Nashville Predators

[spain]

I never followed hockey AT ALL and I never saw a hockey game until the Preds came to Nashville. I go to a dozen games per year now. Mostly with friends or customers. Can some of you hockey guru's give me a scouting report on the Preds? Do they have any shot at all of making the playoffs? Is the organiztion doing the right things to get them to a point of being competitive? Who from the youngsters do you see as potentially being all-star caliber from our squad? Thanks..

[Trojanmojo]

#1...IMHO, this team has little chance of making the playoffs this year. Maybe in a couple years.

 

#2...I think the best players and the future if the frachise are D-Kimmo Timonen, C-Denis Arkhipov, 2nd line center David Legwand and G-Mike Dunham. Others opinions may vary.

[spain]

Thanks Trojan! The Preds drafted an 18 year old kid in the first round named Upshall. He was projected to go to juniors but has played so well that they had to keep him on the team. Can you imagine playing in the NHL right our of high school? A couple of good youngster we have include David Legwand, Scott Hartnell, plus the "vowel line" of Archipov et al.. I think we are a couple years and alot of experience away from the playoffs..

[Bier Meister]

Sorry Spain. I don't know much about the Preds.

[redwings.cup]

Yes, i know quite a bit about the Predators as I make it a habit of knowing those teams that compete in the same division as the Stanley Cup Champ Wings. Here is my take:

 

1. Great coaching with Barry Trotz. He has the team playing a solid system and they rarely over react. This team had THE BEST overtime record in the NHL last year. They have game plans and stick to them. This

2. special teams. very diciplined. don't take too many dumb penalties. last year they ranked in the top 10 in the NHL in fewest penalty minutes. that's huge when you lack scoring depth, as the Preds do. The Preds were also a top 10 ranked tema in penalty kills.

3. Goalies. solid, but not spectacular. Vokoun and Dunham are interchangable parts. Given the low risk game plans/scratch and claw type system, these guys are good enough to keep the Preds in the game against most teams.

4. Terrible injury problems. Legwand should be their superstar (#2 overall pick in 1998) but he seems to be heading in the wrong direction. He hasn't been healthy (bad back). Stu Grimson, a former Wing enforcer, had a concussion asdid their #1 line winger Scott Walker.

5. This team just doesn't have scoring talent. Greg Johnson, another Wing cast-off, was their leading scorer last year with only 44 points. That means he was the lowest scoring team leader in the entire NHL!!!!! The are a relatively small team, gritty, but not tough.

6. I really like Scott Harnell. He plays great defense for a young guy and seems to be a team leader at age 20 or so. Legwand has just about worn out his welcome. If they haven't already done so, management must be losing patience wit thsi cat. In 4 seasons, he has managed to tally 37 goals and has a career +/- of (-4). Not good. Javing Jere "junkie" karalahti bag on the team was not good. Remember the Preds traded their best player, Cliff Ronning, for this dude. I think the Preds were counting on him to be a top 4 blue liner with upside potential (the guy had a missle shot from the point), but now........ sad

7. I think the player with the most upside is Dennis Arkhipov. He may be what they thought Legwand was. I also think Andy Delmore is a top-10 in the league offensive defenseman. He makes a ton of defensive mistakes but is their most important presence on the power play. It'll be fun to watch Scottie Upshall develop . He was their number one overall 2002 draft pick, but is very slight of build. They also picked up a guy later named Patrick Jarrett who should develop well.

This team can't make the playoffs. They promised they would in year five, but that ain't gonna happen. By and large, a boring team with awful third jersies. Long time hockey fans can appreciate what management tries to do with the little talent the team has, but Legwand has been a real drag on the franchise's upward potential.