The NHL Community has been placing out prime 20 lists in every of the positional classes this offseason. They most not too long ago ranked the highest 20 defensemen heading into the 2024-25 season; however they’ve additionally put out lists for the highest 20 facilities, prime 20 wingers, and prime 10 goalies. The Nashville Predators have fairly a number of gamers who’ve made it onto these varied lists. Who made the rankings and the place did they place?
Roman Josi
Predators captain Roman Josi was ranked the fourth-best defenseman by NHL Community of their 2024 rankings. The defensemen who completed forward of him have been Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Josi was probably the greatest at his place through the 2023-24 marketing campaign. He was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, together with Makar and Hughes. Hughes received the Norris, however Josi proved how even nearing his mid-30s he’s nonetheless probably the greatest blueliners within the NHL.
Josi performed in all 82 video games final season. He scored 23 objectives and produced 62 assists for a complete of 85 factors. It was the second-most factors he has ever notched. The one marketing campaign that had extra was in 2021-22 (he scored 23 objectives as properly, however had 73 assists for 96 factors in 80 video games). It is going to be fascinating to see if that time whole goes up much more in 2024-25. He could have new forwards to construct chemistry with, and in addition has some good teammates on the backend too. Dante Fabbro, Alexandre Service, Jeremy Lauzon, and Luke Schenn are all getting back from final season.
The Predators additionally landed a big expertise on the blue line by bringing Brady Skjei aboard by way of free company. Skjei bolsters Nashville’s protection, and may put up his personal offensive manufacturing too. He supplied 47 factors in 80 video games for the Carolina Hurricanes (13 objectives and 34 assists). Whoever head coach Andrew Brunette decides to pair with Josi, that duo will make a big effect for the crew on the ice. Taking part in with a talented veteran like Josi can even assist carry out the most effective in his defensive accomplice.
Juuse Saros
The NHL Community ranked Juuse Saros because the ninth-best goalie within the league. He completed forward of Linus Ullmark, now with the Ottawa Senators. The highest three netminders have been the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, and the New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin.
Within the 2023-24 marketing campaign, Saros performed in 64 video games for the membership, posting a file of 35-24-5. He had a goals-against common (GAA) of two.86, a save share (SV%) of .906, and three shutouts. In his profession up to now, he has an total file of 182-119-32 in 350 video games performed. He has an total GAA of two.63, an total SV% of .917, and 23 shutouts. He has been precisely what the group has wanted ever since Pekka Rinne hung up the skates, and he’ll proceed to be one of many faces of the crew for a lot of seasons to come back. Basic supervisor Barry Trotz made positive of that too. He signed Saros to an eight-year contract extension value $61.92 million. He’s going to be the Predators’ netminder for a very long time, and he earned it.
Saros ought to proceed to remain within the Vezina Trophy dialog. He has important competitors for positive. Hellebuyck is nominated each season due to how proficient he’s for the Jets. He has two Vezina Trophy wins (2019-20 and most not too long ago in 2023-24). Shesterkin additionally has a Vezina to his title as properly from 2022. Each of these goalies should not going to be slowing down, and others will play properly to place themselves in consideration too. Whereas Saros could not have a Vezina Trophy but beneath his belt, I firmly consider that he’ll have the ability to win one through the seasons forward. Perhaps he’ll get a couple of like Hellebuyck. Saros will win one finally although. With how a lot ability the Predators have in entrance of him, a Stanley Cup Ultimate look could also be within the midst as properly.
Filip Forsberg
Kicking issues off for the Predators on the highest 20 wingers checklist, ranked at 14th is Filip Forsberg. Heading into his Thirteenth marketing campaign with Nashville, he has accrued 287 objectives and 318 assists for 605 factors in 698 video games. He and Josi are the highest two level producers in Predators franchise historical past. Final season, Forsberg scored 48 objectives and registered 46 assists for 94 factors in 82 video games. That was his greatest marketing campaign but for Nashville. It was a career-high for the 30-year-old in objectives, assists, and whole factors. His earlier greatest for all three stat classes was in 2021-22 when he collected 42 objectives and 42 assists for 84 factors in 69 video games.
As nice as Forsberg has been for Nashville over the seasons, it looks like he will get higher as he will get older. He has persistently been one in all their key offensive forces within the lineup. In his first full NHL marketing campaign in 2014-15, he nearly obtained 30 objectives. Forsberg completed his first huge season with 26 objectives and 37 assists for 63 factors in 82 video games. As he has gotten older although, he has grow to be much more harmful for the Predators.
Might his greatest be but to come back? Is he able to being a 100-point participant? I consider that time whole could be very attainable. If he can rack up near that many factors earlier than, he may very properly accomplish that. That is very true if he will get placed on a line with a few his new teammates. With that being stated, a type of new forwards additionally made the checklist.
Steven Stamkos
The final participant who was ranked for NHL Community was slotted in because the Thirteenth-best winger within the NHL. He’s additionally the one newcomer for Nashville on these lists. Coming in at 13 is Steven Stamkos. The 34-year-old ahead spent his total profession with the Tampa Bay Lightning and had been their captain from 2014 to this previous season. Throughout his time with the Lightning, Stamkos scored 555 objectives and registered 582 assists for 1,137 factors in 1,082 video games. Moreover, in his postseason profession up to now, he scored 50 objectives and supplied 51 assists for 101 factors in 128 video games.
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In his final marketing campaign for the Lightning, Stamkos tallied 40 objectives and 41 assists for 81 factors in 79 video games. If he had suited up for Nashville as a substitute final season, his 81 factors would have positioned him third on the checklist. The one two Predators who would have had extra factors than him in 2023-24 would have been Forsberg and Josi. Stamkos’ 40 objectives would have been second in Nashville, with solely Forsberg having extra with 48. He, together with winger Jonathan Marchessault, ought to have the ability to present extra offensive output for the membership. Including these two to an offense that additionally has Forsberg, middle Ryan O’Reilly, ahead Gustav Nyquist, and others ought to put them as a Stanley Cup contender out of the Western Convention. It is going to be as much as Brunette and his teaching employees to determine who works collectively greatest for the ahead traces, in addition to the facility play and penalty kill items.
The Predators have an important marketing campaign forward for the group. They’ve an excessive amount of ability to not be probably the greatest squads within the West. If they will put all of it collectively, they might presumably win their first championship. The quantity of success that Nashville has depends upon many gamers, together with the 4 that have been highlighted on the NHL Community’s 2024 lists.
