Five Reasons the Predators Will Win the Central Division
With the Predators barely squeaking into the playoffs last year prior to advancing all the way to the Stanley Cup Final I thought it would be worth discussing why this season they will, instead, win their division.
1. Chemistry with the top four defensemen
The big trade in the offseason last year brought some unknowns to the Predators. How would they adjust to a new captain in Mike Fisher? Would P.K. Subban fit in? In hindsight I think most would say both those things were factors in the Predators struggles in the early going last season. The Predators limped to a 2-5-1 finish for the month of October which was the second-worst record in the NHL. Not ideal. P.K.'s start to the year, he would admit, was a little rocky. He swapped partners a couple of times while Laviolette tried to find the best two pairings on defense. Then he got injured just as he was finding his footing.
P.K. missed 16 games while recovering from an upper-body injury which not only hurt the Predators due to not having their star defenseman but also halted the momentum he was getting developing chemistry with Mattias Ekholm. This season he will start out paired with Ekholm -- with whom he has finally developed chemistry as evidenced by the pair's strong play in the playoffs and this will no longer be a concern.
2. JOFA line to start the year
To start the year last season the Predators' top line consisted of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and James Neal.
That line had some success and although Forsberg had a bit of a drought for awhile there, James Neal was playing some of his best hockey of the season to start the year. It wasn't until Arvidsson replaced James Neal that the Predators really started playing some of their best hockey and the longer the "JOFA" line (named for the first two letters of Johansen and the first initials of Forsberg and Arvidsson. Also a funky-looking helmet.) played together the better they seemed to get. Just look at the numbers. Forsberg and Arvidsson tied for the team lead in goals with 31 a piece while Johansen doled out assists to the tune of 47 total while adding 14 goals of his own.
This season that line will most likely be intact to start the year and with the chemistry they've developed during the season last year and especially in the post-season when they were arguably the best line in the playoffs the Predators will be off to a much better start.
3. Kevin Fiala
Sign me up to the Kevin Fiala fan club as I am one who thinks he's about to have a breakout year which will leave many who decried Poile letting James Neal slip off to Vegas saying "Ah..."
Fiala totaled 17 goals this past season while playing partly in Nashville and partly in Milwaukee and I think he can defnitely up that production given a full 82 games at the NHL level. Fiala has worked for it and he's earned it and I expect the Fiala we see to start the year to be the same hungry player we saw in the post-season prior to his unfortunate injury.
Now Fiala still will have to make the team out of camp but I believe that he will and his production will match the effort he puts in.
4. More Juuse Saros
Most anyone who looks at the Preds' regular season last year would end up at the same conclusion. Rinne was not very good for much of the year but Saros came on late and proved he could be an effective replacement for Rinne to keep him rested. That will pay dividends this season as we look to keep a 34 year-old Rinne fresh.
Saros finished last season with a 0.923 save percentage while playing in 21 games, recording one shutout. Look for Saros to shoulder a heavier workload this season with Rinne not getting any younger.
5. Less Dominant Blackhawks
If you've paid attention this summer you already know the Blackhawks lost some key pieces this
offseason due to the expansion draft and due to the salary cap. Gone is Marian Hossa, (with a strange progressive skin disorder caused by an allergy to his equipment) Trevor van Riemsdyk, (who was subsequently dealt to the Hurricanes) Marcus Kruger, (also dealt to Vegas and then the Canes) Niklas Hjalmarsson, Scott Darling, Artemi Panarin, and Tyler Motte.
The Blackhawks did acquire forward Brandon Saad in the Panarin deal but most think the Columbus Blue Jackets won that trade.
Most would say The Blackhawks have been our chief competition in the Central Division although we have been competitive against them more recently but a thinning out of the talent on that team means the Predators will have an easier path to the Central Division crown.
I would be amiss not to mention the Dallas Stars and what they've done in the offseason as the likely new chief rivals in the Central for the Predators but they do have notable defensive issues that were not really addressed in the offseason.
1. Chemistry with the top four defensemen
The big trade in the offseason last year brought some unknowns to the Predators. How would they adjust to a new captain in Mike Fisher? Would P.K. Subban fit in? In hindsight I think most would say both those things were factors in the Predators struggles in the early going last season. The Predators limped to a 2-5-1 finish for the month of October which was the second-worst record in the NHL. Not ideal. P.K.'s start to the year, he would admit, was a little rocky. He swapped partners a couple of times while Laviolette tried to find the best two pairings on defense. Then he got injured just as he was finding his footing.P.K. missed 16 games while recovering from an upper-body injury which not only hurt the Predators due to not having their star defenseman but also halted the momentum he was getting developing chemistry with Mattias Ekholm. This season he will start out paired with Ekholm -- with whom he has finally developed chemistry as evidenced by the pair's strong play in the playoffs and this will no longer be a concern.
2. JOFA line to start the year
To start the year last season the Predators' top line consisted of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and James Neal.That line had some success and although Forsberg had a bit of a drought for awhile there, James Neal was playing some of his best hockey of the season to start the year. It wasn't until Arvidsson replaced James Neal that the Predators really started playing some of their best hockey and the longer the "JOFA" line (named for the first two letters of Johansen and the first initials of Forsberg and Arvidsson. Also a funky-looking helmet.) played together the better they seemed to get. Just look at the numbers. Forsberg and Arvidsson tied for the team lead in goals with 31 a piece while Johansen doled out assists to the tune of 47 total while adding 14 goals of his own.
This season that line will most likely be intact to start the year and with the chemistry they've developed during the season last year and especially in the post-season when they were arguably the best line in the playoffs the Predators will be off to a much better start.
3. Kevin Fiala
Sign me up to the Kevin Fiala fan club as I am one who thinks he's about to have a breakout year which will leave many who decried Poile letting James Neal slip off to Vegas saying "Ah..."
Fiala totaled 17 goals this past season while playing partly in Nashville and partly in Milwaukee and I think he can defnitely up that production given a full 82 games at the NHL level. Fiala has worked for it and he's earned it and I expect the Fiala we see to start the year to be the same hungry player we saw in the post-season prior to his unfortunate injury.
Now Fiala still will have to make the team out of camp but I believe that he will and his production will match the effort he puts in.
4. More Juuse Saros
Most anyone who looks at the Preds' regular season last year would end up at the same conclusion. Rinne was not very good for much of the year but Saros came on late and proved he could be an effective replacement for Rinne to keep him rested. That will pay dividends this season as we look to keep a 34 year-old Rinne fresh.
Saros finished last season with a 0.923 save percentage while playing in 21 games, recording one shutout. Look for Saros to shoulder a heavier workload this season with Rinne not getting any younger.
5. Less Dominant Blackhawks
If you've paid attention this summer you already know the Blackhawks lost some key pieces this
offseason due to the expansion draft and due to the salary cap. Gone is Marian Hossa, (with a strange progressive skin disorder caused by an allergy to his equipment) Trevor van Riemsdyk, (who was subsequently dealt to the Hurricanes) Marcus Kruger, (also dealt to Vegas and then the Canes) Niklas Hjalmarsson, Scott Darling, Artemi Panarin, and Tyler Motte.
The Blackhawks did acquire forward Brandon Saad in the Panarin deal but most think the Columbus Blue Jackets won that trade.
Most would say The Blackhawks have been our chief competition in the Central Division although we have been competitive against them more recently but a thinning out of the talent on that team means the Predators will have an easier path to the Central Division crown.
I would be amiss not to mention the Dallas Stars and what they've done in the offseason as the likely new chief rivals in the Central for the Predators but they do have notable defensive issues that were not really addressed in the offseason.
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