Onward March

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

2015-16 record: 41-27-14 (96 points)
Lost to San Jose in Conference semi-finals
Captain: Mike Fisher

The Nashville Predators made history last season, as they not only got to play in a game seven for the first time in franchise history, but also win that game seven against Anaheim in the opening round. However, they would go on to lose to San Jose in the following round after a dismal showing in game seven of that series. Sensing urgency, the Preds decided to make a couple of franchise-altering moves, trading long-time defender Shea Weber to Montreal for PK Subban, changing the dynamic of the blue line there, as well as going for a more team speed oriented squad, something that will be further cemented by the Subban trade. The Predators believe they can stay ahead of the curve in the Central Division, but will those moves be enough to get them over the top?

Down the middle is still a weak point for Nashville, although picking up Ryan Johansen last season gives them a center with number one potential. However, other than Mike Fisher, the depth there remains rather thin. On the wings, there is no such issue, as James Neal and Filip Forsberg are the lead scorers there, with Craig Smith providing solid secondary scoring. However, Colin Wilson will need to prove that he's more than just a playoff performer, as his regular season numbers were rather ordinary. The swap of franchise defenders leaves the Predators with a decidedly different outlook on how to approach games from the blue line. Subban is faster, and regardless of who he ends up being paired with, things will be more exciting there. However, the most important player there is Roman Josi, who may very well be the best overall defender on the team. Depth-wise, there will be a number of players battling for the last two spots on the chart, but the Preds are very good on their top four. Pekka Rinne finally stayed healthy after a couple of seasons battling injuries, and while he isn't the player he once was, the rest for a stretch of games leading into the playoffs helped, as he almost single-handedly stole a game or two in the playoffs. He may be forced to play a little more in the regular season, as the backups are Marek Mazanec and Juuse Saros, neither of whom have had extensive NHL experience. Both special teams units were in the top half of the league, but as it is for the even strength, how Subban will change the dynamics of the power play and penalty killing units will be one to monitor.

Prediction: 2nd in the Central Division

The Predators are gearing their team towards playing the likes of Dallas and Pittsburgh, teams that use speed to score goals and generally cause havoc with the opposition. This may be the best Predators team yet, but until they reach the Conference finals, it will remain a paper dream.