Deeper Look at Stamkos' Slow Start in Nashville
Stamkos is off to a slow start after signing with the Predators, but those numbers are going to change.
Deeper Look at Stamkos' Slow Start in NashvilleIt has been a poor start to the season by the Nashville Predators and most of the individuals on the team as well. This is a big reason for the 0-5-0 start. After the three big additions to the lineup in free agency, things have not gone as planned.
The player who has struggled to perform as expected the most has been Steven Stamkos. The former captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning and point-per-game player sits at just one goal through the five games, and it came in the fifth game on the power play.
Stamkos has 20 shots on the season, so his shooting percentage is just 5%. That is far below his career average of 16.6% and an area that should see a big improvement. Something like this is blown out of proportion because the team has struggled to score and he's someone that is counted on. But when there's a handful of players finding it difficult to put the puck in the net at once, that's where the trouble comes.
Stamkos also has 39 shot attempts, so nearly half of the shots he's tried to take haven't hit the net. That is below his career average and needs to improve at least a little bit. With the struggles of the team and lack of production by some of the lines, Stamkos has seen a combination of different linemates so far. Once some success comes, stability will come with it.
He may be -6 this season, but four of those goals have come with the goalie pulled. The Predators have also scored a goal with a 6-on-5. Stamkos has only really been on the ice for three goals against at 5-on-5, but zero for his own team. In all situations, the 34-year-old leads the Predators with 3.1 expected goals. That's 0.6 better than Filip Forsberg and 1.6 better than another new addition in Jonathan Marchessault.
The puck just hasn't bounced Stamkos and the Predators' way yet. He has a 80.7 PDO (team SV% + team shooting %) through five games. The lowest it has ever been for Stamkos over the course of a season is 100.2. A big part of that is the 4.8 shooting % of the Predators while the veteran is on the ice, and just 9.7% on the power play. Both are going to climb.
While it's worth taking a little stock in a slow start, it is just five games after all. Every team and player goes through ups and downs during the long season. Stamkos is too good and his numbers show every aspect of his game will improve and even itself out soon enough.
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