Former Predators Stars Smith, Sissons, and Lauzon Head to Stanley Cup Finals with Golden Knights

A change of scenery has proven beneficial for former Nashville Predators players Cole Smith, Colton Sissons, and Jeremy Lauzon, as they now find themselves competing in the Stanley Cup Finals with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights secured their spot by edging out the Colorado Avalanche 2-1, completing a sweep in the Western Conference Finals and marking their third Stanley Cup Finals appearance in just nine seasons.

In a pivotal moment of the game, Cole Smith netted the game-winning goal with just 5:45 remaining, deftly redirecting a shot from Dylan Coghlan. This marked Smith’s third goal of the playoffs, highlighting his crucial role in the team’s postseason success.

Sissons and Lauzon joined the Golden Knights in a late June trade, which sent defenseman Nicolas Hague and a 2027 third-round draft pick to Nashville. That pick was later upgraded to a second-round selection following Vegas’s advancement to the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, Smith was acquired at the trade deadline in March, in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick and defenseman Christoffer Sedoff.

As the playoffs progressed, Sissons has contributed significantly, accumulating six points—two goals and four assists—over 15 games. Lauzon has participated in six playoff contests, while Smith has tallied four points, including two goals and two assists, across 15 games. This will be Smith and Lauzon’s first appearance in the finals, while Sissons returns for the first time since 2017, when the Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins and fell in six games.

During the playoff run, Sissons has made his mark with 12 points, including six goals and six assists, in 22 games. The Golden Knights have been widely regarded as the winners of the trade with Nashville, as Hague played 62 games this season for the Predators, recording 15 points and finishing with a minus-10 rating.

Additionally, Nashville signed Jonathan Marchessault from free agency in 2024, who previously spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights. However, Marchessault’s performance has declined since joining the Predators, as he managed just 31 points—comprised of 12 goals and 19 assists—in 62 games this past season.

As the Golden Knights prepare for the finals, they await the victor of the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. The date for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals has yet to be determined.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.