Next steps for Nashville

kthx

Bruins rebuild 2025 ->
Apr 24, 2019
2,480
3,136
Even with three big FA adds, Nashville currently stands last in the entire league.

Some statistics below:
- PK 87.1% (1st)
- PP 18.4% (18th)
- S% 7.6 (32nd)
- 5v5 goals 35G/65GA
- Saros has .908 saving percentage

With injuries piling up namely on Josi & O'Reilly, what's the next step for Predators? I personally expected a lot more from them, their top 6 seemed fine although they kind of miss a proper 2C. If Fabbro was still enabling Josi and Skjei got to play 2nd pair, would that make a difference?

Why doesn't Brunette get the boot?

Is there hope for this season? If not, what are the plans to rebuild if any?
 

Scoresberg

Perpetual Mediocrity
May 28, 2015
10,579
5,625
Earth
This team is not going to go into a full-blown rebuild that's for sure. For the time being, it seems that Brunette will survive the season as they don't want throw anyone new into this situation we're in right now - mainly talking about the injuries to top players piling up lately.

I figure they will sell off some pieces as we get closer to trade deadline, talking about Nyquist, Sissons, Novak and maybe Lauzon/Carrier.

They will try to re-load for next year and aim for the playoffs that's for sure.
 

kthx

Bruins rebuild 2025 ->
Apr 24, 2019
2,480
3,136
What amazes me most is that Saro`s save % isnt even that bad. This means the team infront of him is incredible lackluster. Trade everything for futures...
Also league best PK%, which to me is pretty interesting and would be something I personally would try to build teams confidence on. Major problem in 5v5 game though.
 

ZachaFlockaFlame

Registered User
Aug 24, 2020
16,184
21,637
They're gonna chalk it up to just an unlucky year when the moves they made were utterly garbage. Saros should've been a sign and traded for a good forward, Askarov given the keys to the net and you maybe get 1 of Stamkos or Marchessault but not both of them. I got flamed all summer by Preds fans by saying that their team thinking was abysmal and I was told it was sour grapes when I literally saw the same thing with the 2010-2014 Devils to a tee. They reaped what they sowed, now deal with it. They're gonna be absurdly mediocre for the next few years and then head into a devastating rebuild.

This team is not going to go into a full-blown rebuild that's for sure. For the time being, it seems that Brunette will survive the season as they don't want throw anyone new into this situation we're in right now - mainly talking about the injuries to top players piling up lately.

I figure they will sell off some pieces as we get closer to trade deadline, talking about Nyquist, Sissons, Novak and maybe Lauzon/Carrier.

They will try to re-load for next year and aim for the playoffs that's for sure.

Yeah, they're basically forced to do this. They're not going to blow it up because it's proof that they're too reactionary but at the same time anyone with eyes could've seen this coming from afar. Stamkos/Marchessault were never fixing that team.
 

AtlantaWhaler

Thrash/Preds/Sabres
Jul 3, 2009
20,296
3,601
No steps are needed until Brunette gets booted. Then see how the team does. If they're still terrible and giving away their young, highly drafted talent, get rid of No-Neck.
 
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kerrabria

Registered User
May 3, 2018
4,030
4,988
Kind of annoying that three of the best goalies in the league just locked into teams going absolutely nowhere (Saros, Shesterkin, Sorokin).
 
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TheBeerNerd

Registered User
Nov 13, 2024
375
706
NY side of the Hudson River
It's not Brunette's fault that Trotz saddled him with more players on the wrong side of 30 to go with the other guys on the wrong side of 30. He's a coach that thrives off the rush. Without the players to do it with, he looks lost.

It's going to be rough until Trotz understands he needs a full-on rebuild or ownership replaces him with someone who will do that. But Nashville has always been a stubborn organization resistant to change.
 

MrJoshua

Registered User
Mar 24, 2010
1,576
373
Decatur, AL
They have three first-round picks this year and it looks like their draft pick is going to be really high. So what I'm hoping they'll do is move out whoever they can for additional draft picks this season, and draft a legit top center - the kind of guy who can come in and contribute as early as next season. If they don't get the top pick in the draft maybe they'll still pick top 3 and have a good shot at a real 1C.

The problem there is, a lot of their vets have full no movement clauses. Forsberg, Josi, Stamkos, Marchessault, Saros, and Skjei are all going to be on the team moving forward. So they don't necessarily have a ton of roster flexibility. They should be looking at trading guys like Nyquist, Schenn, maybe O'Reilly, Sissons, maybe Carrier and Lauzon although I'm not completely convinced they have the young replacements ready to go on defense.

Pull more youth up from Milwaukee, add in Molendyk and maybe Gibson on defense next season, plus whatever top center you can draft this season. Maybe you keep O'Reilly around to handle tougher center shifts and help shelter the new kid next year. Then next season you look something like this:

Forsberg - O'Reilly - Evangelista
Novak? - ?new kid? - Marchessault
L'Heureux - Svechkov - Stamkos (shelter Stammer on the third and give him heavy PP minutes)
Jankowski - Parssinen - Kemell (maybe swap Jankowski and L'Heureux? I don't know. See what clicks.)
Smith, McCarron

Josi - Carrier? (Man I don't like Carrier playing top pair. He should be on the third. RHD in Nashville is seriously weak right now.)
Skjei - Stastney (can Stastney play RD?)
Molendyk - Lauzon or Gibson?

Defensive depth does not give me the warm fuzzy feelings here. They could really use Fabbro.

Something like that, anyway. Lots of youth, some veterans spread out across the lineup to help the youngsters out, and a little more speed on every line than what you have now. Ideally the new center kid will take over 1C duties pretty quickly and let O'Reilly slide down to 2C.
 

KCC

Registered User
Aug 15, 2007
19,194
10,481
pretty much all their big names are on the other side of 30. Too old. Too slow. That’s the reality.
 

herzausstein

Registered User
Aug 31, 2014
8,228
6,608
West Virginia
Trade saros and some other vets like Nyquist, Sissons, Lauzon and go from there. Try not to cut too deep but get value out of some assets before the team craters it
 

Jeune Poulet

Registered User
Oct 31, 2019
1,912
4,564
When you have so many veterans, it's good to have a coach with an aura, who will be able to deal with the bullshit and the egos.

Trotz should step behind the bench himself as an interim. This will also allow him to take a closer look at the contracts he signed, determine what was a mistake and what was not.

Meanwhile, he can search for a coach or make sure he's got assistants he can pass the torch to eventually.
 

CupofOil

Knob Flavored Coffey
Aug 20, 2009
48,762
45,852
NYC
What amazes me most is that Saro`s save % isnt even that bad. This means the team infront of him is incredible lackluster. Trade everything for futures...
What amazes me the most is that they gave away Fabbro+Tomasino for a 4th round pick. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that level of asset management
 

mphmiles

Registered User
Jan 1, 2017
776
1,389
You have to think they’ll turn it around a bit this season. Dead last in shooting percentage with the talent they have.
Maybe, but turning it around a bit won't do it.

They're in such a deep hole from the terrible start that to end up with 95 points and even give themselves a shot at the playoffs, they have to play at a 116 point pace. They basically have to go from the worst team in the league to a president's trophy type team the rest of the year. This team doesn't have the pieces for that.
 

Dr Pepper

Registered User
Dec 9, 2005
71,433
17,124
Sunny Etobicoke
Last season it took a blowout loss to Dallas before the Preds managed to right the ship and turn their fortunes around.

If we see another 9-2 Stars win tonight, there's a good chance BOTH sides can walk away happy knowing that things are going to change for the better. :nod:
 

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