The Predators kick off the 2022-2023 season against the Sharks in Prague this afternoon at 1:00 pm CT.
After a painful sweep in the postseason, the Nashville Predators are more than ready to turn the page to a new season. With solid offseason moves and a condensed training camp over, it's time to see how the 2022-2023 Nashville Predators can perform.
Today is game one of the back to back NHL Global Series, and the Predators will be taking on the San Jose Sharks in O2 Arena in the beautiful city of Prague. While the game will certainly generate a festive atmosphere, earning two points out of the gate is serious business for the Predators.
The Teams
San Jose starts the regular season and a new era today. The Sharks added General Manager Mike Geier and head coach Dan Quinn this summer. Geier and Quinn have been busy balancing a roster of aging veterans, up and coming prospects, and a handful of new additions - two of which are very familiar to Nashville.
Former Predator Luke Kunin is expected to play on the Sharks top line with Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier, an enviable position for a player who underperformed offensively last season for the Predators. Geier also added Oskar Lindblom and Nico Sturm to the forward corps. Former Nashville defenseman Matt Benning will pair with Radim Simek for the third pairing. The defense is anchored by veteran Erik Karlsson.
The biggest story in the Global Series is without a doubt hometown hero, Tomas Hertl. Born and raised in Prague, the 28 year old center played at O2 Arena during his years in the Czech professional league. Hertl was a 30 goal scorer for the Sharks last season and finished second in points for the team.
James Reimer will get the nod in net for San Jose. Reimer started 46 games last season, recording a .911 save percentage and 2.90 GAA.
The Predators open the regular season with a somewhat surprising game day roster. Training camp's pleasant surprise, Kiefer Sherwood, will share second line minutes with Ryan Johansen and offseason addition Nino Niederreiter. The question of Nashville's fourth line is answered today by the combination of Cole Smith, Cody Glass, and Eeli Tolvanen. Phil Tomasino is a surprising healthy scratch after his standout first season last year. 2022 Vezina finalist Juuse Saros will be in net for the Predators.
Keep An Eye On...
...special teams. The Predators struggled to stay out of the penalty box last season, leading the league in penalty minutes. This is not a benchmark to repeat if the team expects better results down the stretch. While John Hynes wants to play a physical, hard to play against style, the team needs to be able to do that without committing needless, sloppy penalties. The power play bloomed last season, and with an improved second unit, the man advantage looks promising.
...Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene. Last season's red hot offensive duo hasn't missed a beat in preseason, but now that the points really count, Nashville's two top goal scorers need to start strong. Look for aggressive play from that top line.
...Tomas Hertl. While the Sharks are predicted to finish near the bottom of the league standings, Nashville cannot underestimate the emotional energy Hertl and his teammates will reap from the hometown crowd. The Predators must contain Hertl and the top line and focus on the style of physical, forechecking, hard to play against hockey Nashville has been built for this season.
How to Watch
The puck drops on game one of the Global Series at 1:00 pm CT.
The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast and the NHL Network, and fans can listen to the call on 102.5 The Game.