Creative Third Line Paying Dividends for the Predators
Newly matched line quickly becoming most dominant in Nashville.
The Nashville Predators’ surprise third line has been a major contributor to the team’s 2-1-2 start, with each player leaving their mark. With a little bit of grit, experience, and skill, the line has proven to be a strong, two-way group.
The trio of Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, and Jonathan Marchessault has combined for five of the team’s 14 goals to start the season, with each player scoring at least once.
Bunting, who was acquired by Nashville around the trade deadline last year, is the grinder of the group. He’s tallied a goal and an assist so far and seems to be the guy who gets the others going.
“I think Bunts is the energizer bunny on that line,” Brunette said earlier this week. “I think he kind of gets them going. He’s the straw that really stirs that drink there.”
The 34-year-old Erik Haula centers this group, and he was also brought in through a trade, this one in the offseason, and so far, it has paid off. Haula adds experience and offensive presence to the squad, already recording two goals and two assists while winning nearly 60% of his faceoffs.
Brunette has gotten to know Haula over the years, coaching the forward on three different teams. He served as the Minnesota Wild’s assistant coach for a few seasons before becoming the assistant GM there, all while Haula was starting his career. They reunited for a season in New Jersey in 2022, and now they’re back together once again in Nashville, and the coach appreciates it.
“He’s versatile,” Brunette said. “I’ve had the opportunity to coach him for a long time. He’s very reliable on the ice. He’s got enough offense to play with the offensive guys, and he’s smart and aware, kind of a typical Finnish center, where he’s going to do the right things for 200 feet of the ice.”
Lastly, there’s Marchessault. He’s the scorer of the line, and should be, as he was given a five-year, $27 million contract in July of 2024. The 2024–25 season was a down year for him since becoming a full-time NHLer, as he scored just 21 goals in 78 games.
He’s looking to improve on that and has already found the back of the net twice in the first five games. After a promising start to the season, Marchessault made it clear he wants to forget about last year and focus on the present.
“We don’t think too far ahead,” the 34-year-old winger said. “Last year we were saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to be so good.’ Now we don’t care what people say about us. We just focus on the task ahead of us.”