A new chapter for the Nashville Predators will rely heavily on two of Nashville's best players in their prime, while a depth piece could steady the bottom six and special teams next season.
A new chapter for the Nashville Predators will rely heavily on two of Nashville's best players in their prime, while a depth piece could steady the bottom six and special teams next season.
There are plenty of Predators players who could move this team forward in 2023-24. Nashville will have to balance developing young talent and quality veteran presence on a new looking roster. There are pieces that could affect the trajectory of this team moving forward in each age group - the prospects Nashville might see later in the season, the young guns the team is developing, the players in their prime who may have to carry the load, and the wisened veterans.
The Predators need players to step up from each of these groups if this team hopes to get back to playoff contention quickly. Three in their prime who could make a difference are Juuse Saros, Filip Forsberg, and perhaps surprisingly, Colton Sissons.
Juuse Saros
There is no player as important to the Nashville Predators as goaltender Juuse Saros. His performance in 2022-23 landed him fourth in the Vezina voting, but his advanced stats showed just how critical Saros was for the team. The 28 year old ranked first in the league in Goals Saved Above Expected and Wins Above Replacement and second for GAA Better than Expected behind Boston's Linus Ullmark. After David Poile made the decision to make moves at the trade deadline and veterans missed long stretches due to injury, it was Saros that provided much needed support in net for the young team remaining.
Saros was rumored to be a sought after trade piece, and he could have brought a hefty return from any number of teams who are a solid goaltender away from contention. Poile and incoming GM Barry Trotz didn't appear interested. Juuse Saros is perhaps the most critical piece in this entire Predators' reset. Having Saros in net is the difference between a reset and a years longer rebuild.
Filip Forsberg
Saros and forward Filip Forsberg were important in recruiting free agents Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist. Trotz sold Forsberg as Nashville's elite offensive weapon. It will be an important season for the top line Swede. He will be returning to the lineup healthy but without Matt Duchene or Ryan Johansen and will need to be the guy when it comes to goal scoring.
He is capable of leading the Predators' offensive. In 2021-22 he and Matt Duchene battled for the franchise's single season goal scoring record. That is the kind of performance Nashville will need from Forsberg as the young players continue to develop. He must produce closer to his 42 goal season to keep Nashville competitive as players like Luke Evangelista, Juuso Pärssinen, and Phil Tomasino gain their offensive footing.
Despite saying good-bye to line mates Duchene and Johansen, Forsberg is excited about what lies ahead with the young players. He watched as the youth battled to keep the Predators in the playoff conversation until the final week of the regular season. He liked what he saw.
"Guys still kept us in the same spot basically," Forsberg said at the end of the season. "It's a huge credit to these guys. And it's something that's very exciting to build on at the same time."
"There's definitely excitement, especially with the young guys out there."
Colton Sissons
29 year old Colton Sissons isn't an offensive star, but with the right line mates he could be a valuable depth piece for the Predators this season. He's shown in the past what he can do with consistent line mates when he played on the very successful third line with former Predators' Rocco Grimaldi and Nick Bonino several seasons ago. That is the kind of offensive spark Sissons needs to have in 2023-24.
Sissons could find himself sharing ice time with a developing player in the bottom six. Yakov Trenin and Sissons played with Juuso Pärssinen when he returned to the line up at the end of last season, and that might be a trio that starts the season together on the third line. If Sissons can settle in with consistent line mates, that could be a nice spot for a developing player like Pärssinen.
Sissons is a key part of the penalty kill and had one of the best faceoff percentages on the team despite starting just 33% of those in the offensive zone. He became vocal leader on and off the ice as the Predators lost veterans to trade and injury last season, and he'll have the opportunity to flex those leadership muscles again going forward. Sissons may not rack up career high stats, but he is a steadying force down the lineup for a team in transition.
Five Offseason Events Involving NHL Players that Must Return
The Young and The Veterans: Young Guns Fighting for Their Future