As the holiday season is upon us, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as we get closer to the halfway point. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Nashville Predators.
What are the Predators most thankful for?
Cost certainty.
That doesn’t sound like a very sexy thing to be excited about, but the Predators have used long-term deals to create a program that keeps them in the race every year. All six of the team’s top scorers are currently on contracts of at least six years in length, a testament to David Poile’s willingness to extend his players early and often. If Roman Josi was still looking at unrestricted free agency in a few months while on pace for a career-high 30 goals and 77 points, his price tag would only be going up from the $9.059MM average annual value they got him to agree to in October.
That kind of foresight has worked out brilliantly in other cases too, like Calle Jarnkrok who agreed to a six-year deal in 2016 that carried just a $2MM annual cap hit. Jarnkrok has been outstanding this season with 25 points in 35 games, scoring in all situations.
Who are the Predators most thankful for?
That has to be Josi, who is not only scoring at the best rate of his career but is also carrying his best underlying analytics in some time. The 29-year old captain would be a real contender (or perhaps the clubhouse favorite) for the Norris Trophy this season as the league’s best defenseman if it weren’t for the absurdity that is John Carlson’s point production.
It’s hard to know exactly how Josi’s new eight-year, $72.47MM extension will work out in the long run, but at the current $4MM cap hit he carries on the last year of his old deal? He’s one of the biggest bargains in the entire league.
What would the Predators be even more thankful for?
A more consistent bottom-pairing.
Even with the exceptional talents that the Predators boast at the top of their defense group, the team has still allowed 114 goals this season and are barely keeping pace in the tough Central Division. Some of those struggles at least can be pinned on the backs of their depth defenders, including former star Dan Hamhuis who has shown his age this season. The 37-year old was once a rock solid two-way option for the Predators, but may need to be upgraded if the team wants to contend for the Stanley Cup once again.
What should be on the Predators’ Holiday Wish List?
Exactly what it says above, if there’s a way to fit another defenseman into the group right now. The Predators don’t need to add scoring after Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup, but tightening up defensively is an absolute must if they want to sneak their way back into the playoffs. With a reliable tandem of Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros that can handle the net and enviable depth down the middle, a new option on the bottom pairing might be the only thing missing from a late-season run.
Whether they can find that fit will be the question, especially one that doesn’t cost much in the future. Obviously moving Kyle Turris out would clear some room down the road, but with the enigmatic forward seemingly finding his game recently there may be some hesitation to ship him out at this point.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
What else should be on the Predators’ wish list? Shea Weber not retiring before his contract is up, otherwise they could be hit with some pretty scary cap recapture.
A power forward like Chris Kreider is another need the Preds have. Lots of skill up front, but they really lack physicality throughout their roster.