Nashville Predators: Five players to improve in 2017

It happens every year.  An unexpected player on the team makes a major impact. What five Nashville Predators can take a step forward in 2017?

You know it is coming, you just don’t always expect it. A little-known or low-performing player starts to produce at higher levels. Possibly at a level never imaged. It happens every year. The Nashville Predators knows this. They see it happen every years.

Last year, it was Viktor Arvidsson, scoring 61 points, including five short-handed and six game-winning goals. His shot percentage rose from 5.8 percent to 12.6 percent.  The year before, it was Mattias Ekholm. Playing in just two more games, his scoring jumped from 18 to 35 points. Others, like Ryan Ellis, did the same in years before that.

There is no denying the amount of talent on the Predators roster for next season. We know what to expect from Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg and Pekka Rinne. But, what players on the current roster can – and will – be the player provided unexpected production?

We have five in mind.