Nashville Predators
Last season: 47-30-5, lost to Vancouver in six games in first round of playoffs.
COACH: Andrew Brunette (82-47-30 over 2 seasons with 2 teams, 2 playoff berths)
SEASON OPENER: Oct. 10 vs. Dallas.
DEPARTURES: D Ryan McDonagh, F Cody Glass and G Yaroslav Askarov.
ADDITIONS: F Steven Stamkos, F Jonathan Marchessault, D Brady Skej and G Scott Wedgewood.
GOALIES: Juuse Saros (35-24-5, 2.86 GAA, 0.906 save percentage) and Wedgewood (16-7-5-, 2.85 GAA, 0.899).
BETMGM STANLEY CUP ODDS: 16-1.
What to expect
The Predators put together a franchise-record 18-game point streak, rallying from 27th in the NHL at Thanksgiving to reach the postseason for the ninth time in 10 seasons. That ties Nashville with Tampa Bay and Washington for most playoff berths in that span. During the streak, the Predators not only outscored opponents 74-33, they averaged an NHL-best 4.11 goals per game and allowed the fewest (1.83). Nashville lost to Vancouver in six games in a taut series, but the performance to get there gave Nashville executives the courage to go all-in. General manager Barry Trotz opened free agency with a big spending spree and also signed Saros to an eight-year deal. He bolstered Nashville’s scoring depth, especially on the power play, and added Stanley Cup champions in Stamkos and Marchessault, hoping to make another run at the Stanley Cup.
Strengths and weaknesses
The good: Once the Predators came together in Brunette’s first season as coach, they tied for sixth in the NHL with 24 road wins, one off the franchise record set in 2017-18 when Nashville won the Presidents’ Trophy. Nashville finished the season going 42-20-5 and sixth in the NHL in that span with 89 points.
The not-so-good: Five Predators had career seasons, and now Nashville must hope that production was a sign of more to come rather than a high-water mark. Trotz and Brunette are working to mix in some youth on a veteran roster that only got older with the free agency signees. This is a win-now roster. Will the mix work?
Players to watch
Saros. Stamkos, Marchessault, Skjei along with Filip Forsberg and captain Roman Josi will attract most of the attention, but the two-time All-Star will be the key to how far the Predators go. Saros has finished third, fourth and fifth in voting for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender in the regular season and learned from fellow Finn Pekka Rinne, who has a statue outside the arena for his Nashville success. But Saros still is looking for his first playoff series victory and is 5-11 in the postseason.
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