A season with a new general manager, new head coach, and very different roster means there is plenty to ponder before the Nashville Predators kick off training camp on September 20.
A season with a new general manager, new head coach, and very different roster means there is plenty to ponder before the Nashville Predators kick off training camp on September 20.
The Nashville Predators are beginning a new chapter in the franchise with Barry Trotz at the helm and new head coach Andrew Brunette behind the bench. The sell off at the trade deadline in March, the addition of free agents in the offseason, and a focus on developing young players lead to plenty of questions ahead of the September 20 start of training camp.
1. Who will be the Predators 1C?
Nashville has been in the hunt for that elusive elite 1C for years. Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene didn't meet expectations, and with those two gone, it looks like the role could fall to either Ryan O'Reilly or Cody Glass. O'Reilly has the experience, but Glass proved he is ready for a bigger role and bigger minutes at the end of last season. The decision may come down to chemistry with Filip Forsberg who Nashville will be relying on to lead the offense.
2. Will Luke Evangelista make the opening night roster, and if so, where?
One of the best storylines to come out of a tough 2022-23 season was the play of Luke Evangelista. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut February 28 against Pittsburgh in what was supposed to be a weekend trip to Nashville, but his play kept him in Predators gold for the remainder of the season. In his 24 games, Evangelista scored seven goals and 15 points and showed that his hockey IQ is ready for the NHL pace.
The Predators want to give young players like Evangelista opportunities to develop and his NHL performance makes it seem likely he will make the opening night roster. The bigger question is where Evangelista might slot in the lineup. The trio of Evangelista, Tommy Novak, and Kiefer Sherwood proved exciting down the stretch for Nashville, but Evangelista could potentially play some top six minutes alongside veterans like Forsberg or Nyquist if he has a strong training camp.
3. Could Kiefer Sherwood have another statement training camp?
Perhaps the biggest surprise in training camp last fall was the play of Kiefer Sherwood. The Predators quietly signed Sherwood in July 2022 who had previously played 87 NHL games between Anaheim and Colorado. Sherwood's speed and physicality made him a surprise standout in last season's training camp, and he started five games before being sent back down to Milwaukee. Sherwood got another shot with the Predators in late February as injuries began piling up. He finished the season having played 32 games and scoring seven goals and 13 points.
It wasn't an easy year for Sherwood who had to find his confidence again in Milwaukee after faltering early with Nashville, but those tough lessons may benefit him in training camp this time around. If Sherwood can finish his offensive chances, his tenacious puck retrievals and speed could give him another opportunity with the Predators next season.
4. What will the defensive pairs look like?
It is a different defense heading into training camp for the Nashville Predators. The team traded Mattias Ekholm, one of the team's best defenders, at the deadline. The deal brought Tyson Barrie to Nashville, and in the offseason Trotz signed free agent Luke Schenn. The question isn't about talent when it comes to the blue line but how Brunette will put that talent together.
Trotz highlighted Schenn's physicality and momentum changing play when talking about signing the 33-year-old veteran.
"We have one of the best defensemen in the National Hockey League right now in Roman Josi," Trotz said. "I don't like sometimes when Roman takes some big hits. Luke will make sure that those big hits won't be coming too often."
Whether this means Josi and Schenn are on the ice together or Schenn plays on the second or third pairing remains to be seen. Training camp will also be important for Dante Fabbro, Alexandre Carrier, and Jake Livingstone who each have something to prove this season.
5. What will the power play look like?
The power play struggled much of last season with the team earning just a 17.6% success rate. The Predators lost two of their special teams staples when Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen departed this offseason. The upside is the team added Ryan O'Reilly who could jump start the man advantage with players like Cody Glass and Filip Forsberg. Andrew Brunette focused on the power play as an associate coach with the New Jersey Devils last season so the team will have some fresh perspective on special teams. Can they find the power play magic that was such an important part of the 2021-22 season?
6. Can Tommy Novak repeat last season's performance?
Along with Evangelista, Tommy Novak was an exciting surprise in Nashville for Predators fans. In his 51 games for the Predators, Novak scored 17 goals and 42 points. With the additions of free agency veterans, where Novak may slot in in Nashville if he has a strong training camp remains a question. If he makes the roster out of camp, he may find himself further down the lineup and playing fewer minutes, but Aaron Sims, Milwaukee Admirals radio announcer, says there is nothing surprising about what Novak did in Nashville last season.
7. How will the short offseason for Milwaukee's players affect their performances at training camp?
The Milwaukee Admirals made a deep postseason run getting all the way to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Players like Kiefer Sherwood, Luke Evangelista, and Phil Tomasino were playing hockey into the first week of June. The extra experience in a playoff situation will benefit the players, but at the same time they had a short offseason to balance rest and recovery with working on aspects of their games that could get them more NHL ice time this season. Will their long postseason run lead to lingering fatigue or more hunger to get the job done?
8. Who will step into leadership roles on the team?
After a slew of veterans went down with injuries last season including captain Roman Josi, several veterans stepped up to lead the young team in March and April. Colton Sissons, Juuse Saros, and newcomer Tyson Barrie were players credited with keeping the young team focused and steady. With veterans O'Reilly, Nyquist, and Schenn added to the roster, who will step into a leadership role next season - officially and unofficially?
Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Mattias Ekholm, and Matt Duchene have left leaving just Filip Forsberg and Ryan McDonagh from last season's alternate captains on next season's roster. Sissons and Barrie may join that list next season after showing their ability to lead the young team. Ryan O'Reilly has the experience to become an important voice in the locker room if he can build relationships with his new teammates in training camp.
9. What will Gustav Nyquist add to the team?
Barry Trotz spoke very highly of Gustav Nyquist after signing the veteran to a 2-year, $6.37 million contract. Nyquist's ability to play multiple positions makes him a versatile player who could nicely slot in on the wing next to Cody Glass. Nyquist has had a career resurgence but was sidelined with an injury before being traded to Minnesota at the deadline. He played well for the Wild down the stretch and in the first round of the playoffs, and his experience could help a young player like Glass build more confidence this season.
10. What is this team's identity?
Identity has been an important part of the Predators culture in recent seasons. When he named Andrew Brunette as the new head coach, Trotz said he is committed to playing "the Predators way".
"It's getting consistent, being hard to play against, being fast, being relentless," Trotz said when asked to explain "the Predators way".
Training camp will be the first opportunity to see how far this new team needs to go to get back to the Predator way. How the experience and hunger of the veterans combines with the energy and drive of the youth will give fans an idea of what the 2023-24 Predators could look like.
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