Each week, we break down the highs and lows of Predators hockey; we assign “plusses” to the players, lines, coaches, concepts, etc. whose stock is trending upwards, and “minuses” to those who have some improvements to work on.
Let’s jump into this week’s list!
Plus: Luke Evangelista
Entering his official rookie season (technically), it took some time for Evangelista to find the same mojo he had in his end-of-year debut with the Preds last season. Over the past week, however, the 21-year-old has found his stride. Evangelista racked up two assists against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, including the primary assist on Roman Josi’s overtime game-winner. That performance gives Evangelista five points in his past four games, tied with his linemate Tommy Novak for most on the Preds in that span.
In addition to his statlines ramping up, there’s also been a steady improvement in Evangelista’s two-way game since the end of last season, something that’s led to Andrew Brunette giving him more minutes (Evangelista averaged about 11:45 TOI in the first three games of the season and 18:00 TOI over the past three.) His chemistry with Novak and Kiefer Sherwood has been one of the high points of the Preds’ season. As with any hot streak at the start of the season, it’s important to note that there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played this season, but Preds fans have to be encouraged by Evangelista’s development thus far.
Minus: Juuso Parssinen
After two goals in the first two games of the season, it looked like Parssinen had found some magic as the third piece on the Preds’ top line. But a scoring slump (just one assist in the last six games) combined with some shaky defensive play has bumped Parssinen down the depth chart. He slotted in on the fourth line Saturday against the Leafs alongside Liam Foudy and Phil Tomasino, a line which performed…. well, they performed. That resulted in Tomasino only getting 9:57 in ice time, and just three shifts in the third period.
The cold snap on the scoresheet can happen to anyone, but Parssinen’s struggles in his own zone is a bit surprising given how solid he was in that department as a rookie last season. The Preds had been planning to use Parssinen in a variety of different situations, so they’ll want him to get back on track sooner rather than later.
Plus: 5v5 Defense
What a difference a year makes, eh?
Last season, the Nashville Predators were among the NHL’s worst defensive teams; only the Blue Jackets and Ducks, the two worst teams in the league, gave up more shots over the course of the season. This year, however, the Preds have flipped the script. Nashville’s 13.1 xGA at 5v5 is second-best in the entire NHL, only behind Dallas. Per NaturalStatTrick, they’re also 5th in high-danger changes allowed, 6th in 5v5 goals against, and 9th in shots against per game in all situations.
The most impressive thing about that is all three defensive pairings are pulling their weight. The Tyson Barrie-Jeremy Lauzon pairing is sixth best among all defensive pairings in the NHL in terms of expected goals against per 60 minutes, according to MoneyPuck. The Josi-Fabbro pairing is 10th, and the McDonagh-Carrier pairing is 19th.
Minus: Yakov Trenin’s Scoring Curse
Yakov Trenin has been doing a lot of things right this season. Scoring is not one of those things. Of the 113 players in the league who have recorded 20 or more shots on goal this season, only Trenin and Arizona’s Barrett Hayton have yet to record a single point. Woof…
It’s not as if Trenin has been a black hole on offense either. He’s clearly generating chances. As long as he does that, the points will start coming. Until then, the Preds can take solace in knowing that Trenin is still contributing in a lot of different ways.
Plus, it’s not like he has NO accuracy whatsoever…
Plus: Goalball
I’ll defer to Alex Daugherty’s description of this… “Goalball is lit, fam.”
In case you missed it, Kiefer Sherwood and Tommy Novak visited the Tennessee School for the Blind to try the unique sport, which Sherwood aptly described as mix of soccer, hockey, and dodgeball. The has grown into a popular Paralympic event, with 81 countries fielding teams.
Essentially, players have to rely on the sound of the ball against the court to know when and where to stop the ball. Novak, apparently channeling his Rocket League prowess, only needed a few reps to somehow become a beast at goalball. Sherwood, meanwhile, was also there (and took a ball straight to the face.)
But both Novak and Sherwood had fun playing, and both expressed an appreciation for the athletes who compete without the use of sight, which is what the experience is all about.
Minus: Random AF Start Times
An 8:15 PM home puck drop one day… a 6:00 PM home puck drop a few days later… two west coast games… and then a Saturday afternoon game. It hasn’t been easy keeping track of the Nashville Predators’ schedule over the past few weeks.
Not making any excuses… these are pro athletes; they’re going to have to adjust and bring their A-game regardless of the situation. But hockey players love their routines. Changing their gameday timing, even as little as one hour, can change the vibes. Plus, let’s face it: as a fan, it’s hard AF to keep up with when we’re actually supposed to tune in.
