Nashville Predators season preview
A lot of changes have been made in the Predators organization, which means that there are plenty of questions to be asked about what this team could be. And overall, the expectations aren’t high in Nashville this season. This team still has some big names like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, along with the addition of Ryan O’Reilly, but the Predators are in a clear culture shift and I’m not positive that they will find success right away.
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Offense
Goal-scoring is going to be the Predators’ biggest crutch this season. The Predators finished with the fifth-worst goals per game average in the entire league last season (2.72) and they didn’t make the necessary moves this summer to increase their offensive approach. Sure, they brought in a big name like O’Reilly who can score some goals, but they lost both Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen.
Nashville was incredibly weak offensively last season, finishing towards the bottom of the league on shots on goal per game as well as high-danger chances per 60 minutes. The changes they made this offseason don’t make them any scarier up front. They’ll struggle to score goals this year.
Defense
On paper, the Predators actually have a pretty solid defensive core. Obviously, it all starts with Josi — the team’s captain — but they brought in Luke Schenn, who is a veteran Stanley Cup champion, to strengthen their blue line. And they have some other big names like Ryan McDonagh and Tyson Barrie.
Last season they were riddled with injuries which made them a much weaker defensive team. Their metrics in their own end were not very pleasing, coming in at the bottom of the league in scoring chances against per 60 and expected goals against per 60. Luckily for them, Juuse Saros is there to bail them out. I think they will be stronger defensively this season if they can remain healthy.
Goaltending
Goaltending is Nashville’s biggest strength, by far. Saros has solidified himself as a top-five goalie in the NHL and he has the ability to single-handedly carry this team to the playoffs. I don’t ultimately think they will make it, but it’s a possibility because of him. Kevin Lankinen is a solid backup netminder, but all of the responsibility falls on Saros.
Player To Watch – G Juuse Saros
Saros finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting last season, which some people considered a snub, as he skated to a .919 save percentage with a 2.68 goals against average while leading the league with a +46.7 goals saved above expected. He should be in the mix for the Vezina again this year.
Outlook
The only way that the Predators make the playoffs is if Saros performs at a Vezina level once again. Luckily, they aren’t in the strongest division in the NHL, so they could very well steal a spot. But I don’t think it’s very likely. I just don’t trust Nashville enough offensively.
