Did The Nashville Predators Suddenly Become Serious Cup Contenders?

NHL free agency got underway Monday, and Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz cracked open his checkbook and dropped a free agency performance for the ages landing two of the biggest fish on the market in Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

Then, just for funsies, he beefed up the blue line with Brady Skjei.

The Preds were one of the league's best teams down the stretch (thanks in large part to scrapping a team trip to see U2 at Sphere in Las Vegas).

I mean, look at this graphic that the NHL posted once the first wave of signings was wrapped up.

Forsberg. Saros. Josi. O'Reilly. Skjei. Stamkos. Marchessault.

That's a nightmare to see on the other team's roster. I mean, you've got two Conn Smythe winners and then even Stamkos probably had a case for winning a Conn Smythe at one point.

It's an insane core and one that we all kind of saw coming.

For a team that made the postseason this year, Nashville had a lot of money to play with and play with it they did.

Sure, it helps that Tennessee has no state income tax (which was a major talking point on Canadian TV during the start of free agency, since Stamkos and Marchessault both moved from other states without state income tax — Florida and Nevada — to Tennessee), but there's got to be more there than a better financial situation.

The team had some pieces in place already, and if it weren't for an underwhelming first half, they could have been a top three team in the very competitive Central Division.

But do these signings mean we should be on the lookout for the Predators to be a Cup favorite?

I think it does.

Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault headlined a stellar start to free agency for the Nashville Predators. (Getty Images)

Predators Are In ‘Win Now’ Mode But Still Have Plenty Of Draft Picks

I think the Predators surprised themselves with how good they were at the tail end of last season, and because their key players in Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros aren't getting any younger, pushing the chips to the center of the table now, isn't a bad idea.

Furthermore, it just worked out that the Predators at the wiggle room to sign Stamkos, Marchessault and Skjei.

Those are great players but Stamkos and Marchessault may have a little extra fire next season.

Stamkos seemed to indicate that Tampa didn't want to give him a respectable offer. Marchessault flat-out said that he didn't think the Golden Knights did their best to keep him in the fold during an appearance on TSN.

They'll have chips on their shoulders for sure.

Nashville won't have much breathing room with the salary cap, but it will still have some ways to improve if the first year or two with this core fall flat.

The Stamkos and Marchessault deals are not untradeable and the team still has a bunch of draft picks (the Predators have 11 next year, although one is a conditional pick from Tampa that is top 10-protected).

The Predators improved more than any other team on paper this week, and while I'm not sure they'll seal the deal next season or even the next, they're better positioned to win a Cup than they have been in years.