The Nashville Predators have made impressive showings over the last 2 seasons. Is this the year they succeed?

The Nashville Predators are a really great hockey team. Before their Stanley Cup run in 2017, they were sort of just that weird team in the south that no one really talked about. Before their exciting run, there wasn’t much to talk about.

Despite boasting an impressive playoff streak at one point, they always bowed out in the first two rounds. Usually, they would assemble a team which most people would consider above-average. While the Predators never looked like contenders, they were able to consistently churn out decent groups.

Once they reached that deadly playoff stage, however, they didn’t see much success. The Predators were made the punching bags of teams like the Sharks, Red Wings, and the Blackhawks.

Now, the Predators did, indeed, catch some luck here and there. They beat the Ducks in the first round twice, and even the Red Wings once. Even when this happened, however, they were always out-performed in the second round.

Going into the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, things looked about the same. They had a fine season, sure, but they weren’t going to beat the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks are the Blackhawks.

No one really gave them a chance, including me. Why should I? Well, long story short, the Preds did their magic thing, and swept the Hawks, to everyone’s surprise.

Nashville would continue to amaze, next defeating the Blues and Ducks before squaring off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now, even though the Predators didn’t win in the end, something really special happened.