2020–21 Nashville Predators season

The 2020–21 Nashville Predators season was the 23rd season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 25, 1997.^[2] John Hynes entered his second season as coach and first full season as head coach of the team. On December 20, 2020, the league temporarily realigned into four divisions with no conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing closure of the Canada–United States border. As a result of this realignment, the Predators remained in the Central Division this season and would only play games against the other teams in their realigned division during the regular season and potentially the first two rounds of the playoffs.

2020–21 Nashville Predators
Division	4th Central
2020–21 record	31–23–2
Home record	18–10–0
Road record	13–13–2
Goals for	156
Goals against	154
Team information
General manager	David Poile
Coach	John Hynes
Captain	Roman Josi
Alternate captains	Mattias Ekholm Ryan Ellis Filip Forsberg Ryan Johansen
Arena	Bridgestone Arena
Minor league affiliate(s)	Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) Chicago Wolves (AHL)[1] Florida Everblades (ECHL)
Team leaders
Goals	Mikael Granlund Calle Jarnkrok (13)
Assists	Roman Josi (25)
Points	Roman Josi (33)
Penalty minutes	Mathieu Olivier (70)
Plus/minus	Mattias Ekholm (+19)
Wins	Juuse Saros (21)
Goals against average	Juuse Saros (2.28)
← 2019–20 2021–22 →

On May 8, 2021, the Predators clinched a playoff berth after a 3–1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.^[3] They were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round with a 4–3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in game six.

Standings

Central Division

Pos	Team v t e	GP	W	L	OTL	RW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	y – Carolina Hurricanes	56	36	12	8	27	179	136	+43	80
2	x – Florida Panthers	56	37	14	5	26	189	153	+36	79
3	x – Tampa Bay Lightning	56	36	17	3	29	181	147	+34	75
4	x – Nashville Predators	56	31	23	2	21	156	154	+2	64
5	e – Dallas Stars	56	23	19	14	17	158	154	+4	60
6	e – Chicago Blackhawks	56	24	25	7	15	161	186	−25	55
7	e – Detroit Red Wings	56	19	27	10	17	127	171	−44	48
8	e – Columbus Blue Jackets	56	18	26	12	12	137	187	−50	48

Source: National Hockey League^[4]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
e – Eliminated from playoff contention; x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Schedule and results

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020.^[5]

2020–21 game log
January: 4–4–0 (Home: 4–1–0 ; Road: 0–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 January 14 Columbus 1–3 Nashville Saros 0 1–0–0 2 [6] 2 January 16 Columbus 2–5 Nashville Saros 0 2–0–0 4 [7] 3 January 18 Carolina 4–2 Nashville Rinne 0 2–1–0 4 [8] — January 19 Carolina – Nashville Postponed due to COVID-19.[9] Rescheduled for March 2. 4 January 22 Nashville 0–7 Dallas Saros 4,214 2–2–0 4 [10] 5 January 24 Nashville 2–3 Dallas Saros 4,056 2–3–0 4 [11] 6 January 26 Chicago 2–3 Nashville OT Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 3–3–0 6 [12] 7 January 27 Chicago 1–2 Nashville SO Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 4–3–0 8 [13] 8 January 30 Nashville 3–4 Tampa Bay Rinne 0 4–4–0 8 [14]
February: 6–7–0 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 9 February 1 Nashville 2–5 Tampa Bay Saros 0 4–5–0 8 [15] 10 February 4 Nashville 6–5 Florida OT Rinne 3,698 5–5–0 10 [16] 11 February 5 Nashville 1–2 Florida Rinne 3,977 5–6–0 10 [17] 12 February 8 Tampa Bay 4–1 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 5–7–0 10 [18] 13 February 9 Tampa Bay 6–1 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 5–8–0 10 [19] 14 February 11 Detroit 2–3 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 6–8–0 12 [20] 15 February 13 Detroit 4–2 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 6–9–0 12 [21] — February 15 Nashville – Dallas Postponed due to winter storm.[22] Rescheduled for March 7.[23] — February 16 Nashville – Dallas Postponed due to winter storm.[24] Rescheduled for March 21.[23] 16 February 18 Nashville 0–3 Columbus Saros 0 6–10–0 12 [25] 17 February 20 Nashville 4–2 Columbus Rinne 0 7–10–0 14 [26] 18 February 23 Nashville 2–0 Detroit Rinne 0 8–10–0 16 [27] 19 February 25 Nashville 2–5 Detroit Rinne 0 8–11–0 16 [28] 20 February 27 Columbus 1–2 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 9–11–0 18 [29] 21 February 28 Columbus 1–3 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 10–11–0 20 [30]
March: 9–6–1 (Home: 3–3–0 ; Road: 6–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 22 March 2 Carolina 4–2 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 10–12–0 20 [31] 23 March 4 Florida 5–4 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 10–13–0 20 [32] 24 March 6 Florida 6–2 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 10–14–0 20 [33] 25 March 7 Nashville 4–3 Dallas SO Rinne 3,976 11–14–0 22 [34] 26 March 9 Nashville 2–3 Carolina OT Rinne 2,924 11–14–1 23 [35] 27 March 11 Nashville 1–5 Carolina Rinne 2,924 11–15–1 23 [36] 28 March 13 Nashville 3–6 Tampa Bay Rinne 3,800 11–16–1 23 [37] 29 March 15 Nashville 4–1 Tampa Bay Rinne 3,800 12–16–1 25 [38] 30 March 18 Nashville 2–1 Florida Saros 4,559 13–16–1 27 [39] 31 March 20 Nashville 0–2 Florida Saros 4,358 13–17–1 27 [40] 32 March 21 Nashville 4–3 Dallas SO Rinne 4,011 14–17–1 29 [41] 33 March 23 Detroit 0–2 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 15–17–1 31 [42] 34 March 25 Detroit 1–7 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 16–17–1 33 [43] 35 March 27 Nashville 3–1 Chicago Saros 0 17–17–1 35 [44] 36 March 28 Nashville 3–2 Chicago Rinne 0 18–17–1 37 [45] 37 March 30 Dallas 2–3 Nashville OT Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 19–17–1 39 [46]
April: 8–5–1 (Home: 5–3–0 ; Road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 April 1 Dallas 4–1 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 19–18–1 39 [47] 39 April 3 Chicago 0–3 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 20–18–1 41 [48] 40 April 6 Nashville 3–2 Detroit SO Saros 0 21–18–1 43 [49] 41 April 8 Nashville 7–1 Detroit Saros 0 22–18–1 45 [50] 42 April 10 Tampa Bay 3–0 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 22–19–1 45 [51] 43 April 11 Dallas 2–3 Nashville SO Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 23–19–1 47 [52] 44 April 13 Tampa Bay 2–7 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 24–19–1 49 [53] 45 April 15 Nashville 1–4 Carolina Saros 4,987 24–20–1 49 [54] 46 April 17 Nashville 1–3 Carolina Saros 4,987 24–21–1 49 [55] 47 April 19 Chicago 2–5 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 25–21–1 51 [56] 48 April 21 Nashville 4–5 Chicago OT Saros 0 25–21–2 52 [57] 49 April 23 Nashville 3–1 Chicago Saros 0 26–21–2 54 [58] 50 April 26 Florida 1–4 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 27–21–2 56 [59] 51 April 27 Florida 7–4 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 27–22–2 56 [60]
May: 4–1–0 (Home: 3–0–0 ; Road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 May 1 Dallas 0–1 Nashville OT Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 28–22–2 58 [61] 53 May 3 Nashville 4–3 Columbus OT Saros 4,210 29–22–2 60 [62] 54 May 5 Nashville 2–4 Columbus Saros 4,084 29–23–2 60 [63] 55 May 8 Carolina 1–3 Nashville Saros —[lower-alpha 1] 30–23–2 62 [64] 56 May 10 Carolina 0–5 Nashville Rinne —[lower-alpha 1] 31–23–2 64 [65]
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)   Postponement

Playoffs

Main article: 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs

2021 Stanley Cup playoffs
Central Division First Round vs. (C1) Carolina Hurricanes: Carolina won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 May 17 Nashville 2–5 Carolina Saros 12,000 0–1 [66] 2 May 19 Nashville 0–3 Carolina Saros 12,000 0–2 [67] 3 May 21 Carolina 4–5 Nashville 2OT Saros 12,135 1–2 [68] 4 May 23 Carolina 3–4 Nashville 2OT Saros 12,135 2–2 [69] 5 May 25 Nashville 2–3 Carolina OT Saros 12,000 2–3 [70] 6 May 27 Carolina 4–3 Nashville OT Saros 14,107 2–4 [71]
Legend:   Win   Loss

Draft picks

See also: List of Nashville Predators draft picks

Below are the Nashville Predators selections at the 2020 NHL Draft which was held on October 6–7 at the NHL Studios.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationally	College/Junior/Club team (league)
1	11	Yaroslav Askarov	(G)	Russia	SKA-Neva (VHL)
2	42	Luke Evangelista	(RW)	Canada	London Knights (OHL)
3	73	Luke Prokop	(D)	Canada	Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
4	101	Adam Wilsby	(D)	Sweden	Skelleftea AIK (SHL)
6	166	Luke Reid	(D)	Canada	Chicago Steel (USHL)
7	202	Gunnarwolfe Fontaine	(LW)	United States	Northeastern Huskies (H-East)
7	209	Chase McLane	(C)	United States	Penn State Nittany Lions (Big Ten)

Notes

1. Spectators were in attendance, but the exact number was not reported.

References

1. "Wolves take on Predators as second affiliate for 2020-21". AHL. January 7, 2021.
2. National Hockey League (2013). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2014. Diamond Sports Data, Inc. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-894801-26-3.
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4. "NHL Hockey Standings". www.nhl.com. National Hockey League.
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