The Nashville Predators begin a tightly packed preseason schedule on Sept. 20 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa, and Andrew Brunette is under no illusion about what the next few days mean for his group. With only four preseason games, 55 players in camp and a roster cutdown to 23 due by Sept. 28, the first exhibition at Benchmark International Arena at 4 p.m. CT is as much an evaluation test as it is a warm-up.
Brunette said Thursday that this is a unique camp because of the short preseason and the mandatory days off that leave very little room for extended preparation. His message was simple: the Preds need urgency, compete and a quick connection if they are going to make the most of such a compressed window.
Why the first game matters so much
This is not a normal preseason opening. The NHL regular season is expanding to 84 games while the preseason is shrinking to four, which means every shift in these first outings carries extra weight. For players hoping to earn a roster spot, Tampa is the first chance to show coaches and management that they belong in the conversation before Opening Night on Oct. 1.
Brunette put it plainly when he said, “This is a unique camp,” before adding that, “obviously, with how short it is, with the four exhibition games and the mandatory days off, there's not a lot of time to be prepared.” He followed that with an even more direct assessment: “We don't have a lot of time.”
That is why the opening game against the Tampa Bay Lightning has a different edge to it. The Predators are not just looking for a result; they are looking for players who can handle the pace of camp, bring energy early and give the staff something to work with almost immediately.
Brunette wants urgency from the start
The Preds Head Coach made clear that the standard is about more than simply getting through the schedule. “I’m looking for some urgency and compete, especially early, and when you do those things, usually you find a little chemistry, which we're hoping to find,” he said.
That point matters because the opening stretch of preseason often reveals which players can adapt quickly and which ones need more time. Brunette also warned that, “I think it's going to be really hard here to get it going right away,” which is a fair reflection of how little time Nashville has before the roster has to be trimmed.
The pressure is not only on the team’s established names. It is also on the players trying to force their way into the picture in a camp that has already been interrupted by injury, with Vitali Pinchuk hurt on the first day of training camp practice.
What comes next for Nashville
After the opener in Tampa, the Predators are scheduled to host Tampa Bay at Bridgestone Arena next Tuesday. From there, the clock keeps ticking toward Sept. 28, when Nashville must be down to 23 players ahead of Opening Night on Oct. 1.
For fans following along, the preseason broadcasts are being offered regionally on The Spot – Nashville 28 and through the Nashville Predators app. In a short camp like this, every look matters, and every game could help decide who stays in the mix when the real season begins.
