Pre-Scout: Predators charging up standings with Stamkos’ scoring

The Nashville Predators are lurking.

If you don’t look at the NHL standings too often, walking into this Edmonton Oilers and Predators matchup, you’d think – finally, a soft spot in the schedule. In October, that would’ve been true.

Ugly losses. Ugly stats. Ugly quotes.

But despite alarming trends and calls for a fire sale, the Preds have played much better since the end of November, crawling out of the league’s doldrums into Wild Card consideration.

In fact, they are 11-5 in December and January, sprouting to a 19-18-4 record precisely halfway through their season.

Part of the reason is that Steven Stamkos is scoring goals again.

Stammer is back

Stamkos was performing so poorly that there was real doubt the Preds could even trade him, especially in year two of a four-year contract worth $8-million annually.

It can’t be overstated just how bad his offensive production was to start. Now, he’s seemingly back to the old Stammer. He had just five points in his first 22 games. Since then, he’s scored 14 goals and produced 23 points in the last 19 games.

On New Year’s Eve, Stamkos tickled the twine for the 600th time, becoming just the 22nd player in NHL history to achieve the massive milestone.

It’s timely goals too. He scored six game-winning goals in December, tying an NHL record for the most GWG in a calendar month.

Last season was a precipitous dropoff from his old Tampa Bay self, regressing from 81 points to 53 points. But if Stamkos has found his........

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