Nashville Predators Talk - 2024/2025 Season

[adsfan]

We should probably get used to suspensions for ZLH. And misconducts, etc.

Not because he's some dirty/evil player. But mostly because his reputation precedes itself. Oh well. I'm not surprised. Hopefully he'll make enough of a positive impact with his skill and tenacity that we won't mind the extra tax he's going to get charged on penalties, misconducts, and suspensions. Might as well get used to it, unfortunately.

In 4 games in Milwaukee this season, Zach received 4 PIMs.

You are overdoing it.

Dang, I thought that was tomorrow! I have not been keeping up well this season for SOME reason.

Let me guess.

Disappointed, bored, angry at not getting a good return for your money?

Busy?

 

[Kat Predator]

Probably just insurance for the back to backs, but there's a ton of smoke on the trade front around the league right now. JT Miller to the Rags seems likely, I wonder if we're involved as a third party there or in another deal with Buffalo for Cozens/Byram/someone else.

I really hope we don't shovel more millions in cap money into the roaring furnace. Getting a young kid who is struggling to let Bruno "work his magic on" is a giant time bomb from what we've seen.

Having said that, I'm buckling up and assuming Trotz will drive the train straight over the cliff with a move akin to this...

 

[Adz]

In 4 games in Milwaukee this season, Zach received 4 PIMs.

You are overdoing it.



Let me guess.

Disappointed, bored, angry at not getting a good return for your money?

Busy?

Yes. Except for busy. Really not that pressed these days and I love that.
I still care, but constant losses are just eating at the feeling of a need to watch. Return for expectations is a more accurate description, i guess.

 

[herzausstein]

Lankinen allows 2.6 GAA on a good team and this piss poor team only scores a league worst 2.39 Goals per game. His record would suck here if he managed to play just as good but his counting stats would likely be even worse.

 

[adsfan]

Svechkov was called up to the Preds.

Wilsby put on IR.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Nice...Lanky with a 15-6-4 record
Trotz screwed that 1 up!

Trotz did not screw this one up. The organization wanted him back. That has been stated by multiple sources. Lankinen wanted a chance to be a starter some where and chose not to sign with the Preds on his own accord. Lankinen not coming back was his decision not Trotz.

 

[bdub24]

So while Trotz relied on a slow boring hockey style, Burnette seems to design a faster boring hockey style.

 

[Armourboy]

What amounts to a 4 game suspension does seem a bit much for a 1st time especially when you see what others get away with. I just want consistency

Yeah finally got to watch the replay of it and that's my take. Frankly as much as ZLH might have needed to be less aggressive Spurgeon shouldn't have been dreamwalking out there which led him to be in a bad position to start with.

We got guys out there picking heads with shoulders that aren't getting this many games.

 

[ShagDaddy]

So have we officially reached the point in the season where enough injuries have occurred that Brunette is forced to players he doesn’t want to play and they start looking ok?

 

[Armourboy]

So have we officially reached the point in the season where enough injuries have occurred that Brunette is forced to players he doesn’t want to play and they start looking ok?

Well play might be a strong word in the case of some of them. Svechkov, Hinastroza, and Weisblat with basically 12, 11, and 10 minutes respectively. Actually surprised he gave Barron 18 minutes though.

 

[Scoresberg]

We're now at the halfway-mark of the season and with all the talent we went into the season, we now found ourselves with Vinnie Hinostrtoza in our top-six? As for defense, we have Nick Blankenburg in our top-four?

Can Trotz honestly say this team has gotten "better" this season with all of this gazillion trades. Vinnie f***ing HINOSTROZA IN OUR TOP-SIX??

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Trotz did not screw this one up. The organization wanted him back. That has been stated by multiple sources. Lankinen wanted a chance to be a starter some where and chose not to sign with the Preds on his own accord. Lankinen not coming back was his decision not Trotz.

Unless of course you traded Saros and rolled with Lanks and Askarov to start the year... Which is what they should've done

 

[Enoch]

It is driving me crazy that in a year we are absolutely having some of the worst possible outcomes, and we are at or near the bottom of the league...

The only moves we have made are punitive moves. We have moved or waived our young players and depth. We have added nothing.

Trotz is doing the absolute opposite of what should be done. Giving away young and generally more sought after assets. Getting older on the ice. Getting worse.

If we were going for it, the time to improve the club was Late November, not January. We are too far out.

If we are rebuilding, quit waiving the young players and trading them for draft picks 3 drafts from now.

I do think there is more to come. I do think there is a loose plan. I just think the execution of the plan is not occurring, and until it does, the Predators moves look baffling (and incompetent....).

 

[101st_fan]

Unless of course you traded Saros and rolled with Lanks and Askarov to start the year... Which is what they should've done

Even if Saros didn't get extended over the summer odds are we keep him into the final year and not risk going into the season without a real #1 goalie with the big swings on the FA market. The unknown as of June 2024 was would it be Askarov, Lankinen, or player to be named later as the #2. The team tried to keep Lankinen, then went with Wedgewood, losing Askarov from the organization in the process.

Meanwhile Saros just tied his career best for shutouts in a season ... behind this defensively atrocious team.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Even if Saros didn't get extended over the summer odds are we keep him into the final year and not risk going into the season without a real #1 goalie with the big swings on the FA market. The unknown as of June 2024 was would it be Askarov, Lankinen, or player to be named later as the #2. The team tried to keep Lankinen, then went with Wedgewood, losing Askarov from the organization in the process.

Meanwhile Saros just tied his career best for shutouts in a season ... behind this defensively atrocious team.

Well then we get into the should we have taken the big swings in the FA market which would've been a no if we traded Saros. Which I would argue is what we should've done. And I've been saying rebuild since 2021

Saros has been fantastic this season. Truly an elite goalie and not the problem. I shudder to think how many Ls we would have without him, but that would also help our chances on getting an elite forward via the draft.

 

[101st_fan]

Well then we get into the should we have taken the big swings in the FA market which would've been a no if we traded Saros. Which I would argue is what we should've done. And I've been saying rebuild since 2021

Saros has been fantastic this season. Truly an elite goalie and not the problem. I shudder to think how many Ls we would have without him, but that would also help our chances on getting an elite forward via the draft.

So no bolstering the roster this season, move out the #1 in the HOPES Askarov is ready faster than even San Jose's timeline, then have only Forsberg (maybe) when we sign the magical draft picks? That's the Yzerplan meets Chicago.

 

[Armourboy]

Well then we get into the should we have taken the big swings in the FA market which would've been a no if we traded Saros. Which I would argue is what we should've done. And I've been saying rebuild since 2021

Saros has been fantastic this season. Truly an elite goalie and not the problem. I shudder to think how many Ls we would have without him, but that would also help our chances on getting an elite forward via the draft.

Its why I fussed so much and said last year was a wasted season. Had Trotz and Brunette used last season for what it should have been, a testing ground, then in the offseason you may have been able to pull some better deals for these younger guys if they didn't work, and you start the rebuild first by not signing Saros. Instead they threw it all out the door for a single playoff that didn't go anywhere and you have some bad contracts on the books to boot.

Poile put him in a good spot to get started before he stepped down and then Trotz basically took a giant dump on it and set it on fire.

 

[herzausstein]

We have improved to 5-4-1 in our last 10. Just 11 points out of the playoffs but we have played 2 more games then VAN in WC2.

Nothing a 30 game win streak cant fix

 

[adsfan]

We're now at the halfway-mark of the season and with all the talent we went into the season, we now found ourselves with Vinnie Hinostrtoza in our top-six? As for defense, we have Nick Blankenburg in our top-four?

Can Trotz honestly say this team has gotten "better" this season with all of this gazillion trades. Vinnie f***ing HINOSTROZA IN OUR TOP-SIX??

I can. After calling up about 8 guys from Milwaukee, you are now WINNING games instead of losing 5-2 or 4-1. It is important to note that the Admirals are actually PLAYING rather than just sitting in the press box or playing two shifts a period. (I believe that the Preds would put Gordie Howe on the 4th line)

Trotz has traded or waived some of those guys over the last two seasons. To me, that is eating your seed corn, or setting your house afire. It damages the organization in the long run.

Is Mike Fisher coming back again? That would seem to be the next step in the "plan". He has NHL experience and playoff experience. Wyatt Smith was a Center. He won the Calder Cup in Milwaukee in 2004.

How about Bryan Smolinski or Battling Billy Smith? Why just stick to old Predators? You could get them for the NHL minimum!

When Bob Howsom put together the Big Red Machine of the 1970s, the team that played in four World Series for Cincinnati, he traded older players, like Tommy Helms, for younger players, like Joe Morgan. He upgraded 2nd base while adding more hitting, RBIs and stolen bases.

Trotz is doing the opposite!

 

[Scoresberg]

We have improved to 5-4-1 in our last 10. Just 11 points out of the playoffs but we have played 2 more games then VAN in WC2.

Nothing a 30 game win streak cant fix

The top-seven have really separated themselves from the rest. We’re 16 points out of the 7th spot without games in hand. That’s too much to catch up on. But theoritacally, the 8th seed is still within reach.

 

[herzausstein]

I think the smartest thing Trotz could do right now is start selling off some pieces

Nyquist
Lauzon
Novak

Start sniffing around about
Sissons
Schenn

Make some calls around the league about Saros. Edmonton has to really be looking to do something about their goalie situation now. Take skinner back along with the rest of the return. Him and Annunen can fight over our net.

 

[101st_fan]

We're down to just a five game winning streak away from .500.

 

[Scoresberg]

I think the smartest thing Trotz could do right now is start selling off some pieces

Nyquist
Lauzon
Novak

Start sniffing around about
Sissons
Schenn

Make some calls around the league about Saros. Edmonton has to really be looking to do something about their goalie situation now. Take skinner back along with the rest of the return. Him and Annunen can fight over our net.

Sissons is one I think we could trade and not miss a beat. Most games, I can't even notice he's there. His point production is non-existent and to be frank, his defensive contributions are nothing to write home about.

That, and I think he would still have some value around the league so that's a piece I'm selling off right and now.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Honestly this team would be better if we sold off pieces and let the kids play. Its. Working so far.

O'Reilly, Nyquist, Sissons, Schenn, Lauzon should all be on the trade block. I would field offers for Saros too.

Barron btw... Not good.

I understand we are now playing .500 hockey, but we are too far back now, and it will damage the long term future of the organization if we don't sell and not just get quantity of NHL caliber prospects, but high quality.

But Juice I'll give Trotz credit for. Kid looks legit. I still can't believe the path we took to get here though. If that didn't work out. Ooofa

 

[Scoresberg]

Also, with regards to Svechkov, man I like him as a player. Unlike many rookies, he's constantly involved in the play whether that means breaking up plays, carrying the puck up the ice or making those little passes he does in tight areas around the ice.

He's probably never going to be a PPG player, but a long-term 50-60p center is what I could see in him. When he can develop his skating a notch, he's going to be even more of a threat. Also, if he could add a touch of meanness to his game, he's going to be a force to be reckoned with.