Nashville Predators Talk - 2024/2025 Season

[Kat Predator]

I think Novak and Evangelista are great current examples? Fabbro/Tomasino/Parssinen/Tolvanen were past ship-sailed examples. But look at what Novak is doing the last couple games, what got him that contract. Or Evangelista last season. Normally you just want to draw a nice linear evolution/progression slope for these kinds of players. Instead we seem to always backtrack... it's weird. Maybe I don't follow the other 31 teams closely enough, but I just don't see any logical reason why that should happen? There is a bit of an urban myth about "sophomore slumps", but... does it happen to EVERY young player, always? I don't think so.

It's a cake of our own making, I believe.

We bring up a guy like Tolvanen and initially we put him on, say, the 2nd line. Give him some PP time. He gets up to speed, scores a few goals, and everyone is jacked. Wahoo!

Then as time goes on, our coaches panic. Damn, that kid is just a kid. He didn't do X exactly like I thought he should've. He's not overcooked yet. OMFG!

At that point, he's bounced around the lineup, in and out of the pressbox, and maybe even yo-yo'ed back and forth from Milwaukee. The young guy is effectively told, we're not ready or willing to let you log enough time at this level to really gain your footing. Kbyyyyye!

It's true that a lot of these "unmitigated busts" aren't hands down Hall-of-Famers. But they are cost-controlled kids that we drafted and who can play at the NHL level in roles suited to their strengths. We should utilize that to our advantage, but we don't. We'd rather pick up some other team's tweener, superglue that guy in the lineup, and waive or trade our kids for a bag of air.

 

[ShagDaddy]

The contract has a NMC in it. That means today, before the contract kicks in, we can trade Saros to any of 31 teams, and he has ZERO say in it.

After the contract kicks in, he has total control of where he goes. Which likely crosses at least 2/3rds of the league off the list straight off the top. AND requires our situation to be sooooo dire that he's even willing to move at all.

So yeah, there is a huge difference in those two scenarios. It might not be much of a difference in terms of what RETURN we could get. But it's a huge difference in terms of whether we'd even be able to trade him at all or not.

Trotz can trade him to any team he wants to this year, you are correct. The team that trades for Saros is stuck with that contract so for them it makes absolutely no difference. If you were a GM of another organization would you take on that contract?

 

[wmupreds]

Trotz can trade him to any team he wants to this year, you are correct. The team that trades for Saros is stuck with that contract so for them it makes absolutely no difference. If you were a GM of another organization would you take on that contract?

If I'm in a Cup window and need a goalie, yes. 7.74 ain't bad for a top level goalie and teams in all out win mode aren't necessarily going to care as much about the back end years. The problem is it's a pretty limited number of teams if any who really fit that mold. Last year was the time to do it, there was an epidemic of bad goalie play on otherwise good teams.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

If I'm in a Cup window and need a goalie, yes. 7.74 ain't bad for a top level goalie and teams in all out win mode aren't necessarily going to care as much about the back end years. The problem is it's a pretty limited number of teams if any who really fit that mold. Last year was the time to do it, there was an epidemic of bad goalie play on otherwise good teams.

I think we missed our chance with Colorado this season, tbh. We were talking to them, but ended up just moving Wedgewood. They were so desperate they signed Blackwood.

The next best team is Edmonton. Trade Saros for Skinner and whatever Cap dump they want to throw our way to make it work. Their window with McDavid and Draisatl is now.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

So I finally looked up the Preds wins this year

Of Nashville's 18 wins, I would only consider 8 to be against quality opponents.

Who cares wins
SJS 2 Wins
CHI 2 Wins
VAN 2 Wins (Drama)
BOS 1 Win (team was and is in free fall)
MIN 1 Win (injuries galore)
NYR 1 Win (team was in free fall)
COL 1 Win (injuries galore)

Quality wins
CAR 1
CBJ 1
UTAH 1
CAL 1
LAK 1
WPG 1
VGK 1
DAL 1

Vegas was on a B2B and I think Winnipeg was as well. Still good quality wins but again, I look at who we have beat and I'm not overly impressed

 

[nullednumbed]

So I finally looked up the Preds wins this year

Of Nashville's 18 wins, I would only consider 8 to be against quality opponents.

Who cares wins
SJS 2 Wins
CHI 2 Wins
VAN 2 Wins (Drama)
BOS 1 Win (team was and is in free fall)
MIN 1 Win (injuries galore)
NYR 1 Win (team was in free fall)
COL 1 Win (injuries galore)

Quality wins
CAR 1
CBJ 1
UTAH 1
CAL 1
LAK 1
WPG 1
VGK 1
DAL 1

Vegas was on a B2B and I think Winnipeg was as well. Still good quality wins but again, I look at who we have beat and I'm not overly impressed

Having to beat Chicago in a SO, the miracle comeback against the Sharks one night and a plain 'ol goalie-optional game against them in the rematch. Bad teams playing other bad teams very close, but the Preds get the Ws and keep clawing to drafing around the mid-1st round per usual.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

So I finally looked up the Preds wins this year

Of Nashville's 18 wins, I would only consider 8 to be against quality opponents.

Who cares wins
SJS 2 Wins
CHI 2 Wins
VAN 2 Wins (Drama)
BOS 1 Win (team was and is in free fall)
MIN 1 Win (injuries galore)
NYR 1 Win (team was in free fall)
COL 1 Win (injuries galore)

Quality wins
CAR 1
CBJ 1
UTAH 1
CAL 1
LAK 1
WPG 1
VGK 1
DAL 1

Vegas was on a B2B and I think Winnipeg was as well. Still good quality wins but again, I look at who we have beat and I'm not overly impressed

Isn't this how it works for most good teams? You win most of the games against struggling opponents and you try to split wins against quality opponents. The Preds play the Ducks. Nucks, Sabres, Pens, Sens, Hawks, and Sabres going into the 4 Nations Break. Preds are 18-22-7. Only the Nucks and the Sens are over .500. If we go 6-1, we go into the break 24-23-7 and probably 5-to-6 points out of WC2. If we do it, those 6 wins would all go in your Who Cares List. We'll take it. We'd have gone 11-1 in our last 12. Like last year's 16-0-2, these streaks don't start out as great streaks. They build on themselves with each win. Will it happen? On paper, it's possible considering the competition and the sense of urgency. If we disappoint and go 3-4-0 in the next 7 games, then stick a fork in us.

At least it makes these recent games quasi- meaningful. Why not enjoy the ride until it derails.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

So I finally looked up the Preds wins this year

Of Nashville's 18 wins, I would only consider 8 to be against quality opponents.

Who cares wins
SJS 2 Wins
CHI 2 Wins
VAN 2 Wins (Drama)
BOS 1 Win (team was and is in free fall)
MIN 1 Win (injuries galore)
NYR 1 Win (team was in free fall)
COL 1 Win (injuries galore)

Quality wins
CAR 1
CBJ 1
UTAH 1
CAL 1
LAK 1
WPG 1
VGK 1
DAL 1

Vegas was on a B2B and I think Winnipeg was as well. Still good quality wins but again, I look at who we have beat and I'm not overly impressed

If we were looking to asses this team's status as a Cup contender I would worry more about the quality of opponents being beaten. Cup contenders beat quality opponents consistently, playoff teams beat the teams they are supposed to beat, bottom of the league teams can't even achieve that. I'm kind of vexed by the expectations for a team that's 18-22-7. That list of wins is about what I'd expect from a team with that record.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Isn't this how it works for most good teams? You win most of the games against struggling opponents and you try to split wins against quality opponents. The Preds play the Ducks. Nucks, Sabres, Pens, Sens, Hawks, and Sabres going into the 4 Nations Break. Preds are 18-22-7. Only the Nucks and the Sens are over .500. If we go 6-1, we go into the break 24-23-7 and probably 5-to-6 points out of WC2. If we do it, those 6 wins would all go in your Who Cares List. We'll take it. We'd have gone 11-1 in our last 12. Like last year's 16-0-2, these streaks don't start out as great streaks. They build on themselves with each win. Will it happen? On paper, it's possible considering the competition and the sense of urgency. If we disappoint and go 3-4-0 in the next 7 games, then stick a fork in us.

At least it makes these recent games quasi- meaningful. Why not enjoy the ride until it derails.

If they weren’t having to come back from deficits, win in overtime or give up 5 or 6 goals, I’d agree with your first sentence. The Predators are struggling against struggling opponents and catching wins against good opponents on their second night of back to back or with depleted rosters.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Dear brain, I know you’re being attacked by a immune system, but Jesus Christ quit giving me crazy ideas

 

[Armourboy]

Dear brain, I know you’re being attacked by a immune system, but Jesus Christ quit giving me crazy ideas

We talking buying a Blue Preds Biker Jacket crazy idea, or killing a cat and wearing it like a hat, crazy idea? There are crazy ideas and then well... yeah.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

We talking buying a Blue Preds Biker Jacket crazy idea, or killing a cat and wearing it like a hat, crazy idea? There are crazy ideas and then well... yeah.

OR like we have a 4 in 10 chance of making the playoffs crazy idea...

 

[bdub24]

Barron seems to be good for at least one extremely bone-headed decision per game, but if somehow that can get coached out of him, he might develop into a serviceable player. He has a lot of physical talents but might need to get a little bit meaner as well.

Coached you say?

 

[Kat Predator]

Coached you say?

Unfortunately, it only lets me hit the "haha" emoji once.

 

[hido]

OK, the “wIn sTrEaK” is over. Fire the f****** coach.