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Grading the Nashville Predators' October: the defense

Dirk Hoag — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:04:32 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

After a rough start, Nashville Predators defenseman Kevin Klein has registered a +4 rating, a goal and an assist over his past 3 games.

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Yesterday we considered the goaltenders, and now it's time to review how the Nashville Predators' defense corps has performed over the previous month.

It's certainly been a roller-coaster ride at times watching this bunch sort out the most effective pairings, but does the stable play of the last week bode well for the month ahead?

First, let's start off with the numbers from Behind the Net, starting with 5-on-5 data:

NAME	GP	TOI/60	RATING	QUALCOMP	QUALTEAM	PTS/60	GFON/60	GAON/60	+/- per 60
Ryan Suter	13	18.0	+1.91	-0.05	0.43	1.03	2.31	1.79	+0.51
Dan Hamhuis	9	17.8	-2.62	-0.06	-0.25	1.12	1.12	3.75	-2.62
Shea Weber	13	17.6	+1.90	-0.01	0.42	1.05	2.63	2.10	+0.53
Kevin Klein	13	17.0	-1.90	-0.07	-0.34	0.00	0.82	2.72	-1.90
Francis Bouillon	13	16.8	-0.65	-0.05	-0.29	0.00	0.55	1.65	-1.10
Alexander Sulzer	3	12.0	+2.80	0.10	0.74	1.67	3.33	1.67	+1.67
Cody Franson	7	10.7	+1.04	-0.14	0.54	1.61	3.22	2.42	+0.81
Teemu Laakso	7	10.1	-0.81	-0.18	-0.53	0.00	0.85	2.55	-1.70

Now, here's 5-on-4 power play action:

NAME	GP	TOI/60	GOALS/60	ASST/60	GFON/60
Shea Weber	13	3.8	2.44	0	3.66
Ryan Suter	13	3.7	0	1.26	3.77
Cody Franson	7	2.2	0	0	3.85
Francis Bouillon	13	1.4	0	3.32	3.32
Dan Hamhuis	9	1.2	0	0	0
Kevin Klein	13	0.7	0	0	0
Teemu Laakso	7	0.3	0	0	0
Alexander Sulzer	3	0.1	0	0	0

And lastly, 4-on-5 penalty killing:

NAME	GP	TOI/60	GAON/60
Cody Franson	7	0.1	0
Teemu Laakso	7	0.5	0
Francis Bouillon	13	1.5	3.02
Shea Weber	13	1.7	10.71
Ryan Suter	13	1.9	9.97
Dan Hamhuis	9	2.2	12.13
Alexander Sulzer	3	1.5	0
Kevin Klein	13	2.2	10.55

The individual analysis follows...

Francis Bouillon

#51 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-8

Weight: 196

Born: Oct 17, 1975

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Francis Bouillon	13	0	1	1	-4	8	0	0	0	0	14	0.0

Considering the fact that Francis Bouillon joined the Predators only during the waning days of training camp, and has had only a few weeks to familiarize himself with his teammates and coaches, his performance has been extraordinary. There's been little time to get comfortable, as injuries have forced the Preds to give him almost 20 minutes a night in a variety of roles. His sole assist so far came as the result of a nice effort on the power play against Chicago on October 29, when he moved down from the point and sent a centering pass to Joel Ward for the score. While it would be nice to see a few more assists by his name, I'm willing to chalk that up to a general lack of team scoring, rather than an individual failing on his part.

The defensive side of his game has been generally excellent so far; in 5-on-5, his Goals Against/60 minutes is the lowest on the team at 1.65. On the penalty kill, Bouillon's ability to jam passing lanes and move opponents has proven very effective. His results in 4-on-5 are best on the team by far.

Francis Bouillon's grade: A-

Cody Franson

#32 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 214

Born: Aug 08, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Cody Franson	7	1	1	2	1	4	0	0	0	0	10	10.0

While he failed to make the NHL roster out of training camp, Franson has made the most of the opportunity he was given when called up after Dan Hamhuis was injured. Protected by the coaching staff somewhat (his Quality of Competition is near the lowest among the Preds' blueliners, and he doesn't kill penalties), he's producing positive results, which can provide a nice boost to a team that will rely on contributions from every corner of the roster.

It will be interesting to follow Cody's fortunes in the upcoming road trip as he may play a larger role on the power play due to the absence of Shea Weber. His ability to move the puck, and put quick shots on net through traffic, could prove critical.

Cody Franson's grade: B

Dan Hamhuis

#2 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Dec 13, 1982

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dan Hamhuis	9	0	3	3	-6	10	0	0	0	0	19	0.0

His early-season pairing with Kevin Klein was an unmitigated disaster, as the Goals Against piled up predominantly on their watch (after 6 games, his Plus/Minus stood at -7). He's also been a workhorse on a PK unit that still sits among the league's worst. While things seem to have stabilized since he missed 4 games recently, he has a long ways to go to dig himself out of this hole.

Dan Hamhuis' grade: D+

Kevin Klein

#8 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Dec 13, 1984

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Kevin Klein	13	1	1	2	-4	4	0	0	0	0	9	11.1

If I had to pick a main culprit in the early Hamhuis/Klein disasters, it would probably be Klein; lapses in judgment often left Hamhuis the lone man left around the net defending a 2-on-1, and his Plus/Minus also stood at -7 after just six games. Once that pairing was split due to his partners injury, however, things seem to settle down for Kevin; not only have the Goals Against dried up, but the coaching staff has rewarded stronger play with more ice time in a variety of situations.

Much as with Hamhuis, however, better play of late needs to go a long way forward to make up for an awful start. If he's going to become a regular Top Four NHL defenseman, he also needs to provide more offensive punch as well.

Kevin Klein's grade: D

Teemu Laakso

#4 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 209

Born: Aug 27, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Teemu Laakso	7	0	0	0	-2	2	0	0	0	0	5	0.0

While the results so far at the NHL level haven't been impressive, the fact that Laakso beat out both Franson and Sulzer to earn a roster spot with the Predators straight out of training camp was an impressive feat. At 22 years of age, he's still maturing as a defenseman, and will surely get another chance down the road.

Teemu Laakso's grade: C

Alexander Sulzer

#52 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Born: May 30, 1984

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Alexander Sulzer	3	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.0

Sulzer is a bit of an enigma; valued enough by the Nashville front office to earn a one-way contract (which they refused to give to guys like Antti Pihlstrom or Cal O'Reilly), but deserving of a demotion to Milwaukee during the early days of the season (especially damning given the salary the Preds had to pay to keep him there). With Weber on the shelf for 1-2 weeks, Sulzer will presumably get back into the mix, and needs to make an impression if he wants to stay there.

Alexander Sulzer's grade: Incomplete

Ryan Suter

#20 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 194

Born: Jan 21, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Suter	13	2	5	7	2	8	1	0	0	0	17	11.8

Suter appears to be solidifying his place on Team USA's Olympic roster with a fine start, providing steady two-way play in 5-on-5. He could stand to shoot the puck more on the PP, as the Predators need him to assert himself more on the offensive end if they want to develop a 2nd pair which can consistently keep the attack rolling. He does also bear some of the blame for the early PK woes.

Ryan Suter's grade: B

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Shea Weber	13	5	4	9	2	4	3	0	1	0	36	13.9

As his partner Suter lines up for Team USA, Weber appears to be making a strong case for wearing Team Canada's colors as well. Tied for the NHL lead in goal scoring among defensemen, Weber's 3 power play goals are as many as the rest of the team has combined. His defensive work remains top-notch as well, as he logs heavy minutes against elite opposition on a nightly basis, and can turn the momentum of a game with one of his thundering hits.

About the only knock against him so far is the lackluster overall special teams play; the Preds' power play is only half as effective in terms of Goals For/60 Minutes as the average NHL unit, and the penalty kill is still

Shea Weber's grade: B+

Poll

Which Predators defenseman has been the most pleasant surprise this season?

Francis Bouillon

71 votes

Cody Franson

24 votes

Ryan Suter

4 votes

Shea Weber

7 votes

106 votes | Poll has closed

Nashville Predators call up Alexander Sulzer & Dave Scatchard from Milwaukee, send Teemu Laakso down

Dirk Hoag — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:46:05 -0000

More photos » by Paul Vernon - AP

2 months ago: Nashville Predators' Alexander Sulzer, left, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Nikita Filatov, of Russia, fight for the puck in the second period of an NHL preseason hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

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From John Glennon at The Tennessean:

The Predators have recalled veteran forward Dave Scatchard and prospect defenseman Alexander Sulzer in preparation for Wednesday's game in Boston.

Nashville has also reassigned defenseman Teemu Laakso to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.

Sulzer was the surprise of training camp, as the fact that he'd been given a one-way contract was assumed to be a sure sign that he'd be a full-time Nashville Predator this season. Instead, Laakso earned the last job available at the start of the season, and Cody Franson got recalled from Milwaukee last Friday.

Scatchard is a sizeable presence up front, and would presumably work on the 4th line and perhaps the penalty kill, where he saw lots of action during his last two NHL seasons (2005-6 and 2006-7). Here's the scouting report from his player page:

Assets	Has great size and very strong defensive instincts. Is a tough center to line up against. Can also play right wing effectively.
Flaws	Needs to cut down on his penalty minutes. Isn't a natural when passing the puck, which hurts his effectiveness at the center position.
Career Potential	Checking line forward.

As for Laakso, he can take pride in having made an impact during training camp and the early days of the season, but obviously he'll be disappointed with the assignment back to the AHL. The Preds are hoping that competition for NHL work will bring out the best in their prospects, but so far we haven't seen one really seize the opportunity presented.

Alexander Sulzer

#52 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 207

Born: May 30, 1984

Dave Scatchard

Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-2

Weight: 224

Born: Feb 20, 1976

Details from the team's press release follow after the jump...

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has recalled defenseman Alexander Sulzer (al-ehx-AN-duhr SUHLT-suhr) and forward Dave Scatchard (DAYV SKAT-chuhrd) from Milwaukee (AHL). The Predators also assigned defenseman Teemu Laakso to the Admirals, and placed Jason Arnott on injured reserve.

Sulzer, 25 (5/30/84), has six points (1g-5a) in five games for the Admirals in 2009-10, good for fifth (tied) among AHL defensemen. The Kaufbeuren, Germany native appeared in two NHL contests for the Predators a season ago - the first two games of his career - becoming the first German-born player to suit up for Nashville.

Scatchard, 33 (2/20/76), has a team-leading three goals and 17 penalty minutes in four contests for Milwaukee this season, his first regular season action since he played 11 AHL contests with Milwaukee and Hartford in 2007-08. The Hinton, Alta., native has played in 635 career NHL games since the 1997-98 season, amassing 263 points (125g-138a) with Vancouver (1997-2000), the New York Islanders (2000-04), Boston (2005-06) and Phoenix (2005-07).

Laakso, 22 (8/27/87), appeared in each of the Predators first seven games of the 2009-10 season, did not register a point and had two penalty minutes.

Searching for answers on the Nashville Predators' blueline

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:32:48 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Nashville Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis and his partner Kevin Klein have both started the season with -7 Plus/Minus ratings through 6 games.

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With Nashville's defensive difficulties of late, and today's recall of Cody Franson, speculation is naturally growing about how the defense pairings should look.

Do the defense pair of Dan Hamhuis and Kevin Klein (each a -7 so far) bear the brunt of the blame? Should one of them be scratched or traded, while guys like Francis Bouillon and Teemu Laakso are moved up?

To help answer that question, let's look inside the numbers...

The following data comes from Behind the Net, and relates to 5-on-5 play only. Next to each player I've noted which pairing they've generally played on:

NAME	TOI/60	RATING	GFON/60	GAON/60	SFON/60	SAON/60	CORSI
Ryan Suter -1	17.59	+4.06	2.84	1.71	31.3	25.6	+15.9
Shea Weber -1	18.87	+4.1	2.65	1.59	28.1	25.4	+14.8
Dan Hamhuis -2	17.88	-3.91	0.56	4.47	26.3	20.1	+3.4
Kevin Klein -2	15.66	-4.47	0	4.47	23.6	19.2	-4.47
Teemu Laakso -3	10.89	+0.68	0.92	1.84	16.5	36.7	-22.04
Francis Bouillon -3	16.24	-0.61	0	1.85	17.9	32.0	-22.79

Let's take these columns one at a time:

TOI/60: A simple measure of ice time per game; this tells us that Teemu Laakso is playing a lesser role (to no surprise, given his rookie status). One column I didn't add in here (for space purposes) was the Quality of Competition; to sum up those values, it suffices to say that Suter & Weber face the toughest opponents, and that Laakso faces the easiest by far. Again, no surprise there in sheltering the rookie.

RATING: This tells us, per 60 minutes of 5-on-5, the impact on Goals For and Against that each player has had. Little surprise here, to see the top pair standing out, the bottom pair middling, and the 2nd pair awful.

GF ON/60: How many Goals For are being scored by the Predators per 60 minutes of play when each of these guys is on the ice. Again, matching what our eyes are telling us, the top pair is doing OK but the rest are doing terribly.

GA ON/60: The same thing, but for Goals Against. Hamhuis and Klein are getting lit up like a Christmas tree.

SF ON/60: How many Shots On Goal are being fired by the Preds, prorated to 60 minutes of play. The bottom pairing starts to stick out, as team offensive output drops by nearly half as compared to the other units.

SA ON/60: More bad news for that bottom pairing; shots are coming hot and heavy at the Nashville net when they're out on the ice.

CORSI: The balance of Total Shots (which includes Missed and Blocked) when each player is on the ice. This falls right in line with the Shots On Goal view; the 3rd pair is facing a shooting gallery, while the top pair is driving the play forward. The second pair is basically breaking even.

Bottom line? I'm not sure there's good evidence to show that promoting either Teemu Laakso or Francis Bouillon into a larger role makes any sense at this time. Laakso, in particular, is facing the easiest opposition but is having some of the worst results in terms of driving Shots For and Against. With Bouillon, one can make the argument that he's still rounding into game shape after having started training camp so late; but that argument only buys him some time, it doesn't let him off the hook.

Does something need to change with the Predators' defense? Absolutely; the gaffes we've seen of late (almost all of which have involved the Klein/Hamhuis pair) have been awful. It doesn't matter if you play 15 minutes of sound defense, only to have a couple brain cramps that lead to easy goals for your opponent.

So let me toss something different out there for consideration; what if the Suter/Weber pairing were broken up? Perhaps Hamhuis/Weber and Suter/Klein might allow one of Suter and Weber to be on the ice for most of the game, taking a leading role while their partner backs them up. It's an idea...

Nashville's 1-0 loss to Buffalo: Inside the Numbers

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:08:43 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

Teemu Laakso, along with most of the Nashville Predators, spent too much of last night chasing opponents in the defensive zone.

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As if last night's 1-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres wasn't gruesome enough in real time, I thought I'd take another swing at presenting detailed stats from the Nashville perspective.

Readers with delicate constitutions may wish to avoid the horrifying details herein...

Even Strength

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	15:06	0	2	1	0	5	8	-3	14	12	+2
Steve Sullivan	L	15:47	3	0	0	0	6	10	-4	14	14	0
Patric Hornqvist	R	13:59	2	0	0	1	8	7	+1	15	11	+4
David Legwand	C	16:14	2	0	0	1	8	15	-7	14	26	-12
Martin Erat	R	16:02	0	0	0	0	6	12	-6	14	23	-9
Michael Santorelli	C	14:57	3	1	1	1	7	8	-1	12	20	-8
Marcel Goc	C	13:52	0	0	0	0	4	4	0	12	9	+3
Joel Ward	R	13:14	0	1	2	0	3	8	-5	13	13	0
Ryan Jones	L	8:43	2	4	0	0	3	6	-3	10	10	0
Ben Guite	R	5:47	1	0	1	0	2	9	-7	3	10	-7
Jerred Smithson	R	7:59	0	0	1	0	3	9	-6	5	10	-5
Triston Grant	L	7:02	0	0	0	0	3	9	-6	5	10	-5
Shea Weber	D	21:41	2	1	3	2	8	13	-5	21	22	-1
Ryan Suter	D	19:13	0	1	1	4	8	14	-6	18	23	-5
Dan Hamhuis	D	17:15	2	0	2	0	8	7	+1	16	15	+1
Kevin Klein	D	17:29	1	1	0	2	7	7	0	13	15	-2
Francis Bouillon	D	15:40	1	1	0	0	4	18	-14	11	23	-12
Teemu Laakso	D	9:00	0	0	0	0	3	14	-11	7	17	-10

Note: Color shading highlights top (green) and bottom (red) 15% of performers, prorated for ice time. I've attempted to group players by forward line or defensive pairing.

It was a tough night across the board, as all but two players finished on the negative side of the Shots On Goal +/- at even strength (Hornqvist & Hamhuis). The defensive pairing of Bouillon and Laakso had it especially bad. One oddity found here is that Ryan Jones had 4 of his 6 shot attempts blocked, a high proportion for a forward. As for Martin Erat, it may well be milk-carton time; I agree with Brandon Felder's assertion that when J.P. Dumont returns to the lineup, #10 should be banished to the 3rd line (at least) in favor of Hornqvist and Santorelli, who show much more assertiveness offensively.

Just imagine bringing a hockey fan from another city to a Predators game, and ask them which guy they think is the highest paid player on the team. Better yet, bring 1,000. I'd bet not a single one of them would guess Martin Erat.

Power Play

Power Play				Team Totals While On Ice
Player	Pos	PP TOI	SOG	Goals For	SOG For	Tot Shots For
Dan Hamhuis	D	0:50	0	0	0	0
Teemu Laakso	D	0:20	0	0	0	0
Shea Weber	D	0:52	0	0	2	2
Kevin Klein	D	0:48	0	0	0	0
Martin Erat	R	1:08	0	0	0	0
David Legwand	C	1:08	0	0	0	0
Jason Arnott	C	0:52	2	0	2	2
Ryan Suter	D	1:10	0	0	2	2
Steve Sullivan	L	1:10	0	0	2	2
Patric Hornqvist	R	0:52	0	0	2	2
Ryan Jones	L	0:50	0	0	0	0

They only earned two minutes of power play time (a problem all its own), so there's not much here to see.

Penalty Kill

Penalty Kill				Team Totals While On Ice
Player	Pos	PK TOI	Blkd Shts	Goals Ag	SOG Ag	Tot Shots Ag
Jerred Smithson	R	4:18	1	0	3	6
Dan Hamhuis	D	3:50	0	0	3	7
Kevin Klein	D	3:08	0	0	3	7
Marcel Goc	C	2:51	0	0	2	3
Francis Bouillon	D	2:51	0	0	1	1
Ryan Suter	D	2:44	0	0	3	3
Joel Ward	R	2:36	2	0	1	3
David Legwand	C	2:30	0	0	2	3
Shea Weber	D	2:13	0	0	2	2
Ben Guite	R	2:05	0	0	3	4
Teemu Laakso	D	1:14	0	0	0	0
Martin Erat	R	1:05	0	0	1	1
Steve Sullivan	L	0:24	0	0	0	0
Jason Arnott	C	0:11	0	0	0	0

They managed to kill off a full 8 minutes of shorthanded duty without giving up a goal (due in good part, of course, to Pekka Rinne's goaltending), but most of these results aren't bad.

As always, questions or suggestions as to the presentation of single-game advanced stats are welcomed. I do plan on adding faceoff information later on (broken down by on-ice strength and zone).

Nashville Predators announce "DEX Score and Win Program"

Dirk Hoag — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:22:18 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

With his victory over Dallas on Saturday, Nashville Predators goaltender Dan Ellis earned $100 for Tennessee Personal Assistance under the "DEX Score and Win Program".

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From the Nashville Predators:

The DEX Score and Win Program is back and now in its fifth season of lending financial support to Nashville area charitable and community service organizations. Every time a Predators player scores a goal or records a goaltending win, DEX Imaging and Mailing will make a donation to the Predators Foundation that will be given to one of 11 Middle Tennessee charities at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season. Overall, the program has raised more than $115,000 since its inception during the 2005-06 season.

Through the DEX Score and Win Program, Predators players have been randomly paired up to "score and win" on behalf of 11 area charitable/community service organizations. Beginning with Saturday's season-opener against Dallas, DEX will make a contribution to the Predators Foundation in recognition of every goal scored and every win recorded by a goaltender. At the conclusion of the season, the Predators Foundation and DEX will then make individual contributions to designated charities.

For every goal scored by a forward or a win by a goaltender, DEX will contribute $100. The contribution will be $150 for goals scored by a defenseman and there is a $200 bonus for hat tricks and shutouts.

Following is a list of player pairings with designated charities:

Jason Arnott and Wade Belak - Lifecare
Steve Sullivan and Kevin Klein - Special Olympics
Dan Ellis and Patric Hornqvist - Tennessee Personal Assistance
J.P. Dumont and Teemu Laakso - Mercy Ministries
Shea Weber and Jordin Tootoo - Boy Scouts
Martin Erat and Jerred Smithson - Rocketown
Pekka Rinne and Marcel Goc - Make A Wish
Joel Ward and Ben Guite - Lighthouse Christian Academy
Ryan Jones and Mike Santorelli - EEOG
Colin Wilson, Ryan Suter and Francis Bouillon - Boys and Girls Clubs
David Legwand and Dan Hamhuis - Wounded Warrior Transition Unit

Individual projections for the Nashville Predators

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:20:13 -0000

More photos » by Karl B DeBlaker - AP

Is this the year that David Legwand takes a step forward as an offensive force for Nashville?

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This might be a hair late given the fact that the Nashville Predators have already played Game One of the NHL season, but I wanted to get individual player projections cast in ~~stone~~ pixels before we got too far down the road.

Here's how my projections for last season went, and looking back I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

So check after the jump for how I think the individual offensive numbers will shake out, and tell me where I'm right or wrong in the comments...

Name	GP	G	A	Pts	Comment
Jason Arnott	70	35	30	65	Might benefit the most from Sully's presence.
Wade Belak	50	1	2	3	If he scores, it'll be a heck of a celebration.
Francis Bouillon	70	2	10	12	By the end of the year, he'll make people forget Greg Zanon.
J.P. Dumont	80	20	55	75	Has two genuine goal-scorers on his line, and lots of PP time.
Martin Erat	75	18	40	58	A career-high in points, but not enough to get excited about.
Marcel Goc	70	4	10	14	Think of him as the new Radek Bonk, but costing half as much.
Ben Guite	60	2	6	8	Think of him as the new Scott Nichol, but costing half as much.
Dan Hamhuis	80	5	20	25	Doesn't get the attention that Weber & Suter do, but he's gold.
Patric Hornqvist	60	12	20	32	2nd strong pre-season in a row, but in a battle for playing time.
Ryan Jones	65	10	15	25	Off to a slow start coming out of training camp, must earn opportunity.
Kevin Klein	80	4	12	16	Should prosper as a Top 4 defenseman after years of preparation.
Teemu Laakso	30	1	3	4	Will be eased into NHL action.
David Legwand	75	22	34	56	A healthy rebound from last season, but not quite career highs.
Mike Santorelli	70	16	20	36	Speed and chemistry with Legwand & Erat give cause for hope.
Jerred Smithson	82	1	5	6	Defensive specialist isn't relied upon for scoring.
Steve Sullivan	70	30	40	70	Offensive dynamo is the key to improved team play.
Alexander Sulzer	55	1	6	7	Must work his way back into the lineup, but skill set is valuable.
Ryan Suter	82	12	40	52	Continuing to mature as a top-level defenseman.
Jordin Tootoo	65	6	6	12	Will this be enough to earn #22 a new contract with Nashville?
Joel Ward	70	8	15	23	Expected to play major role on 3rd line and special teams.
Shea Weber	82	17	35	52	Must establish consistent performance at last year's elite level.
Colin Wilson	50	8	20	28	Can't expect everyday NHL dominance yet, but coming soon.
	GS	W	Sv %	SO	Comment
Dan Ellis	24	10	0.908	3	He will get his chance to shine, likely earning a job somewhere else next year.
Pekka Rinne	58	35	0.915	8	Will be pressed by Ellis, but appears ready for the challenge.

There are a few overall trends that guided these projections:

Top line dominance

The 2009-10 Nashville Predators should be led by production concentrated in the five-man unit of Sullivan-Arnott-Dumont up front, and Suter-Weber on the blueline. The return of Steve Sullivan to this group provides a major boost.

Young guns jockeying for position

Between Mike Santorelli, Ryan Jones and Patric Hornqvist, the Preds have three wingers who could show up anywhere from the 2nd line down to the 4th, or even watch in the press box, depending on how they're going at any given time. Barry Trotz isn't shy about juggling the lineup, and none of these three have earned a permanent job.

Rinne reigns

Although Dan Ellis earned the start in Game #1 due to his stellar pre-season work, I still expect Rinne to assume command as the regular starter. Both should be motivated to strong seasons, as they face free agency next summer.

A step towards mediocrity

As a team, this projection has Nashville potting 235 goals, a significant step up from last season's 207, but nothing too large. After all, 235 goals would have only been 17th-best in the NHL last year.

Nashville Predators set Opening Night roster, send Franson & O'Reilly to Milwaukee

Dirk Hoag — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:23:33 -0000

As they pare down the roster to meet the NHL's 23-man limit this afternoon, the Nashville Predators have sent defenseman Cody Franson to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. With Cal O'Reilly having cleared waivers (as reported by John Glennon), it looks like the Preds will open the season with 21 active players. That number excludes Joel Ward and Colin Wilson, who start the season on injured reserve.

After the jump, your Opening Night Nashville Predators roster...

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today several transactions to set the club's roster for Game One of the 2009-10 season, which comes Saturday, Oct. 3 at Dallas (7 p.m., FOX Sports Tennessee (HD) and 104.5 The Zone). Forward Cal O'Reilly and defenseman Cody Franson were assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL), while forwards Joel Ward and Colin Wilson were placed on injured reserve.

The four moves puts Nashville's active roster at 21 players entering the regular season - 13 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.

Players by position currently on the active roster are as follows:

FORWARDS (13): Jason Arnott, Wade Belak, J.P. Dumont, Martin Erat, Marcel Goc, Ben Guite, Patric Hornqvist, Ryan Jones, David Legwand, Mike Santorelli, Jerred Smithson, Steve Sullivan, Jordin Tootoo.

DEFENSEMEN (6): Francis Bouillon, Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Klein, Teemu Laakso, Ryan Suter, Shea Weber.

GOALTENDER (2): Dan Ellis, Pekka Rinne.

A notable consequence here is that the door is quite open for Colin Wilson to start the season as a Nashville Predator. Interestingly, he's listed as being on injured reserve, rather than as a non-roster player as was speculated. We'll have to wait and see how quickly he can return to the lineup, and what the team chooses to do then.

Eric at Admirals Short Shifts makes a good case that O'Reilly's demotion to the AHL might well be a long-term situation.

Congratulations also have to go out to Teemu Laakso, who not only beat out Cody Franson and Jonathan Blum for a roster spot, but played well enough that the Preds are willing to pay Alexander Sulzer NHL-money to work out his game in Milwaukee, in favor of the young Finn.

2009-2010 Nashville Predators Season Preview

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:26:20 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

Can Steve Sullivan, Martin Erat, and Ryan Suter return the Nashville Predators to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2010?

Browse more photos »

After a four-year run of playoff appearances, the 2008-9 Nashville Predators fell to 10th in the Western Conference, due to a rash of injuries late in the season combined with a dearth of secondary scoring. After a summer of relative quiet on the free agent front, and a failed attempt to trade for Phil Kessel, is there reason to believe things will turn for the better in 2009-10?

Follow after the jump for your Nashville Predators season preview...

Who's In

GM David Poile brought in a collection of depth forwards via free agency in Ben Eaves, Marcel Goc, Ben Guite and Peter Olvecky. Eaves will likely act as a playmaker in Milwaukee with the Predators' AHL affiliate, while Goc, Guite and Olvecky will round out the checking lines in Nashville. On defense, Francis Bouillon should add experience on the 2nd or 3rd pairing.

There are also a few younger players stepping up onto the NHL stage this season. On defense, Alexander Sulzer should see regular duty, while a 7th roster spot might remain open for either Cody Franson or Teemu Laakso. Up front, Mike Santorelli (a point-per-game player in the AHL last season) gets the early nod as the 2nd-line winger on the Legwand/Erat line, while Cal O'Reilly and Colin Wilson will likely split time as the 3rd-line center. Ryan Jones, with his new one-way contract, should enjoy his first full NHL campaign. It will be interesting to see how much his crease-crashing abilities are used on the Nashville power play.

Who's Out

Radek Bonk (KHL), Vernon Fiddler (Phoenix), Scott Nichol (San Jose), Jed Ortmeyer (San Jose), Ville Koistinen (Florida), Greg de Vries, and Greg Zanon (Minnesota).

Strengths

The top five of Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont up front, with Ryan Suter and Shea Weber on defense, compares favorably to just about any team in the NHL. If the Preds can get into the third period with the game on the line, they have the talent and experience necessary to pull out their share of victories. Nashville's goaltending has also typically been excellent, despite annual turnover in the #1 spot.

The coaching staff is often lauded for maximizing the performance of the talent they're given, but perhaps Barry Trotz's greatest achievement is how he maintains team unity and persistent effort during times of crisis, both within an individual game and over the course of a season. Down by a score of 5-0 after the first period in Calgary last November, the Preds fought back to make it a 7-6 game, and were firing pucks at the Flames' net in the final seconds in a bid to tie it up. Down 3-0 at home against Pittsburgh in January, the Preds rallied for a pivotal 5-3 win. Later in the season, as the team lingered on the brink of playoff elimination and had to skate without three key forwards (Jason Arnott, David Legwand, and Martin Erat) due to injury, the Preds still gave a strong account of themselves down the stretch.

The Preds may not always triumph, but they can be counted on to fight hard and fight as a group, and that deliberate attitude starts with the coaching staff.

Weaknesses

In case you have heard, scoring depth is a bit of an issue with this team. The dropoff after the Big Five is precipitous, as the 2nd line anchored by David Legwand and Martin Erat has struggled to provide consistent offense in the past. The hope this year is that Mike Santorelli's move from center to left wing will give them some help, but it remains to be seen how much of his AHL success will translate to the NHL level.

Experience on defense could also be a concern, if Francis Bouillon proves unable to play due to his slow recovery from injury. Surely Nashville would want to avoid dressing two rookies back there on a nightly basis.

Depth Chart

(updated based on the Sep. 29 cuts)

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Steve Sullivan	Jason Arnott	J.P. Dumont
Mike Santorelli	David Legwand	Martin Erat
Joel Ward	Marcel Goc	Ryan Jones
Jerred Smithson	Ben Guite	Jordin Tootoo
Peter Olvecky	Colin Wilson	Wade Belak
Nick Spaling	Cal O'Reilly	Patric Hornqvist

Defense
Ryan Suter	Shea Weber
Dan Hamhuis	Kevin Klein
Teemu Laakso	Francis Bouillon
Alexander Sulzer	Cody Franson
Jonathan Blum

Goal

Pekka Rinne

Dan Ellis

Mark Dekanich

Prediction

Most observers fail to appreciate the impact that Steve Sullivan's return should have on the top line and the power play, and there's good reason to believe the 3rd line should be improved as well. The turnover from players like Radek Bonk, Vernon Fiddler and Scott Nichol to Mike Santorelli, Cal O'Reilly, Ryan Jones and (as seems likely at some point) Colin Wilson marks the first time since 2006-7 that the Predators have offered much offensive threat outside of the Arnott & Legwand lines.

Similarly on defense, the expanded role for Kevin Klein in place of Greg Zanon, and the addition of Alexander Sulzer for Greg de Vries, offers similar hope for improved two-way play rather than the "block a shot and chip the puck out" seen all too often last season.

The goaltending should be a source of strength, especially in a division where the two favorites (Chicago and Detroit) have perhaps the shakiest situations in net. The Central should be a fascinating dogfight this season, particularly when you consider the experience and quality of the coaches involved - Barry Trotz, Mike Babcock, Joel Quenville, Andy Murray and Ken Hitchcock are all savvy and experienced bench bosses.

In the end, I expect the Preds to return to the playoffs with the #8 seed, as last year's Goals For/Against figures of 207/228 balance more closely around 235/230. Given the way the race has gone down to the wire the last few seasons, earning points in the standings will be critical right from Game #1 all the way through Game #82, and it promises to be a white-knuckle ride the whole way.

But then, the fans in Nashville just wouldn't have it any other way:

Poll

Where will the Nashville Predators finish in the Western Conference?

1st

2 votes

2nd

1 votes

3rd

3 votes

4th

2 votes

5th

10 votes

6th

21 votes

7th

35 votes

8th

30 votes

9th

13 votes

10th

13 votes

11th

3 votes

12th

4 votes

13th

1 votes

14th

0 votes

15th

3 votes

141 votes | Poll has closed

Thursday thoughts: Chris Chelios in Nashville???

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:36:36 -0000

More photos » by Frank Gunn - AP

Browse more photos »

Chris Chelios might be the biggest on-ice villain the Nashville Predators fans have ever had the pleasure of razzing, but as I've said several times this summer, the Preds need a veteran presence on the blueline, and Chelios is openly looking for work. Expecting three rookies like Alexander Sulzer, Cody Franson, and Teemu Laakso to make the opening day roster puts too much responsibility on too many young players. So what's the solution?

In this morning's news & notes, we have word of potential interest by the Preds in signing Chelios, as well as other updates on how the team might look in training camp. All that, and more on the Phoenix situation after the jump...

Predators News

Predators show interest in acquiring Chris Chelios - The Tennessean
I'm sure Buddy from Preds on the Glass sat up when he saw this headline - he's been floating Chelios as a depth option on D for quite a while now. Ken Klee and Greg de Vries are also noted as potential acquisitions for Nashville.

Preds On The Glass: Notes from Barry Trotz's Interview on XM 204
Buddy's got all the scoop on Coach Trotz's appearance on XM 204's "Home Ice" yesterday afternoon, including an interesting comparison between Colin Wilson and a current NHL center.

Training camp switches for Santorelli, Ward; Preds offer coaching symposium - Inside Predators
John Glennon informs us that Mike Santorelli will likely get the first crack at playing wing alongside David Legwand and Martin Erat on the second line in training camp. It's an interesting gambit by Barry Trotz to see if he get the most of his group of young centers.

Weber, Predators' defensemen proving their worth - NHL.com
In a Winter Olympics preview piece, Todd Kimberley talks up Nashville's Big 3 of Weber, Suter, and Hamhuis.

Confessions of a Predators Fanatic: Dear....
Kelly reaches out to free agent winger Petr Sykora, in an attempt to bring him to Nashville. Or maybe it's David Poile writing under a pseudonym...

NHL Officials-related articles - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond shares a number of different stories this morning about the officials who make the game work.

Around the NHL

NHL's fingerprints all over its damaged credibility - The Globe and Mail

Stephen Brunt cackles with glee over the latest turn in the Phoenix Coyotes drama, which has seen Jerry Reinsdorf back out and the NHL submit a bid to buy the team. Based on the tone of the piece, I'm guessing it was written on his laptop while he was spooning with Richard Rodier.

Doan hopes NHL bid saves Coyotes - Sportsnet.ca
The Phoenix Coyotes captain spoke out strongly in support of keeping the team in place at the Olympic orientation camp in Calgary.

Chatting with Ilya Kovalchuk about KHL millions, his future in Atlanta: 'My goal is to win the Stanley Cup' - Puck Daddy
The Atlanta superstar opens up in a Sovietsky Sport interview, and says of Alexander Radulov's jump to the KHL, " If you play only five minutes per game for your club, and at the same time you know that you are better than some teammates... I may have done the same if I were in his place" Evidently 16:32 per game (putting Radulov among the Top Six forwards on the 2007-8 Preds) translates to "five minutes" in Russian.

Why Our Writers Do What They Do... - Blog Huddle
A discussion got rolling among the SB Nation hockey bloggers about just why each of us got into doing what we do... and so our Editor In Chief asked us to put it all in one place. It's interesting to see how many different ways people end up in this mess!

State of the Sports Blogosphere: Observations, Criticism and Thoughts on the New Sports Media - TheFasterTimes.com
B.D. Gallof (the well-known NY Islanders blogger) writes about the shifting relationship between old and new media in terms of hockey coverage. He tends to portray things as a bit more confrontational than I might see it as, but perhaps that's due to the situation we have here in Nashville, where the Preds are open to engaging with new media.

"Heavy butt," a hockey term that won't be catching on any time soon - Cult of Hockey
David Staples brings us a phrase used by Ken Holland recently to describe Jonathan Toews...

Sleepless in every NHL city - The Hockey News: Top Shelf
Ryan Dixon plays "Debbie Downer", giving NHL fans in every city a reason to worry about the upcoming season.

Getting to know the Dallas Stars with Defending Big D - PensBurgh
Our cross-conference blogger interview series continues with the Dallas Stars, a team that we need to keep an eye on. After a host of injuries wrecked their chances last year, Dallas is primed to return to the Western Conference playoffs.

Nashville Predators Development Camp report: the rise of Nick Spaling

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:27:34 -0000

This morning saw another public on-ice practice session for the Nashville Predators prospects, and the glowing reviews are coming from all corners. It's July, so naturally there's a bit of optimism in the air; all the guys seem fast, are bigger than expected, and have great shots. A note of caution, however, is warranted. As John Glennon says in his afternoon blog,

Let’s all remember that these are a few one-hour drill sessions in July, so we probably shouldn’t be drawing too much from them. It’s certainly not the same as watching players participate in highly competitive training-camp scrimmages.

After the jump, we've got a series of reviews from today's action, and a look at who really has a chance to make an impact at the NHL level this fall...

First off, it was great to meet up with @MikeBarnes5, who provided the video I used in yesterday's recap. You can find two clips of video from today here and here.

Colin Wilson skated for the first time today and looked fantastic - very strong on his skates, quick to make changes of direction and shake off defenders. It's only a matter of time before we see him at the NHL level, and he should generate some genuine excitement when he does. Brandon Felder has quotes from Wilson and some of the other prospects in his recap.

A Baby Blueline?

Now, one thing we've heard quite a bit this week is that after re-signing Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, that the Preds are pretty much done shopping for now, and may not get either a winger or a defenseman prior to training camp, opting instead to promote from within.

Admirals Short Shifts breaks down the picture on the blueline:

Down in Nashville, it's sounding more and more like Cody Franson and Teemu Laakso are going to be given every chance in the world to make the Preds squad this year.

According to John Glennon from the Tennessean, Franson is training in Nashville, and has stopped by the Development Camp. And Laakso received this glowing review from Preds GM David Poile.

"He tested out great, says he feels great,’’ Poile said. ``We liked what he did down in Milwaukee and he could certainly be a candidate to play for our team. So you weigh that kind of thing against what’s out there.’’

At one point, it sounded like signing a veteran defenseman was on Poile's to-do list this summer...but that makes it seem like he thinks the Preds might be able to promote from within. After the exit of Zanon, Koistinen, and DeVries, would it be a stretch to see the Sulzer, Franson, and Laakso all make the roster?

My answer, yes, it would be a stretch - a mind-blowingly large one that would probably send Barry Trotz's blood pressure through the roof. I simply can't imagine an NHL team with aspirations for the playoffs lining up 3 totally raw rookies in the 5-6-7 slots, behind Kevin Klein (with all of 81 games of NHL experience) at #4. For the sake of his head coach's sanity, David Poile will obtain a graybeard, stay-at-home type to work the 3rd pair and mentor the new kids. It's a formula that worked well with Greg de Vries, and now it's time to move on to a more affordable option.

So why the public proclamations to the contrary? I can think of two reasons. First of all, with the prospects in town, Poile needs to communicate a message of opportunity - "there are NHL jobs on the table, kids, so work your butts off and force me to put you on the team". Secondly, there's no need for Poile to sign such a player right now - the early days of the Free Agency period are a player's market, when the Bouwmeesters and Beauchemins go to the highest bidder and draw all the attention. For the mass of players that remain, the market will shift in the GM's favor as training camp approaches and marginal players look for work. That's when you can snag a depth D out of the bargain bin, and I'm guessing that's what will happen here.

Spaling on the rise

Now there is something that myself, John Glennon, Paul McCann, and many others do agree on - that Nick Spaling has taken a big step forward and stands out from the pack with an all-around polish to his game. What I look for on days like this is a forward who can execute at high speed, make and accept strong, accurate passes, and use his speed or size to separate from defenders. They're not ripping their best slap shots or getting a chance to show their hockey sense in a 5-on-5 scrimmage situation, but you take what you can get, and Spaling just seems very slick compared to the other prospects right now. Might that translate into a 4th-line/PK opportunity this fall? It could be...