Play on: Nashville Predators year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK: They missed the playoffs the year before, Pekka Rinne going down and never recovering. The hope was that with a new batch of free agents and a healthy goalie they could compete.

 

FINAL RECORD: 47-25-10 104 points 3rd best in the West, Best ever for the Predators

 

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR: A sizzling hot start led by rookie sensation Filip Forsberg, newcomer Mike ribiero and goalie Rinne served notice that Laviolette had the team back on track. They peaked on February 24th with an insane record of 41-13-7 five points ahead fo the Ducks for the best in Hockey.

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR: From then on, the team was absolutely awful, not even coming close to resembling the club from early in the year. They stumbled down the stretch going 6-12-3 including two seperate six game losing streaks. Then they went quietly in the first round.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Forsberg (26-37-63) slipped down the stretch but still led the team in scoring and set Predator rookie records. Rinne was injured (41 wins, 2.18 goals against) or he would likely have won the Vezina, possibly the Hart trophy. Shea Weber and Roman Josi were arguably the top tandem on the back end in the game. Ribiero stayed out of trouble and was a big time center. Mike Fisher came back strong from a first half injury. Craig Smith (23 goals) and Colin Wilson (20-22-42) rewarded the organization patience with timely scoring. Seth Jones showed flashes. Lavy ahd the team thinking offense first, they finished 7th in scoring and 4th in goals against.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG: James Neal came over from the Pens and was ordinary. Franson and Santorelli came over at the deadline and didnt offer much. Gabriel Bourque continues to slip. Carter Hutton backing up Rinne shows he is not really an NHL goalie. Matt Cullen seems to be done.

 

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR: James Neal came over from the Pens to spark the power play and managed only 3 PPG and one power play assist in spite of being third on the team in power play ice time.

 

UFAs:

Ribiero

Fisher

Cullen

Franson

Volchenkov

Santorelli

 

TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2015-16: Hellberg almost certainly will take the backup goalie job from Hutton. If Rinne goes down for a long stretch like he usually does Hellberg could shine. Kevin Fiala is considered a top scoring winger, he should crack the top nine this coming year. A bunch of mediocre forwards (Beck, Watson, Sissons and Aberg) could play if others are injured but they arent really people you want to play if you dont have to. The Preds are very short on ready now organizational depth.

 

OFFSEASON QUESTIONS: Which team is the real Predators, the one who was battling for the Presidents trophy as late as Febraury 24th or the dog that played from then on? The teams top three centers are all free agents, can you resign Ribiero and Fisher both?

 

[flyercanuck]

Losing Weber for the playoffs didn't help a team that was already down on the momentum scale.

 

Forsberg who? Filip had a nice season, but the almost unanimous Calder talks on here seem to have fizzled out..(.and Ekblad is still up there with some different names.   )

Was anyone really surprised Neal would become less of a factor without Malkin setting him up? 37 points...and people here hate on Schenn. At least he toned down the idiocy part of his game. Somewhat. He's still a diver. 

 

The Preds clearly have a great goalie. And they clearly have a great D. Now its just a matter of filling in some spots at the forward position.