Well… this is certainly not the start people were expecting. But maybe it should be? With so many new faces, especially at the top of the lineup perhaps the growing pains were inevitable. After 10 games the Nashville Predators, the darlings of the NHL offseason, are 3-6-1 including a 0-5-0 stretch to start the season. When the Predators have been good, the talent is obvious but more often than not the results have been equivalent to the gif of John Travolta in Pulp Fiction looking around confused. So now seems like a relevant time to pause and take a look at where the stocks are up or down with the Nashville Predators.
Stock Down – Second Line Centers
With all the offseason additions, the big question was still who would center the second line. While Steven Stamkos has played center much of his career, in recent years he has primarily played wing and has been very successful in that role. The answer through training camp was Tommy Novak but that lasted all of two periods of game one before Andrew Brunette shifted Colton Sissons up. Since game one, Novak and Sissons have shared the role with neither really taking hold of it. Novak has contributed more offensively while Sissons has been the “guy you can trust”. Whether the answer comes from on the roster, in Milwaukee, or another team the Predators need more from their second line centers and fast.
Stock Up – Filip Forsberg
He’s so good. Filip Forsberg has almost reached cheat code status. His goal against Chicago where he split two defenders while receiving the pass and still managed to string multiple dekes on Petr Mrazek should be on highlight reels all season.
Through 10 games, Forsberg leads the Predators in basically every measurable offensive statistic and is regularly driving the play. In fact, he is 6th in NHL in shots on goal per 60 minutes and in the top 25 for individual expected goals per 60 minutes. The team will need Forsberg to keep driving the bus until the other offensive stars can find their stride and start contributing up to their capability.
Stock Down – Identity Line
A mainstay of the Predators that started most of the games in 2023-24, the fourth line has been a glaring weakness through 10 games. Michael McCarron, Cole Smith and a rotating cast of wingers have all struggled mightily, especially on the defensive end where they have been repeatedly exposed for goals against. McCarron and Smith have each been on the ice for 9 more goals against at 5v5 than for their own team. The physicality and pressure they used to impose their will on opponents just hasn’t been there which is causing the group to regularly get pinned in their own end. Zach L’Heureux’s entry into the lineup has helped inject some life into the group but his contributions could soon see him rise in the lineup. McCarron and Smith need to lead the way for their group and find their way back to being positive contributors nightly.
Stock Up – Penalty Kill
Oddly enough, the same forwards who are having such a rough time at even strength have been tremendous on the penalty kill. Nashville has been the best in the NHL through 10 games at a stellar 93.3%. The quickness, aggression and attention to detail that has been severely lacking with the Predators’ 5v5 defense has been on full display during the penalty kill. It is also helpful that the Predators have been one of the best teams in the faceoff dot. Given the Predators propensity for taking penalties the success while a man down is particularly relevant and will need to stay that way going forward.
Stock to Watch – Shooting Percentage
The Predators have some work to do in terms of getting better and more dangerous shots on goal, but they have also been incredibly unlucky. At 5v5 as a team the Predators are shooting just over 4.5% which is lowest in the NHL and a full percent lower than the next team. A perfect example is Steven Stamkos who is only shooting 3.1% so far. That won’t last for one for one of the greatest goal scorers of this generation. From a purely eye test perspective they have also hit at least one post in almost every game so far. With all the offensive talent that the Predators have there will be a natural improvement. If the Predators can also be more purposeful in getting to the net then the offensive output could get better very quickly.
It is only 10 games and there is plenty of time to string together wins that help climb the standings. Andrew Brunette needs to find answers for the second line center and the fourth line or Barry Trotz will make his own decisions about the roster. It is entirely reasonable that Stamkos, Josi and Marchessault find their respective rhythms soon and the results turn in Nashville’s favor. But as the phrase goes, it is getting late early and general manager Barry Trotz will not be patient for long for the team to figure it out.
Statistics courtesy of the NHL and Natural Stat Trick
