We have come to know the Nashville Predators for exactly what they have been over the past several years: a really good regular-season team.
Another fast start offers more excitement, but simply making the playoffs is no longer good enough for this franchise.
The Predators are unfortunate enough to play in one of the toughest divisions in the NHL but have still managed to consistently put up 90-point seasons in recent years.
Even advancing past the first round of the playoffs is arguably not good enough for this franchise anymore. It advanced to the conference semifinals in 2011 and 2012.