Svechkov’s confidence and personality shine in his second spell with Preds

Moments later, Svechkov said that perhaps Marchessault should be invited to the UFC after his energetic move.

All of his comments were very funny and it was easy to see why Svechkov was in good spirits after the successful outing.

As he later revealed, his second time at the big club feels completely different to his first.

“A lot more confident,” Svechkov said of returning to the Preds for the second time in his career. “Because the first time you are (very nervous). It’s harder than it seems, especially for me. I don’t know what it’s like for different kids, but I felt like I wasn’t myself the first time. It’s nice to be around these guys, but you don’t feel like you’re part of the real NHL, you know? So this time I felt, ‘Oh, I have to step up my game.’ So I came with more confidence. More pressure on myself, more demands on the ice, that helps me. I think this time is much better than the first.”

Those around him also recognized Svechkov’s newfound confidence, a welcome addition to a Predators team that began the 2025 schedule with a pair of satisfying wins.