With Egor Afanasyev looking for a way out of Nashville if he didn't get more ice time next season, San Jose jumped all over the rumours and acquired the 23-year-old towering left-winger in a one-for-one trade for right-winger Ozzy Wieblatt. Wiesblatt was San Jose's 2020 first-round pick (31st overall) and spent the 2023-24 season with both San Jose (AHL) and Milwaukee (AHL). In his second AHL season since making the jump from the WHL, he had only four goals and 17 points combined in 50 games played.

Smith will not be available for the Predators' do-or-die Game 6 vs. the Canucks. He'll either be replaced by Juuso Pärssinen or Luke Schenn, if the Predators go with seven defensemen.

Saros stopped 19 of 20 shots in the Predators' Game 5 win in Vancouver. Through five games, Saros is 2-3 with a 2.21 GAA and .879 SV%. The Predators have done an outstanding job in front of Saros, allowing just 18.2 shots against per game and the lowest xGA/60 (2.27) in the postseason.

Saros stopped 19 of 20 shots in the Predators' Game 5 win in Vancouver. Through five games, Saros is 2-3 with a 2.21 GAA and .879 SV%. The Predators have done an outstanding job in front of Saros, allowing just 18.2 shots against per game and the lowest xGA/60 (2.27) in the postseason.

With Nashville in need of some reinforcements with Luke Schenn still fighting an illness, Kevin Gravel has been recalled from Milwaukee (AHL) on Thursday. The 32-year-old last appeared in the NHL in 2022-23 and played in 23 games with Nashville, picking up an assist, 20 SOG and a -10 plus/minus.

The Predators will unsurprisingly turn to Saros with their season on the line on Tuesday as they look to claw back from a 3-1 series deficit. Saros had another disappointing performance in Game 4 on Sunday, allowing four goals on just 21 shots as the Canucks came back to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory in overtime. Saros' SV% on the series sits uncharacteristically low at .859, and he will no doubt need to do a lot better than that if the Predators are going to have any chance of getting back in this series.

Stastney logged 6:36 TOI before leaving Game 3 with an upper-body injury. If Stastney can't go in Game 4, the Predators have Tyson Barrie or Dante Fabbro ready to go into the lineup.

Nashville will turn back to Saros for Game 3 on Friday at home after he impressed in Game 2 by stopping 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in a road victory to even the series. The 29-year-old had yet another strong regular season this year with his 35-24-5 record, 2.86 GAA and .906 SV%. He will look to take a series lead on Friday as Nashville hosts Vancouver, who will look to get back to their scoring ways after finishing the regular season fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.4).

Hague missed Game 2 due to a lower-body injury and will remain out on Saturday as Vegas hosts Dallas for Game 3. The 25-year-old has missed a total of eight regular season games in the last two season and had two goals, 12 points, 43 PIMs and 105 SOG in 73 games this year.

Nashville will expectedly turn back to Saros for Game 3 on Friday at home after he impressed in Game 2 by stopping 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in a road victory to even the series. The 29-year-old had yet another strong regular season this year with his 35-24-5 record, 2.86 GAA and .906 SV%. He will look to take a series lead on Friday as Nashville hosts Vancouver, who will look to get back to their scoring ways after finishing the regular season fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.4).

Perbix will draw in along with Tanner Jeannot after both players sat out Game 2 on Tuesday. Maxwell Crozier and Calvin de Haan will draw out of the lineup in their place.

Hague played 15:41 time-on-ice in the Golden Knights 4-3 game one victory over the Dallas Stars but suffered a lower-body injury at some point and will not be able to play on Wednesday in game two. The 25-year-old Hague finished the 2023-24 campaign with 12 points (2G / 10A), 111 blocks, and 153 hits in 73 games.

Saros will unsurprisingly get the nod in goal on Tuesday as he and the Predators look to bounce back from a disappointing Game 1 defeat. Nashville's starting netminder allowed three goals on just 20 shots in Sunday's loss, as the Canucks added an empty netter to seal a 4-2 victory and take the early series lead. Saros and the Predators enter tonight as very slight underdogs at +105. They will be hoping to steal home-ice advantage from the Canucks and even up the series before heading back home for Game 3.

Perbix will draw out of the Lightning lineup as Maxwell Crozier and Calvin de Haan will draw in for Game 2 against the Panthers. It's unclear at this time whether Perbix is simply a healthy scratch or if he's dealing with an undisclosed injury.