Predators Preseason Preview

Camps are in full swing and rookie games have been played, and now it’s time to hit the ice and see who will earn a roster spot. The preseason is a time of hope and great expectation for the fans of their respective team and a time for vets to prove they still have what it takes to be productive and for young players to show they can compete at the NHL level. Time to take a look at the Predators and what this team needs to do to get back to the playoffs.

New arrivals

Marcel Goc, Ben Guite, Peter Olvecky, Ben Eaves

Dearly Departed

Greg Zanon, Vern Fiddler, Radek Bonk Scott Nichol, Ville Koistinen, Greg de Vries, Jed Ortmeyer, Antii Pihlstrom, Drew MacIntyre

Returning Free Agents

Steve Sullivan, Joel Ward

One could look at the Predators and say they were inactive during free agency, but the signing of Steve Sullivan is huge for the offensively challenged Preds. Sullivan brings a deft scoring touch to a team that desperately needs offense, and his potential loss to free agency would have been devastating to the Preds. Sully was able to play the second half of the season this past year after missing the better part of two seasons due to back injuries, so keeping him healthy and on the ice is essential. Joel Ward had a breakout season last year, his first full season in the NHL, notching 18 goals and 17 assists. The team likes his strength on the boards and in front of the net, and his work ethic is unquestioned. Wardo will compete for a spot on the wing on the second line, and the coaching staff is looking for him to build on his first year success.

The Preds hope that a change of venue will jumpstart the career of Marcel Goc, who had a disappointing tenure with the San Jose Sharks. Gocsigned a two year, two way deal with the Predators, and he brings size and good speed to the line up. Hopefully, he will discover a scoring touch with this change. Ben Guite brings grit and the occasional goal to the rink, and will compete for playing time on the fourth line after spending the last three years in Colorado. Peter Olvecky played 31 games in his rookie season for the Minnesota Wild and tallied 2 goals and 5 assists. Ben Eaves is a 27 year old, 5’8″, 180 lb. center that was drafted in the fourth round of the 23001 entry draft by Pittsburgh. he has yet to land a spot on an NHL roster and has played the last two years in Finland.

Of all the departures for the Predators, undoubtedly the biggest was blue liner Greg Zanon, who signed a free agent contract with Minnesota. His steadiness on the blue line and his shot blocking ability will be missed. Nichol and Fiddler provided depth at forward and excelled on the PK. Bonk was excellent on face-offs but his offensive production had waned. Koistinen was a talented but erratic D-man that never played to his potential. Pihlstrom showed flashes and had some talent, but could never produce offensively. Ortmeyer spent the last season on IR.

Goaltending

The strength of this team will be from the net out, and Pekka Rinne is the starter. Coming off a stellar rookie campaign, where he recorded a team high seven shutouts, Rinne is looking to build off his first year success and avoid the sophomore slump that has affected other Pred goalies (think: Mason, Ellis).  Pekka is very athletic and uses his 6’5″ frame to take away much of the net. He plays a strong positional game and has one of the best glove hands in the league. Backing up Pekka will be Dan Ellis, who started last season as the number one goalie. Dan was victimized by sloppy play in front of him and that worked on his confidence. Dan has worked very hard in the off season, with the intent of reclaiming the starter’s job. I expect Dan to push Pekka in camp and would not expect a drop in the level of play with him in net.

Waiting in the wings will be Chet Pickard and Mark Dekanich, both of whom are expected to start the season in Milwaukee, the Preds AHL affiliate. Pickard shows great promise and will challenge for a roster spot in the near future. Should he prove ready to move up, Ellis could be offered in a trade later this year as Dan is entering the final year of his his contract.

Defense

When considering the Preds D, the conversation begins with Shea Weber. Webs is coming off an All-Star season where he scored 20 goals and added 33 assists. His booming slapshot is one of the hardest in the league, and he has become an offensive force from the blueline. He is more than an offensive defenseman, however, as he has developed into a solid defensive presence for this team.  He plays sound positional D and reads the play well, and he does it with a snarl. Ryan Suter, Weber’s partner on the blueline, has quietly emerged as a sound and intelligent player that can score as well. Dan Hamhuis is the other veteran that on this squad. Hammer doesn’t get the press that the top pairing does, but he logs an enormous amount of ice time and plays quality minutes.

The concern for this team is the experience level of the players that will round out the D corp. Kevin Klein logged his first full NHL season last year and will be called upon to play more minutes and a bigger role. The remaining roster spots are up for grabs, and in the mix will be Alexander Sulzer, Cody Franson, Jonathan Blum Teemu Laskso, and Nolan Yonkman. Sulzer played two games with the Preds this past season before suffering a separated shoulder against Vancouver. he shows potential to earn a spot as he plays an intelligent game, moves the puck well, and can be physical. Franson has the tools to be an NHL defenseman, possessing great size (6’4″, 205 lbs) as well as a scoring touch, registering 11 goals and 41 assists in 76 games for Milwaukee last year. Lasskso and Yonkman spent the season with Milwaukee last year, and Blum played for the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League.

Last season, the Preds were 13th in the league with 228 goals against, and the young D will have to step up quickly for the Preds to maintain this level of play.

Forwards

This is the area of greatest concern for this team. It’s no secret that goals are desperately needed, and while the top line of Arnott, Dumont, and Sullivan are set, it is the production of the other lines that is questionable. For the Predators to have a successful season and return to the playoffs, offensive production from the second and third lines must improve, and specifically the play of Marty Erat and David Legwand. Erat tallied 50 points (17G, 33A) last season, while Legwand had 42 points (20G, 22A). Their production has to improve, and Coach Barry Trotz has said as much in the off season. Erat and Legwand are in the prime of their NHL careers and have been rewarded with long term contracts by the club. It is now time for them to produce commensurate with their compensation. The other wing position on this line is up for grabs, and the competition will be between Joel Ward, Mike Santorelli, and Nick Spaling for this slot.

There are roster spots for the taking by some of the young players. Cal O’Reillylogged 11 games last year with the Preds and shows some promise. Patric Hornqvist started the year with the Preds and was not as productive as hoped. The expectation is that time withthe big club last year will show them what it takes to be successful at that level. Much heralded center Colin Wilson will make a serious run at the third line center position. Wilson was drafted in 2007, and if he doesn’t start the year with the team, I expect him to be on the roster before the season is over. He possesses size, great hands, and a nose for the net, something that is needed on this team.

Last season, the Preds were 24th in goals scored with 207 goals; 13 additional goals would have tied them with Columbus, who claimed the 7th spot in the Western Confernece standings. The success of this team depends upon their ability to put more pucks in the net at even strength and improving on the PP (26th in the NHL at a 15.7% success rate). Having a healthy Steve Sullivan for a full season will improve both numbers, but it is critical to have  improved scoring from the second line and have younger players chip in timely goals.

Coaching

Barry Trotz is the only head coach in Predators history and has built a reputation for aqueezing everything out of the talent he puts on the ice. Trotzy has a capable staff in Peter Horachek, Brent Peterson, and Robert Bouchard, and with this being one of the younger squads this team has iced it will be imperitive for the staff to do an excellent job of preparing the team for a tough Western Confernce schedule.

Schedule

The Predshave 6 home games in October, 8 in November, and 6 in December. This young squad is going to have to be strong on the road early in the season or they will find themselves in a significant hole. They have to have confidence and consistency on the road, something this team struggled with last season. The positive is that the back end of the schedule is weighted toward home games.

There you have it- lots of unknowns and youth. Veteran leadership has to exert itself and young players have to rise to the occasion for this team to have success. I do look for this team to play well and be surprisingly competitive. And yes,  do look for them to make it back to the playoffs.