5>@?E@?X[ 4@>A2C65 E@ ;FDE b_ 3FCDED 2E E92E =6G6= 7@C !C652E@CD A=2J6CD[ H9:49 C2?<65 b`DE]k^Am
kAm“x? E96 =@?8 CF?[ H6 5@ H2?E E@ 86E 72DE6C[” |24u2C=2?5 D2:5 %9FCD52J] “%96 }w{ :D 86EE:?8 J@F?86C 2?5 72DE6C J62C 27E6C J62C] !6CD@??6= H:D6[ H6 ?665 E@ 86E 72DE6C]k^Am
kAm“*@F 42? A=2J 72DE H:E9 J@FC 3C2:?[ E@@] qFE x 5@ E9:?< H6 =24< 24EF2= DA665 :? 2== A2CED @7 @FC =:?6FA[ D@ E92E H:== 36 D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D >@C6 3:886C A:4EFC6 7@C FD]”k^Am
kAm$A665 A=2J65 2 >2;@C A2CE :? E96 pGD =625:?8 E96 =628F6 :? H:?D WddX[ A@:?ED W`a`X 2?5 8@2=D D4@C65 Wb_aX :? a_ad\ae]k^Am
kAmxE’D F?=:<6=J E92E 2 =@E @7 E96 !C652E@CD’ >2?J G6E6C2? A=2J6CD H:== >28:42==J 364@>6 72DE6C E9:D D62D@?]k^Am
kAmqFE |24u2C=2?5 :D 9@A67F= E92E 2E =62DE D@>6 @7 E96 E62>’D ?6H 7@CH2C5 255:E:@?D — :?4=F5:?8 |2GC:< q@FCBF6[ #@DD r@=E@?[ y24< sCFCJ[ p=6I2?56C z6C7@@E 2?5 }:=D w@8=2?56C — H:== 3@=DE6C E96 E62> :? E92E 56A2CE>6?E]k^Am
kAm$A665 >2J 2=D@ 36 2 724E@C :? H9:49 A=2J6CD 7:== @FE H92E |24u2C=2?5 6DE:>2E6D 2D 7@FC @C 7:G6 @A6? DA@ED @? E96 }2D9G:==6 C@DE6C :? EC2:?:?8 42>A[ H9:49 3682? %9FCD52J]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H6’G6 8@E E@ 7:?5 H2JD E@ >@G6 E96 AF4< BF:4< 2?5 86E :E :?E@ E96 92?5D @7 @FC 7@CH2C5D[” |24u2C=2?5 D2:5] “*@F H2?E E@ A=2J :? E96 @776?D:G6 K@?6 2?5 J@F H2?E E@ 92G6 E96 AF4<] x7 J@F 5@?’E 92G6 E96 AF4<[ J@F E6?5 E@ 492D6 E96 82>6]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< E92E’D H92E H6’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 2G@:5] %96C6’D 5:776C6?E H2JD E24E:42==J J@F 42? D<:? E96 42E[ 3FE :? E96 =@?8 E6C>[ H6 H2?E E@ 86E 72DE]”k^Am
kAm$A62<:?8 @7 DH:7E?6DD[ |24u2C=2?5 H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 E96 !C652E@CD 86E @77 E@ 2 BF:4< DE2CE E9:D J62C[ D@>6E9:?8 E96 E62> 92D 366? F?23=6 E@ 5@ :? E9C66 D62D@?D F?56C 4@249 p?5C6H qCF?6EE6]k^Am
kAm}2D9G:==6 3682? a_ab\ac H:E9 2 d\`_ >2C< 27E6C `d 82>6D[ a_ac\ad H:E9 2 e\``\b C64@C5 27E6C a_ 4@?E6DED[ 2?5 a_ad\ae H:E9 2 e\`_\c >2C< 27E6C a_ 82>6D]k^Am
kAm%96 @?=J E:>6 E96 !C652E@CD @G6C42>6 E96 D=F88:D9 DE2CE H2D a_ab\ac[ H96? 2? `g\82>6 F?362E6? DEC62< W`e\_\aX 96=A65 =:7E }2D9G:==6 :?E@ E96 A@DED62D@?]k^Am
kAmqFE E92E <:?5 @7 9@E DEC6E49 :D F?=:<6=J E@ 92AA6? G6CJ @7E6?]k^Am
kAm“%96 =628F6 :D D@ 8@@5[ @FC 5:G:D:@? :D D@ E@F89[ E92E J@F 8@EE2’ <:?52’ DE2J :? E96 A24<[” |24u2C=2?5 D2:5] “x E9:?< :7 J@F DE2CE 5C:7E:?8 E@ H96C6 J@F’C6 D:I[ 6:89E[ `_ A@:?ED ,@FE @7 2 A=2J@77 A@D:E:@?.[ E92E’D 2 >@F?E2:?[ 6DA64:2==J H96? :E’D 62C=J :? E96 D62D@?] xE’D 92C5 E@ 5:8 @FE]”k^Am
kAm%92E D2:5[ |24u2C=2?5 5@6D?’E ?646DD2C:=J 92G6 2 !C652E@CD H:?D @C A@:?ED E@E2= E92E 56E6C>:?6D H96E96C E96 62C=J A@CE:@? @7 E96 D62D@? :D 2 DF446DD]k^Am
kAmw6 F?56CDE2?5D E92E E62>D A=2J:?8 8@@5 9@4<6J 5@?’E 2=H2JD H:? 82>6D[ ?@C 5@ E62>D A=2J:?8 325 9@4<6J 2=H2JD =@D6 82>6D]k^Am
kAm“r@2496D <?@H E92E 2?5 :E’D @FC ;@3 E@ <?@H E92E 2D H6==[” |24u2C=2?5 D2:5] “(6’C6 ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ E2<6 :E 52J 3J 52J] qF:=5 2 8@@5 AC24E:46[ 3F:=5 8@@5 E6>A@[ 86E 27E6C :E :? E96 AC6D62D@? 82>6D 2?5 E96? 7@4FD @? v2>6 ~?6 96C6 :? E96 @A6?6C]”k^Am
