Hynes on Predators: "Eager to Learn, Hungry to Win"
The Nashville Predators pulled off another unlikely win last night against the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime and head coach John Hynes addressed two keys to the Preds' surprising success.
The changes in Smashville in the last month have been dramatic, but the fact that the Nashville Predators are still fighting for a slim chance at the postseason is perhaps the most shocking plot twist of all.
In one of the most unlikely stories in this final stretch of the NHL regular season, the Nashville Predators, a team that traded off big pieces at the March 3 deadline and lost big name players to injuries, is still clinging to a small measure of postseason hope. Last night's 3-2 overtime win over the Western Conference leading Vegas Golden Knights is a testament to what is happening with this unanticipated roster. Head coach John Hynes credits the growth of this team to eagerness and hunger
"In the last five weeks we've gone through a lot of different situations," Hynes acknowledged after last night's win. "The one thing about this group is that they're eager to learn and they're hungry to win."
The learning comes quickly for players new to the NHL season grind. With 16 games in their last 26 days, the young players recalled from Milwaukee are learning on the fly. Last night was no exception. After Jonathan Marchessault's holding penalty in overtime, Hynes called a timeout to talk with the four Predators players who would execute the overtime power play.
"We have so many new guys. Normally on five on three and four on three you have an opportunity to practice it," Hynes explained of the timeout. "It was really for new guys that hadn't been on it. So it was more just to settle them down and get organized, who was going to be in what positions and things like that."
The willingness to learn quickly and execute well paid off as Cody Glass scored the game winning goal just :33 seconds later.
Making important adjustments is something John Hynes sees in this season's standout, forward Tommy Novak. In 25 year old Novak's 46 games in Nashville this season, he's scored 17 goals and 41 points. Hynes credits his eagerness to learn and improve game to game for his continued success.
"He's really grown," Hynes noted. "Usually if he has an off night or a "B" game, he's able to respond the next game or within a game, and I think that's a big part of becoming a full time NHL player but also an offensive player in the NHL. He's done a nice job."
Veterans like Ryan McDonagh and more recently Tyson Barrie have stepped up to shepherd a locker room that has seen fifteen different players who have played in both Milwaukee and Nashville. In last night's game, ten of the starting lineup have worn an Admirals and Preds jersey on the ice this season. Hynes gives the veterans a lot of credit for the team's surprising success as well.
"The veteran players that have been in the lineup have done a really good job," Hynes said after Saturday's win over the St. Louis Blues. "They've gotten on board with the situation we're in. I think that's very important that your veteran players are able to play night in and night our during the stretch."
"These guys have done a good job leading the [young] guys."
The coachability and compete of this team create a mindset that's led to surprising success for the Predators. That mindset continues to generate opportunity in the final games of the regular season. The Predators are playing with confidence, but they all realize the challenge in the remaining five games against playoff contenders.
"It just comes down to our mindset coming into the games," Novak stated. "It's obviously tough with a lot of hockey in the last month. It's just finding a way to dig deep and look yourself in the mirror and find everything you got and use it."
It will not be an easy task for the Predators to make it into the postseason with Thursday night's game against the 50-18-9 Carolina Hurricanes and Saturday's matchup against the current Western Conference wildcard team, the Winnipeg Jets. The Predators close out their final week of the regular season with games against the Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, and Colorado Avalanche and will need to collect as many points as they can to keep their slim playoff chance alive.
Making it into the playoffs is the goal for this Predators roster - it's what they are all pushing for. The hunger to win and eagerness to learn set the franchise up for a promising future regardless of the outcome in the next eight days.
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