LeBron James was a member of the Miami Heat, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” was in full swing, and the world was blissfully unaware of the God-forsaken ending the writers of How I Met Your Mother had in store for us. Those were all things going on in the Spring of 2014, the last time the Nashville Predators failed to qualify for the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Preds, alas, have broken their eight-year run of postseason participation, which happened to be tied for the league’s second-longest playoff streak. Many of you might feel the temptation to turn off your “hockey brain” for the year and dive into the comfort of a hockey season-length’s worth of unwatched Netflix queues, but c’mon… playoff hockey is still wildly entertaining!
Of course, the question we must ask as Preds fans is this: “Who the heck are we supposed to cheer for now?”
We’ve taken an extremely scientific look at all sixteen teams playing for the Cup, and have compiled some reasons why you absolutely should cheer for each team to win it all, as well as a few reasons you should absolutely wish each team nothing less than a cursed Cup-less bane of existence.
The Western Conference
Vegas Golden Knights
Why you should cheer for them:
The Golden Knights play the Jets in round one, so there’s an obvious bloodlust to see Winnipeg trounced as a means of revenge for knocking the Preds out of contention. Plus, having witnessed it first-hand this year, Vegas is a wildly fun place to watch a game. And deep down, you’re dying to see what kind of Medieval Times nonsense they roll out during the pregame presentation if they make another Cup run.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Obnoxious social media posts, blatant cap circumvention, and a burning desire to somehow acquire every major trade target on the market quickly turned Vegas from “oh wow, this new team is cool!” to “oh wow, seriously screw these guys.” Plus, the fact that the NHL has done everything they could to accelerate on-ice success for their new expansion team leaves the Preds fans who recall a Jamie Heward-Joel Bouchard first-pair tandem a little miffed.
Winnipeg Jets
Why you should cheer for them:
You could always cheer for Nino Niederreiter, who has a respectable 13 points in 22 games since moving to the Jets at the deadline. If you’re looking for feel-good stories, there’s also the case of Rick Bowness, who not unlike David Poile, has been in the NHL in some capacity since 1975, yet has never won a Stanley Cup.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
The bitterness of being eliminated by Winnipeg this season hasn’t quite worn off… nor has the bitterness of being eliminated by Winnipeg in 2018 for that matter… nor has the bitterness of all the heated, physical shenanigans between the Preds and Jets over the past six years…
Edmonton Oilers
Why you should cheer for them:
Two words: Mattias Ekholm.
Seeing Eks lift the Stanley Cup would lessen the sting of not having him around in Smashville anymore. For this reason, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Oilers unofficially became “Nashville’s Team” during this postseason. Plus, jumping on the bandwagon would give you a chance to see what it’s like having Connor McDavid on your team before the grim reality of cheering for this version of the Nashville Predators kicks back in.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
A deep Oilers run may further trigger any Leon Draisaitl-related PTSD you may have experienced over the past three years. Draisaitl, meanwhile, has scored three points against the Preds defense during production of this piece.
Los Angeles Kings
Why you should cheer for them:
Aw man, just when you think Ekholm gives Preds fans an easy “here’s a player to cheer for the pick,” here come the Kings with both Viktor Arvidsson AND Kevin Fiala! Could a two-former-Preds-for-the-price-of-one be enough to sway your allegiance from Edmonton to LA?
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
The Kings don’t need your help. They’re a major market team, which means Gary Bettman has already deployed his hockey illuminati squad to ensure the Kings are featured prominently. Plus, an early playoff exit would be appropriate punishment for getting three outdoor games in six years during a rebuild.
Colorado Avalanche
Why you should cheer for them:
If you’re a fan of great hockey who loves seeing “elite versus elite” matchups late in the postseason, the Avs are a great team to follow. Plus, if the Avs win again, it might give the Preds another Red Wings and Blackhawks-esque top-level division rival to chase, which is fun.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Remember the whole dumb “Nashville is a dirty team that’s going to try to cheap-shot their way past this classy, rare-breed of God’s hockey team” narrative last year? Remember the influx of Avs fans on Preds Twitter? Remember Cale Makar winning the Norris over Roman Josi? Remember the Mattias Ekholm helmet incident? Remember…
Seattle Kraken
Why you should cheer for them:
The Kraken are the cool new franchise you secretly wish you were a fan of. They have a fun young core spearheaded by one of the best up-and-comers in the NHL (Matty Beniers), a ton of depth packed with likable players, sick uniforms, a snazzy arena, and much MUCH more! I’ve also been made aware some Preds fans are keen on a bright, young Finnish player on the Kraken. I can’t remember his name, so I’m assuming it’s someone who hasn’t been involved in a lot of discourse this season.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Just like the Vegas situation, it’s fair to look at the way the NHL has handled the most recent expansion franchises with contempt given the uphill climb the Preds had to make when they first came into the league. Should the Kraken spend a few years suffering before they get a Cup run? The hockey masochist in me says “yes.”
Dallas Stars
Why you should cheer for them:
Idk… southern hockey pride? Central division supremacy? You’re a big fan of Pantera?
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
A Stars win would mean Ryan Suter lifts the Stanley Cup. Do you want that? DO YOU WANT THAT??
Minnesota Wild
Why you should cheer for them:
Of all the Central Division foes, it seems like Smashville plays relatively nice with Minnesota. It also doesn’t hurt that Minnesota is a fun team to watch featuring a mix of exciting, young talent like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy and all-around likable veterans like Marc-Andre Fleury and Mats Zuccarello. Plus, Ryan Hartman and Freddy Gaudreau are on the team, so there’s that.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
The Wild are owned by Craig Leipold, the original owner of the Preds whose attempted sale of the team to Jim Balsillie in 2007 brought upon a two-years-long relocation scare and a dismantling of perhaps the most fun team Nashville has ever (to this day) assembled. If that’s a not a reason to want to watch the Wild crash and burn, I don’t know what is.
The Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins
Why you should cheer for them:
At this point, cheering for the Bruins is kind of like going into the Belmont Stakes cheering for the horse who won the Kentucky Derby and The Preakness; you just want to see them finish the job. Similar to what a lot of casual fans did for Colorado last year, there’s a certain desire to watch a dominant hockey team put together a clinic against the NHL’s top teams.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Forget all that nonsense about watching really good teams put on a clinic. We want to cheer for the underdog! We want upsets! We want drama! The Bruins winning the Stanley Cup, just like Colorado last year, would be the most boring, predictable outcome possible. Plus, come on, Boston has had quite enough championships to celebrate over the past two decades. Let another city have a turn.
Florida Panthers
Why you should cheer for them:
Why not cheer for the NHL’s lovable losers? Panthers fans finally have a consistent team to cheer for after spending two decades in hell following Pavel Bure’s departure. Why not keep the momentum going with an all-time first-round upset for the ages?
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
There’s the whole Staal brothers thing. Then there’s the way the Panthers’ management jettisoned former Pred Andrew Brunette away after a Jack Adams-nominated interim coaching stint. Also, Matthew Tkachuk apparently told the Preds he didn’t want to come to Nashville via trade this summer, apparently wanting to experience his first round playoff exit in a slightly warmer environment with less taxes.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Why you should cheer for them:
Look into your soul. Acknowledge your uncomfortable feelings. You know, deep down, you want to the streak end, right? This is like the Cubs in the World Series in 2016; even if you’re not a fan, you just kinda want to see the chaos that comes with a Leafs win.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Look into your soul. Acknowledge your uncomfortable feelings. You know, deep down, it would be absolutely hilarious if the Leafs blow it again, right?
Tampa Bay Lightning
Why you should cheer for them:
More of a personal thing, but I’ve found Lightning fans relatively enjoyable. I had a blast with a handful of them during the 2022 Stadium Series, a fun trip down to Amalie during the season, and mostly positive interaction with the fans on Twitter. Also, cheering for another Cup run would be a decent way for Preds fans to say “thank you” for that Tanner Jeannot highway robbery at the trade deadline.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
The Lightning are basically the NHL’s version of John Cena in the 2000’s and 2010’s. At first, you loved seeing them reach the pinnacle. But with every passing title defense and every burial of a promising young WWE superstar, you started to think “huh, I think I wouldn’t mind seeing someone ELSE win for a change.” Plus… you know… Corey Perry.
Carolina Hurricanes
Why you should cheer for them:
It feels like there’s a certain kinship between Canes and Preds fans. We’re both midsouth hockey teams, both have NASCAR nights on our calendars, and both share an affinity for good ol’ Southern cooking. The Canes also share a lot of characteristics of the older, old-school Preds teams… a frustratingly stifling defense, a mix of skill and grit up front, and a slew of goaltenders capable of stealing a game at any given time.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
At the risk of Rod Brind’Amour holding a press conference to complain about me, I will withhold my opinions from this section. I will only respectfully add that if vinegar is the central ingredient in your BBQ sauce, your BBQ sauce is trash.
New York Islanders
Why you should cheer for them:
It’s hard not to cheer for Lane Lambert, an all-around good guy who spent time both as a Preds assistant under Barry Trotz and as head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals. He’s already won a Cup (in 2018 as Trotz’s assistant in Washington,) but it would still warm our hearts in Smashville if he’s able to win one as the main guy.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Speaking of Trotz, there’s still some saltiness regarding how Isles’ GM and C. Montgomery Burns cosplayer Lou Lamoriello treated Trotz on his way out last summer, essentially placing all of the blame on him for an underperforming roster packed with bad contracts. Seeing Lou trounced early might be a good reminder of just how good he had it with Barry in charge.
New Jersey Devils
Why you should cheer for them:
If you need a good “second team” to support, it’s a great time to jump on the Devils’ bandwagon! Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, Jesper Bratt, Luke Hughes… not only are the Devils are packed with young stars not even close to their prime, but they STILL have one of the deeper prospect pools in the NHL waiting right behind them. The Devils are going to be a juggernaut in a few years’ time, so might as well get ahead of the game and start cheering for them now. Also, Tom Fitzgerald, the Preds’ first-ever team captain, is the General Manager.
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
Did you know the New Jersey Devils almost relocated to Nashville in the 1990s? No, really! The Devils were in a dispute regarding their arena lease in The Meadowlands, and actually had an offer from the city of Nashville to move the team to Music City. Instead, the Devils won the 1995 Stanley Cup and renegotiated their lease two weeks later. The NHL gave Nashville an expansion team instead, but you can’t tell me you’re not just a little bitter you didn’t get to see Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, and Scott Niedermeyer patrolling the Bridgestone Arena ice on a nightly basis.
New York Rangers
Why you should cheer for them:
If you firmly believe the Rangers are a darkhorse team to win the Cup, and you’d like to see them back up your bold prediction, that’s a fair reason to cheer for the Rangers this postseason…
Why you shouldn’t cheer for them:
…But other than that, WHY would you cheer for the New York Rangers? The roster not one, not two, but THREE Predtors’ villains in Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Jimmy Vesey. The Rangers are also the poster boys for “the NHL shoving a team down your throat every single week,” so a Stanley Cup win would only encourage the league to put even MORE Rangers content out there: maybe a two-hour recap of practice instead of an actual game on TNT, maybe an ESPN 30 for 30 on Alexis Lafrieniere being moved to the second power play unit, maybe a Blues-Wild game gets pre-empted for the debut of a new sitcom featuring Vincent Trocheck having to be at two separate dinner parties at once. No, mankind cannot handle a Rangers’ Cup win.
