How Juuse Saros is one of three Nashville Predators with much to prove in 2024-25

When Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz added Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei this summer, he instantly overhauled the team's outlook.

Suddenly, a team that only recently made its return to the playoffs is expected to be a top team in the Western Conference. Expectations have shifted dramatically, courtesy of Trotz.

While the new arrivals will be expected to live up to their price tag soon, it's not all on them. Players returning from last season's roster will have increased expectations as well. Trotz did his part by adding talent to the roster — now it's time for the whole team to respond.

Here are three Predators players with the most to prove in 2024-25.

Tommy Novak

Tommy Novak signed a $10.5 million contract extension on March 4, keeping one of the team's brightest offensive players around for three more years.

But then Novak's production dipped, his points per game dropping from .66 to .55 after signing. He also had zero points and only five shots in six games against the Vancouver Canucks, one of the key factors in the Predators' first-round playoff series loss.

What happened to Novak in the playoffs isn't exactly clear. The physicality of the Canucks and the increased speed of playoff hockey in general both seemed to play a role.

Novak appeared to think he was playing fine, but the numbers don't lie: When the Predators needed offense, he was not a factor.

Now he enters the first year of a significant pay raise and could have better linemates. Novak will need to prove the second half of last season was a blip and not a trend.

Gustav Nyquist

It may seem odd to include Gustav Nyquist on this list. At 34 years old, he put up a career high in assists (52) and points (75) for the Predators, playing in the first year of a two-year, $6.3 million deal.

But now he has to repeat that performance, and possibly without the same linemates.

Nyquist clicked with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly last season, forming one of the best lines in hockey. He scored 14 of his 23 goals in the high danger area closest to the net, taking advantage of the attention Forsberg and O'Reilly drew from opponents.

But if Nyquist is moved in the lineup, does he get the same opportunities? If he's moved down in the lineup to make room for Stamkos or Marchessault, he's likely paired with players who will need him to generate offense on his own.

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Nyquist already has lived up to his $3.1 million annual price tag from last season, but he'll likely need to work even harder to match that performance this season.

Juuse Saros

Juuse Saros was not an elite goaltender for much of last season.

The former Vezina Trophy finalist finished with a career-low .906 save percentage and a 2.86 goals allowed average. His usual early struggles extended well into the second half of the season — something that fueled rumors right up until the trade deadline.

But then Saros, as he's known to do, got hot at the right time. He went 15-3-3 in his final 21 starts, with a .916 save percentage to help the Predators clinch the first wild-card spot in the playoffs.

On July 1, Trotz rewarded Saros with an eight-year, $61 million contract extension. That pay raise will make Saros the fifth-highest paid goaltender in the NHL starting in 2025-26.

Saros has certainly earned the pay raise. He made only $5 million each of the past four years, well below his true value. And an average annual value of $7.7 million isn't bad for a goalie who has finished in the top five in Vezina Trophy voting the past three seasons.

Saros just needs to prove last season's downturn was an outlier.

If he returns to his usual dominant form, the contract will be easy to take on, even as he turns 30. But if he struggles again, the Predators could have immediate buyer's remorse.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Three Nashville Predators with the most to prove in 2024-25