The Nashville Predators OG Core is Cooking
Barry Trotz believed he could get the Predators back to playoff contention by building around the core three of Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros. It's looking more and more like he was right.
The Nashville Predators OG Core is CookingIt was evident with the retirement of GM David Poile, a host of roster moves starting at last season's trade deadline and the offseason unloading of Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene, and the hiring of new head coach Andrew Brunette that the Nashville Predators were starting a new chapter. New GM Barry Trotz laid out a plan to develop young talent, sign quality veteran free agents, and build this next phase around a core three already on the roster — goaltender Juuse Saros, defenseman Roman Josi, and forward Filip Forsberg.
Right now those three are cooking, and the Predators are finding early success.
Filip Forsberg
Forsberg started the season off with a slew of quality chances, but it took the 29-year-old Swede five games before he netted his first goal of the 2023-24 season. It would be another six games before Forsberg got his second goal, but then the offensive floodgates opened. Forsberg has scored nine goals and 13 points in his last eight games, and his points projection for the season right now is 103.
There are a couple of contributing factors to Forsberg's success so far this season. One, Andrew Brunette's new system that focuses on puck possession, a fast transition game, and getting pucks to the net compliments so much of Forsberg's offensive skill set. Another factor? "Factor" himself, Ryan O'Reilly. Forsberg and O'Reilly have been playing together since the start of training camp and the addition of Gus Nyquist to that top line has been nothing but good.
"I think we think the game fairly similar, " Nyquist said of working with Forsberg and O'Reilly. "We all know our roles out there and what we're good at and what we're trying to bring to the line."
Since the three began playing together, their line has combined for 45 points and 20 goals in 13 games.
Roman Josi
Roman Josi had a bit of a slow start offensively for the Predators. It took him eight games to find the back of the net, but the Predators' captain has grown more comfortable with a new system that's meant changes to the way he plays.
"It's definitely been a little bit of an adjustment. I think we obviously play a little different," Josi said after Monday night's win over the Jets. "Obviously I want to produce, but if we're winning and I don't produce I'm totally fine with that. It's definitely part of my game."
In the first 20 games this season, Josi has scored four goals and 15 points. In Sunday night's win over the Jets, Josi factored in on all three Predators' goals, scoring one and assisting on the other two. That tied Josi with Ray Bourque, Brian Leetch, and Victor Hedman for most times a defenseman factored in on all team goals in a game (over three goals) according to the NHL. Josi also became only the second player after Filip Forsberg with 30 or more three point games in franchise history.
Juuse Saros
No, Saros hasn't been hot right out of the gate this season, but there is no reason to worry about 2023-24 in net for the Predators. Saros takes a stretch of the early season to get up to form and these first twenty games have been extra challenging as the team in front of Saros learned a new system. Those growing pains often left Saros stranded, but as the team got more comfortable and confident with what Andrew Brunette has been looking for, Saros has been able to settle in.
This week, Saros went 3-0 against the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and Winnipeg Jets earning a 2.35 goals against average and .921 save percentage in those outings. On Monday, the NHL named Saros the third star of the week for his performance in those games.
When Barry Trotz began making moves in the offseason the three players he said would remain the Predators' core were Forsberg, Josi, and Saros.
"I have to decide. Every team has core players and I felt that Saros, Forsberg, and Josi — I have those," Trotz said back in July.
Twenty games is still early to make bold predictions about the rest of the season, but so far it appears Trotz may be right.