To catch a Predator

[yave1964]

Horrible title. Just wanted a little play on their team name.

Anyone who doesn't have Barry Trotz on their short list of best coaches in the game does not watch much Western conference hockey.

Year after year this team has limited talent on the forward lines, is tough and true on the back end and whether it is Mason or Vokoun or Rinne the goaltending is solid. They play to not lose, solid in their own zone making occasional excursions into the other teams zone, consistently year after year being outshot, but as often as not in the thick of things for a playoff spot. Trotz squeezes the absolute most out of this team and should be commended for the job he does.

This year the Preds have went out and signed a ton of second and third line forwards, guys like Matt Cullen, Eric Nystrom, Matt Hendricks for grit, Viktor Stallberg, to go along with veteran holdovers Legwand, Fisher and Hornqvist. And to go along with this bunch is a solid bunch of kids like Gabriel Borque, Craig Smith, recently acquired Filip Forsberg, Colin Wilson, Nick Spalling, and Taylor Beck. They are loaded with top nine forwards for the first time in years. True to the Predator way they lack the superstar but depth will not be a problem, they should be able to roll three lines with no problem.

Shea Weber s my favorite payer in the game today. I LOVE his game, big, nasty with a snarl will muck it up and a hundred MPH slapper. Looks nasty, plays nasty. He had a bit of an off year with the loss of Suter but is still among the best in the game. Josi developed slowy as did Bartley. Jonathon Blum was wretched and released, Gill did his best impersonation of a human pylon, Kevin Klein was solid but stretched to the limits of his talent. Weber was stretched too thin.

Enter Seth Jones, who fell to the Predators at number four, straight out of central casting as a replacement for Suter. Jones will have an attitude over falling so far after being touted as the first pick in the draft until a month before the draft. Teaming with Klein in all likelihood to start the year on the teams second pair with Josi stepping up with Weber, this defense is again ready to rock.

And then their is Rinne, I admire his skill, the best glove hand of any goalie in years and overall complete. He steals games the team should lose, his only bugaboo is he can be streaky and go three or four games of playing badly for no reason before righting himself. But overall if I was starting a team he would be on my short list for first goalie out of the gate. Trotz has been known to ride him too hard but the return of Chris Mason as a solid backup to the city where he played his best hockey should allow Rinne the odd day off.

So in conclusion

Top tier coach

Elite goaltender

Improved depth at forward, best they have in years

Seth Jones in as a long term quality defenseman

Additionally, no Radulov or Kostytsyn in sight. All three have taken their own brand of last to the KHL in all likelihood permanently, the distraction is gone for good. I know two left last year, but their shaow still hung over the team. all are gone now, good riddance.

A playoff team, close to a lock. Even in a tough rugged division.