The Nashville Predators wrapped up their final business of the 2025-26 season on Monday, conducting exit interviews and final media availability.

It was Barry Trotz's final time speaking as the team's general manager, expected to retire upon the arrival of a new GM in the offseason and to wrap up his time in a leadership position with the organization.

"I was here on day one. We didn't know if it would make it. We really didn't," Trotz said. "What I see now is a strong fan base, a passionate fan base, a loving fan base, a fan base that wants to win a cup. I'll tell you, it is gonna be one heck of a party on Broadway when they lift the cup here."

While Trotz, head coach Andrew Brunette and multiple players echoed disappointment, there was one sentiment shared by all of them: "We want to get back into the playoffs."

"I want to win, and as of right now, it's win here and be a part of this," Ryan O'Reilly said. "We have so many good pieces here between veteran guys, who are getting older, but if we add the right pieces, we can be back in the mix."

Nashville missed the postseason by three points, nearly completing a comeback that saw it dead last in the league in November. Through it all, the Predators "stayed afloat" and "rowed," giving them a chance to compete at the end of the season.

Brunette hung his hat on the fact that the Predators "never gave up," and Trotz addressed a claim made by Frank Seravalli in November that there was a "toxic energy" in Nashville.

"The word toxic was used by one of the media members out there and I never saw it," Trotz said. "If that was toxic, I need a lot more of that because this team was really, really close."

Two players who have been rumored to want out are Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

Stamkos, finishing up his 18th season, mentioned after the Predators' loss to the San Jose Sharks, 3-2, on April 13, which knocked them out of playoff contention, talked about how he arrived in Nashville in 2024 with the expectation of playoffs and how that hasn't happened.

The star forward netted 42 goals this season after scoring just three through the first month of play and was on pace for a career-low 20 points in 82 games. He just finished up the second year of a 4-year, $32 million contract with a No-Trade Clause.

Despite the disappointment, Stamkos said that he wants to be a part of getting this team into the playoffs and doesn't expect this team to start a full rebuild.

"We've talked about a rebuild, this and that, and it's safe to say that's not the case," Stamkos said. "We all want to be a part of the solution. We saw it in 55-60 games of what the integration could look like, with some of the younger guys and the old guys pulling their weight.

"There's going to be some changes for sure, but the overall message that was portrayed to us today was let's have a great summer and let's get off to a great start next year, and push through to the playoffs."

However, Stamkos added that there was nothing wrong with the Predators feeling "pissed off" about how the season ended.

"It's not a bad thing for any of us to feel that way, because you should be a little pissed off that we're not playing hockey right now," Stamkos said. "Sometimes it's tough to get past that and move forward, but there is a path there and all of us believe that."

On the flip side, Marchessault has had his "worst year ever."

Through 61 games, he had 31 points, which is his lowest-single season total when playing the entire season in the NHL. He elaborated on how he hadn't been in a good headspace this season, but how he remains positive that he has more to give to this team.

"I wasn't the person I usually am, and it ended up going against me," Marchessault said. "I'm normally a really, really positive guy and I look at what I control, and this year I wasn't."

Around the trade deadline, Marchessault was asked about his conversations with Trotz about his contract and movement. Marchessault said he wanted to keep those conversations between himself and Trotz private, but elaborated that he was happy he had the "No-Trade Clause."