Depth Battles Will Be Important at Predators Training Camp
There are several questions about Nashville's top six, but the more interesting battles at training camp may involve players competing for a bottom six spot in the lineup.
Depth Battles Will Be Important at Predators Training CampMuch of the offseason talk in Nashville has centered on young players like Cody Glass, Luke Evangelista, and Phil Tomasino or free agent veterans Ryan O'Reilly, Gustav Nyquist, and Luke Schenn and how these players could fit in at the top of the lineup. New head coach Andrew Brunette will have to decide how to structure his top lines, but some of his most difficult decisions may involve evaluating depth players for the Predators. With a roster "reset" underway, Brunette will have to take a hard look at six players who will be fighting for playing time.
Denis Gurianov
Barry Trotz signed 26-year-old Denis Gurianov to a one-year, $850,000 deal on July 11. Drafted 12th overall in 2015 by the Dallas Stars, Gurianov had a 20 goal season in 2019-2020 with the Stars but has struggled since to get back to that level of offensive production. Gurianov was traded at the deadline in February to the Montreal Canadiens where he improved his shooting percentage in 23 games with the Habs.
Nashville may be a good landing spot for Gurianov. A fresh start timed with a new chapter for the Predators could give Gurianov an opportunity to get back to his earlier offensive success. The Predators would love to have a depth scorer, and Gurianov is not afraid to shoot the puck. He may be a frontrunner for bottom six minutes with a solid training camp in September.
Cole Smith
Will Cole Smith again be a coaching favorite when it comes to depth players for the Predators? Many fans balked at his usage in the lineup last season, but the 27-year-old Minnesota native logged important shorthanded minutes for the Predators down the stretch in 2022-23. In his 65 games last season he averaged 12:45 of ice time, but only scored four goals and 17 points.
This is a prove it season for Smith after signing a one year deal in the spring. Smith will need a very good training camp to earn a spot on the roster and to quiet the disgruntled fan rumblings of "teacher's pet" with a new head coach in Brunette.
Michael McCarron
Michael McCarron only played 32 games for the Predators last season after stepping away to deal with personal issues. He returned to play for a brief conditioning stretch of games in Milwaukee before making it back into the lineup in early March for Nashville. McCarron only recorded two goals and four points with the Predators in total last season, but he had a solid run with the Admirals in their AHL postseason, scoring four goals and seven points in 15 playoff games.
McCarron played penalty kill minutes and had a shorthanded goal for Nashville, and he is known to drop the gloves from time to time. Last season the Predators were missing that gritty, physical style of play after Mark Borowiecki was injured and Tanner Jeannot was traded to Tampa Bay at the deadline. With the addition of Luke Schenn this offseason, McCarron is going to have to rely on more than his proclivity to mix it up to earn regular minutes in the lineup in 2023-24.
Kiefer Sherwood
2023-24 was a roller coaster season for Kiefer Sherwood. The undrafted Ohio native knows the importance of a terrific training camp after coming out of nearly nowhere to earn a spot on the roster after last year's impressive camp and preseason. Sherwood played five regular season games before heading to Milwaukee but returned to the lineup in late February as the Predators dealt with injuries. Sherwood recorded eleven of his season total thirteen points and scored 6 of his 7 goals in the final two months of the season.
It certainly helped that Sherwood played in that final stretch with Tommy Novak and Luke Evangelista. The three developed excellent chemistry and were instrumental in keeping Nashville in the postseason conversation right up until the final week of the regular season. It isn't likely that the trio will stay together to start next season as Luke Evangelista will be battling for a chance to play top six minutes. If Sherwood can find chemistry with new line mates, finish on his offensive chances, and highlight his speed, he will make a good case for a spot in the Predators' lineup out of camp once again.
Egor Afanasyev
Afanasyev's NHL debut on March 11 was one Predators fans had been waiting for. The 22-year-old has been a source of interest in Nashville since being drafted by Nashville in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Afanasyev played 17 games with the Predators and scored his first NHL goal on April 10 against the Calgary Flames.
The April 10 goal wasn't Afanasyev's first scoring opportunity in the NHL, so he will be looking to showcase better finishing skills at training camp along with an improved two way game. With a franchise focusing on developing young talent, Afanasyev may get another chance to test his skills in the NHL whether it is right out of training camp or later in the season as a call up.