Predators' Steven Stamkos Slowly Turning Season Around

The Nashville Predators veteran is starting to figure things out and get on the scoreboard more often, which is a welcome sight for the team's fans.

Nov 6, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) skates behind the net against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Nashville Predators and their fans have not had a lot to be excited about so far this year, but one player has started to get that emotion going again. Veteran forward Steven Stamkos is getting on the scoreboard more frequently now and has started to slowly wake up.

Stamkos recently scored the overtime game-winning goal on the road against the Florida Panthers to grab a win for his team. But that goal now means Stamkos has scored four in his past five games and is on a mini-heater.

That's a win for the @PredsNHL! 🤯

Steven Stamkos ends it in @Energizer overtime! pic.twitter.com/GgpflfiSvK

— NHL (@NHL) December 5, 2025

The Predators have been waiting for a bit this season for the veteran to get going. He seemed snakebitten as he could not buy a goal. But with his recent goal against the Panthers, Stamkos has now scored eight goals and tallied three assists in 27 games this year. The former Tampa Bay Lightning forward is starting to figure it out and look like himself again, which is what head coach Andrew Brunette has been waiting for.

Stamkos getting going hopefully should open the floodgates for his teammates

Now that Stamkos has seemed to figure some things out and has really gotten it going, now it's time for some of his teammates and linemates to figure things out. Sometimes Stamkos plays with former Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault and he seems snakebitten.

Dec 2, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) scores past Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (1) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

It is time for Stamkos and the other veterans to all get on the same page and start lighting up the scoreboard and show general manager Barry Trotz why he should not sell at the Trade Deadline. When one vet gets things going, that usually opens the floodgates for the other ones to figure things out.

Stamkos is 35 years old now and is getting to that age where it is almost time for him to hang up his skates and retire. He was drafted back in 2008 and has been playing for 17 years, soon to be 18, which is a very long time.

When Stamkos signed with Nashville a few short seasons ago, the Predators were coming off of a tough playoff series loss to the Vancouver Canucks and were looking to add to their team to get them over the hump. It has not seemed to exactly work out that way, but maybe, just maybe, Stamkos can help his other vets and his team in general win more games by scoring more.

The Predators and Brunette hate to struggle, but Stamkos scoring often lately is a welcome sight. The 35-year-old deserves to have success and feel good about himself ever since leaving the Lightning a few seasons ago.

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