The Nashville Predators 2024-25 season is lower than a month away. The puck drops on their common season on Oct. 10 in opposition to the Dallas Stars. The group has a lot to maintain earlier than that sport day arrives, because the crew has coaching camp and the preseason to get by means of. Additionally, Predators’ head coach Andrew Brunette should decide what teammates gel collectively on the identical line. This consists of creating four-line mixtures on offense. Who performs with who can be intriguing, particularly now that new star wingers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault can be integrated into the ahead ranks. Mixing these two skills with different Predators forwards like Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, and Tommy Novak, amongst others, can be intriguing to observe for the fanbase.
Filip Forsberg-Ryan O’Reilly-Steven Stamkos
This trio may very well be extremely harmful for Nashville. Filip Forsberg stays one of many Predators’ greatest gamers in franchise historical past. In 698 common season video games, he has 287 targets and 318 assists for 605 factors. He’s solely placing up higher stats as he will get older, too.
The 2023-24 season numbers for Forsberg had been career-highs for him throughout the board: 48 targets and 46 assists for 94 factors in 82 video games. His 48 targets beat his earlier excessive of 42 in 2021-22. His 46 assists topped his career-best of 42 that he additionally tallied again in 2021-22. He boosted his career-high in factors, in consequence, by 10 factors. If he can put up these sorts of numbers, what might he do taking part in on a line with Steven Stamkos?
Stamkos involves the Predators from the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has been with that group his whole profession. Tampa Bay chosen him first total within the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and he was the franchise’s captain from 2014 by means of final season. He left the Lightning as a free agent and signed a take care of Nashville for 4 seasons and $32 million.
Stamkos confirmed final season that, regardless of getting older, he’s nonetheless dominant with purpose manufacturing. He scored 40 targets for the Lightning in 2023-24. Solely Nikita Kucherov (44 targets) and Brayden Level (46 targets) had greater than Stamkos. His management expertise can even be helpful, not only for his line specifically, however for the complete roster. Stamkos can lead by instance each on and off the ice. It will probably go a good distance, particularly for among the youthful gamers who could be mentored and guided. Two Stanley Cup championships underneath his belt actually assist with the respect he has earned within the hockey world.
Lastly, Ryan O’Reilly facilities this potential first line. Like Stamkos, O’Reilly additionally brings Stanley Cup expertise from successful with the St. Louis Blues in opposition to the Boston Bruins in 2019. He was additionally captain of the Blues throughout his time in St. Louis. The 2023-24 marketing campaign was his first in Nashville. In 82 video games with the Predators, he scored 26 targets and registered 43 assists for 69 factors.
Jonathan Marchessault-Tommy Novak-Gustav Nyquist
The second line may very well be a power for the Predators. Coming in for his first marketing campaign in Nashville is winger Jonathan Marchessault. The 33-year-old performed his final seven seasons for the Vegas Golden Knights. He was one of many unique members of the inaugural squad for the 2017-18 marketing campaign. Like Stamkos, Marchessault proved final season that he can nonetheless produce high quality numbers. He notched 42 targets and accrued 27 assists for 69 factors in 82 video games. If he can construct stable chemistry together with his potential linemates, then he has a very good likelihood of getting 35-40 targets with the Predators.
Associated: Golden Knights Will Miss Jonathan Marchessault
Tommy Novak is projected as Nashville’s second-line heart. He has suited up within the NHL for the final three seasons and debuted for the Predators in 2021-22. Throughout his first marketing campaign within the league, he posted a purpose and 6 assists for seven factors in 27 video games. Novak adopted that up with 43 factors in 51 video games for 2022-23 (17 targets and 26 assists). In his most up-to-date season, he posted his present career-high in factors with 45 in 71 video games. He had 18 targets and 27 assists.
Offering assist for each Marchessault and Novak on the second line is Gustav Nyquist. He can be getting into his thirteenth NHL season and has performed all through the league in that span. Nyquist started his profession with the Detroit Pink Wings earlier than discovering his option to the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and now Nashville. The 2024-25 season can be his second marketing campaign for the Predators. He scored 23 targets and produced 52 assists for 75 factors in 81 video games final season for the Predators.
Mark Jankowski-Colton Sissons-Luke Evangelista
The potential third line for the Predators consists of all returning skills from final season. Colton Sissons has been with the group since he was drafted by the membership in 2012. Final season, he offered 15 targets and 20 assists for 35 factors in 81 video games. In his whole profession, Sissons has suited up in 618 common season video games. In that span, he has 88 targets and 112 assists for 200 factors.
To Sissons’ left is Mark Jankowski. The Predators are Jankowski’s fourth group since he entered the league in 2016-17. He began out with the Calgary Flames earlier than he had temporary stops with each the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. He has performed in Nashville for the final two campaigns. Throughout his time in Tennessee up to now, he has amassed the next factors:
- 2022-23: seven targets and 5 assists for 12 factors in 50 video games
- 2023-24: seven targets and eight assists for 15 factors in 32 video games
The third line is accomplished by winger Luke Evangelista. He has two NHL seasons underneath his belt. His first one noticed him rating seven targets and accrue eight assists for 15 factors in 24 video games. Evangelista performed his first full NHL marketing campaign in 2023-24. In 80 video games, he notched 16 targets and 23 assists for 39 factors. This may very well be an underrated third line for Nashville. Jankowski, Sissons, and Evangelista may very well be an impactful half of the bottom-six ahead group.
Concluding the projected ahead strains for the Predators in 2024-25 is the fourth line of Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, and Juuso Parssinen. Smith joined Nashville as an undrafted free agent. He first suited up for the Predators within the 2020-21 marketing campaign. Final season, he performed 80 video games and obtained 23 factors (9 targets and 14 assists). In 158 video games in his younger profession, Smith has 13 targets and 27 assists for 40 factors. His level manufacturing has improved with every marketing campaign. If he can take one other step statistically, that may additional strengthen the membership’s depth scoring.
Michael McCarron has been taking part in for the membership since 2020-21. He had three prior seasons of NHL expertise with the Montreal Canadiens. Whereas a member of the Habs, he collected the next numbers:
- 2015-16: one purpose and one help for 2 factors in 20 video games
- 2016-17: one purpose and 4 assists for 5 factors in 31 video games
- 2017-18: one help for one level in 18 video games
McCarron didn’t seem in an NHL sport from the 2018-19 marketing campaign by means of 2019-20. His subsequent NHL sport was with the Predators for 2020-21. He suited up for six video games that season and didn’t register a degree. He regularly gained extra video games and have become a daily on Nashville’s roster final season. In 2023-24, McCarron scored 12 targets and 10 assists for 22 factors in 70 video games.
Then, there may be Juuso Parssinen. He has suited up in two campaigns for Nashville. In 89 profession NHL video games, Parssinen has 14 targets and 23 assists for 37 factors. Final season, he had eight targets and 4 assists for 12 factors.
This fourth line completes the total projected 12 forwards for the Predators. These may very well be the beginning strains to kick off 2024-25, or Brunette might discover mixtures that he and his teaching workers like higher. Both manner, there are various skills to love for individuals who root for the Predators. 2024-25 begins a brand new period of hockey in Nashville.
