The Nashville Predators Offseason Review–What Will This Year Hold In Store.

Last year the NHL’s Western Conference’s Nashville Predators were a team that was missing a few key components to truly compete for the Stanley Cup Trophy.  The most glaring shortcoming for the Predators last season was a lack of scoring.  Nashville tied for 25th in the league with 2.52 goals per game.  Scoring came easier late in the season, when forward Steve Sullivan was back in the lineup and igniting the offense after a two-year absence but Nashville will still have to make a couple of moves to help the offense continue to grow as a unit.  It would be interesting to see what the Predators could do with a little more talent,  a playoff spot is definitely within reach.  Time will tell if the team’s offensive game will come together for a postseason berth in 2009-10

After helping Boston University to an NCAA title in April, Colin Wilson,the sophomore star quickly decided to turn pro.  He signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Predators, who had selected him with the seventh overall pick in 2008 NHL draft.  The 6-foot-1, 213-pound power forward was the Terriers’ leading scorer with 55 points in 43 games during the ‘08-09 college campaign.  Now, the 19-year-old seeks to follow in the footsteps of his dad, former NHLer Carey Wilson, who played for the Calgary Flames, the Hartford Whalers and the New York Rangers during a 10-year career.  While the Predators definitely can use some offensive help — they ranked in the bottom third of the league last year — Wilson will have to have an impressive training camp to make the big league roster in October.  In recent years, Predators veteran GM David Poile hasn’t been quick to rush his top prospects to Nashville.  Rather, he usually opts to give them further seasoning with the club’s AHL affiliate in Milwaukee.  Now or in the near future, Wilson projects as a top-six forward.  A workout warrior who impressed scouts with his physical conditioning during his draft year, Wilson has terrific puck skills and excellent hockey sense.  In fact, longtime BU head coach Jack Parker went out of his way on several occasions to talk about Wilson’s hockey smarts.  His heady nature is definitely something that will be a big help at the next level.  He’s getting into his mid-30s, but Jason Arnott remains very productive, scoring 33 goals in just 65 games.  He remains Nashville’s offensive leader.  Jean-Pierre Dumont led the Predators with 65 points, but he managed only 16 goals, his lowest total since 2002-2003.  Still Dumont will play a big role in the offense again next season.

The Predators, a team that was good on the defensive side of the puck last year is littered with blue-line talent.  Rising star Shea Weber is the cornerstone of the Predators defence corps, if not the entire franchise.  He finished second on the team with 23 goals and led the Predators in ice time, shots on goal and power play goals.  Weber can still tighten up some defensively and, if he does, he’ll be a Norris Trophy contender for the next decade.  Dan Hamhuis is a durable top-four defenceman.  He’s not a standout in any one aspect of the game, but does just about everything well while handling the toughest defensive assignments.  Naturally, the Predators will try to address their shortcomings on a budget, so one or two prospects like Jonathon Blum and Cody Franson could make the squad.  Blum, coming off a dominant junior season, may have the most potential, while Franson had good size and a couple of years of AHL seasoning in his favour.

Lets move onto The Predators goalie situation.  As it now seems to be an annual occurrence in the Predators’ crease, the number one goaltender at the start of the season wasn’t the number one by season’s end. Last season, it was Pekka Rinne, the lanky 26-year-old Finn who finally landed in the NHL after three seasons in the AHL.  The year before, Dan Ellis was the surprising sensation in goal for the Predators, and he struggled somewhat under the weight of the starting job.  Nevertheless, the tandem of Ellis and Rinne gives Nashville a strong and economical goaltending situation.  The organization has terrific depth in goal as well, with prospects Chet Pickard and Mark Dekanich in the pipeline.

With the 11th pick in the NHL draft Nashville selected Ryan Ellis, the 5′9″ 175lb defenseman out of the OHL.  Ellis is a really smart, heady defenseman.  His puck movement is excellent and the way he moves the puck around the zone is excellent.  He’s a real high-end offensive guy. He’s got a great shot and he gets it through to the net.  A lot of guys have their shots blocked, but he’s got a real knack for getting it through, and that leads to a lot of tip-in and rebound goals. He’s a smaller guy, but he’s not afraid of taking the body.  He shows no fear of getting involved in scrums, he never gets intimidated.

Nashville has the makings of a team on the rise.  There’s still time for them to pick up another winger who can put the biscuit in the basket and with all the other facets of their game coming together we’ll be seeing a much more competitive Predators team in the near future.  For Predator fans the rallying cry this year will be “playoffs,playoffs”.