42 Observations on the first half of the Preds season

The Nashville Predators are 42 games into the 2017-18 season – their follow-up to a campaign that saw them in the Stanley Cup Final – and they’ve turned in a 25-11-6 record, good for second place in the Central Division.

If they can duplicate that record in their last 40 games of the year (sans one game because, you know, math), they should be in prime position to challenge for a division or conference championship.

You know how Elliotte Friedman has his 31 Thoughts? Well, here are my 42 Observations from the first 42-game stretch of the season.

(Don’t worry. That name won’t stick.)

1. The run to the Stanley Cup Final was no fluke. Leading up to opening night, a lot of experts loved to use the easy arguments against the Predators. They used terms such as “Stanley Cup hangover” and “they backed into the playoffs and just went on a magical run,” both of which discount the accomplishment to an extent. This is typical in pro sports when a team is not paid attention to normally but, all of a sudden, the world is forced to watch. And how does that problem get fixed? A tradition of success. And, luckily for Predators fans, this team is well on its way to demanding the attention for a long period of time.
2. Filip Forsberg is developing into a superstar right in front of our eyes. Sure, he’s been a 60-point guy in the League for a few years now and sure he’s scored 30 goals in each of the past two seasons but Nashville hasn’t seen a player put up this kind of production over this consistent of a stretch since the Paul Kariya years (2005-07). That’s a long time. And, if that’s not enough, Forsberg is 23 years old so it stands to reason that he’s got many many more 60-point and 30-goal seasons in front of him.
3. General Manager David Poile and the Predators brass are in love with the defense corps. I’m not just talking about the big four of Roman Josi, PK Subban, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis. Literally hours before Nashville’s NHL-mandated bye week, Poile signed Anthony Bitetto, Matt Irwin and Yannick Weber to contract extensions.
4. Alexei Emelin is the lone man out as far as blueliners signed past this season but keep in mind that Emelin’s current contract looks a lot different than Bitetto’s, Irwin’s and Weber’s. That one might take a little bit longer, depending on what the team wants to do. In my opinion, he’s certainly played well enough to warrant extension discussions but not at his current rate. Then again, with Ellis back and healthy, he’s not being asked to play top four minutes anymore either.
5. Man, it’s great to see Ellis back on the ice, isn’t it?
6. Speaking of defensemen, Irwin and Weber get a bad rap. Are they elite defensemen in this league? Absolutely not. But they’re serviceable, dependable blueliners most nights and, quite frankly, that’s all you can ask of your bottom pairing. Nashville is blessed with four defenseman who would be top pairing rearguards on any other team in the NHL. So, when Irwin and Weber take the ice, fans notice weaknesses that aren’t there normally. What some fans don’t understand, however, is they shouldn’t expect all three defense pairings to be lights out, talented playmakers. Instead, they should be happy with the fact their team has two of those guys, let alone four.
7. Back-up goaltender Juuse Saros has impressed as of late. You’ll remember that early in the season, he was playing well but not getting the results he’d like. Ever since November started, however, he’s 4-0-3 with two shutouts. He’s returned to that “dependable alternative to Pekka Rinne” we grew to know last season. And that’s a great sign for the Preds going forward.
8. Sticking with Rinne for a second, his year was absolutely fabulous. In the calendar year of 2017, the 2004 eighth round pick went 51-24-6 (regular season and playoffs combined), only allowed 185 goals on 2,424 shots and, as icing on the cake, added seven shutouts. The seventh of those seven, by the way, broke the record for career shutouts by a Finnish-born goaltender. More on that part of things soon.
9. Did you know that Rinne rarely lost back-to-back games in regulation in 2017? He suffered consecutive regulation defeats just four times in his 83 starts.
10. On a broadcasting note, Hal Gill (radio) and Chris Mason (TV) have been outstanding additions to their respective broadcast teams.
11. Gill’s quick-yet-dry wit has him playing off of Pete Weber, showing off his self-deprecating humor and even singing a jingle or two during live reads.
12. Mason is a natural and breaks down the game so well it’s hard not to want to hear more when he stops talking.
13. Forsberg’s injury is a big blow. It’s never easy for a team to lose their leading scorer. But the team is 3-1-1 without him and they were competitive in the regulation loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Depth players have stepped up to the plate before and there’s no reason to believe they won’t again.
14. When Forsberg went down with his injury, he was a single goal shy of Jason Arnott (107) for sixth on the franchise’s all-time goals list. He’s also a single point away from Cliff Ronning (226) for 15th all-time.
15. While we’re talking stats… the next goal Scott Hartnell scores will be his 100th in a Preds sweater.
16. Can we all just give it up for the @PredsAlmanac Twitter account? It’s chalk full of random facts – and I do mean random. There was a Ben Guite fact the other day! – and their “On this day…” tweet is one I’ve come to look forward to every morning.
17. Kevin Fiala still needs some time to realize his true potential but, in the 28 games since Kyle Turris was acquired in a three-team deal with the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche, he’s put up 20 points, half of which are goals. Remember, he had zero goals (and just six points) prior to the trade on November 6.
18. Subban, Rinne and Laviolette will represent the Predators at NHL All-Star Weekend in Tampa, Florida. I truly wonder if Forsberg would’ve gotten a nod were he healthy. Considering every team has to be represented, it’s hard to say. Looking at the Central Division roster, who do you take off while still complying with that requirement?
19. With four more points in the next 40 games, Craig Smith will match his total from last season. If he matches his 25-point output over that same stretch, he’ll be just two points shy of his career high (52 in 2013-14).
20. It’s great to see Smith going again. Last year was a year he’d love to erase from the record books. A mere 29 points in 78 games saw him struggle mightily on the scoresheet but it did force him to contribute in other ways, namely away from the puck. Perhaps adapting during that drought is exactly why he’s having such a great year now.
21. What do the Predators do with Anders Lindback? The big Swede has been lights out for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals this season and, in any other scenario, would earn a call up to see some NHL playing time. Unfortunately for him, the organization is trying to get Saros games wherever they can get him games. Therefore, unless Lindback just happens to be up with the big club when Rinne struggles mid-game, he probably won’t see NHL ice this season.
22. Or will he? Sporting a 17-6-3 record and an impressive .920 save percentage, he’s making his presence known in “The A.” Could he become trade bait at the deadline? But, if he is traded, they’re leaving the crease exposed in case of an injury to either Rinne or Saros? I mean, if Rinne goes down, there’s a level of trust in Saros as the starter and if Saros goes down, there’s a level of trust in Lindback as the back-up. But would you really feel confident going into the Stanley Cup Playoffs if either Matt O’Connor or Jake Paterson was on the active NHL roster?
23. Congratulations to Admirals forward and leading scorer Bobby Butler on making the US Olympic team. Without NHL players over in Pyeongchang next month, hockey became less must-see-TV but now that Butler’s involved, Preds fans have an angle of rooting interest.
24. Well, that, and former first round pick Jon Blum also made US squad while former Preds Derek Roy and Stefan Elliott both made Team Canada.
25. Thanks to his assist on Tuesday night across the Atlantic, Nashville blue chip prospect Eeli Tolvanen surpassed Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov for the most points (33) scored in a KHL season by an 18-year old. So far this season, Tolvanen has played in an outdoor game, played at the World Junior Championships for his native Finland and been named KHL Rookie of the Month multiple times.
26. If you missed my story on Tolvanen earlier this season, it’s a must-read. Not because I said anything great but because Hall of Famer Jari Kurri and former Preds forward Annti Piihlstrom weighed in on the young Tolvanen and their input is outstanding.
27. Can we all just praise Subban and his Blueline Buddies program for finding a creative way to bring the community together? What an amazing idea with even more amazing execution.
28. I have an observation about THIS but, then again, I’m sure we all do.
29. In the hockey games immediately before the next football games, it was really great to see the Predators players show up to the rink in Titans jerseys. For so long, the Titans essentially pretended like they were the lone sports franchise in this city. They would give zero acknowledgment to the Preds and I’ve been told that if the front office ever asked their football brethren to record a video or do something simple to promote a game or show support in any way, the Titans would decline. Last April, though, that all changed. So to see each team scratching the other’s back makes a lot of souls smile in Music City. Not just because it’s long overdue but also because it’s the right thing to do.
30. I’m worried, in the fans eyes’, Nick Bonino will become the next Paul Guastad. Go with me on this for a second… Bonino, like Gaustad before him, is a bottom six center who the Preds paid big bucks to get in the off-season. Bonino, like Gaustad before him, isn’t putting up points the way he’d like to (eight points in 31 games so far). Bonino, like Gaustad before him, does a lot of intangible things right and he’s good in a lot of areas that don’t reflect on the scoresheet. The fans, however, see the money they’re paying players and make a judgment call from there. Unfortunate but true.
31. The NHL’s Trade Deadline is six weeks from now and I’m not entirely sure what Poile and the Preds are going to do. It’s been reported they’d like to add a top six forward but who wouldn’t? The price won’t be cheap and may even include Tolvanen.
32. If you’re Nashville, do you trade the only pure sniper you’ve ever drafted in your 20-year franchise history in order to acquire a piece that you believe can help you win your first Stanley Cup? An argument could be made for both pulling the trigger and leaving well enough alone.
33. Of Nashville’s 40 remaining contests, 22 are at home. They’re 13-4-2 in the friendly confines of Bridgestone Arena so far this season and, of course, they were 9-2 in the playoffs as well as a dominant 24-9-8 last year. Needless to say, this suggests finishing the campaign out strong.
34. The Predators boast the fourth best power play in the League (24.3 percent success rate) and, despite taking the most penalties by a sizable margin, have the 12th best penalty kill (82.1).
35. So, while discipline remains in issue, their special teams are so stellar despite the holes they dig for themselves on a nightly basis.
36. A lot was (is still?) made of Calle Jarnkrok being protected over James Neal in the Expansion Draft. So much so that, when Neal scored against Nashville in their first ever meeting and Jarnkrok answered with a goal of his own, Preds Twitter blew up. The fact is, “Iron Hook” is putting together a career year and proving Poile right.
37. Ryan Johansen has drawn his share of criticism as well. Fresh off a new eight-year, $64 million deal, he’s having his worst season production-wise since 2012-13 when he was in just his second year with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
38. That’s not to suggest Johansen hasn’t played well. He actually has. But Nashville will need him to step up and return to the consistent playmaking center he’s been over the years if they want to compete for the division, the conference or the Cup.
39. Colton Sissons is another guy who impressed in the first half. His 12 points hardly jump off the page but, if you look at his NHL resume, this is already a career year for the former Kelowna Rockets captain. Not to mention he’s a reliable player in all situations, penalty kill, power play and even strength.
40. Of the 24 skaters who have suited up and played for the Predators this season, 23 of them have scored a goal. The lone standout is Freddie Gaudreau. Now, in fairness, he’s hardly put in a position to succeed. He shuttles back-and-fourth from Milwaukee on a regular basis and, when he is with the big club, he plays on the fourth line. The only player on the Nashville roster who averages less ice time is Cody McLeod.
41. Another fourth liner I’d like to see get more playing time is Miikka Salomaki. He lit up the score sheet in the pre-season and he can be their McLeod type but with more offensive upside. After all, he did lead the Admirals in scoring (50 points) back in 2013-14.
42. Finally, 80 straight sellouts for the Predators at Bridgestone Arena, including the 19 so far this year. It was never “Florida empty” but I do remember the days when the building was at about 75% capacity for those Tuesday night games against Calgary. As a media member, it’s nice that I’m never curious what the attendance number is when those Three Stars of the Game sheets are delivered to us at the beginning of the third period.