The Nashville Predators' quest for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs has officially ended after a narrow 3-2 defeat to the San Jose Sharks on April 13. This loss, combined with the Los Angeles Kings' 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken, eliminated the Predators from playoff contention. Nashville, with a record of 38-33-10 and 86 points, can finish the season with a maximum of 88 points. Despite a strong late-season surge, the Predators fell short after briefly holding a wild-card spot. Their turnaround included a 32-20-6 record over the last 58 games, recovering from last place in the NHL on November 24. With the season concluded, the Predators are now focused on the offseason, which includes hiring a new general manager to replace Barry Trotz, who retired on February 2. Majority owner Bill Haslam aims to fill this position by late May, ahead of the NHL scouting combine and draft in June.