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Nashville Predators Central Division Not as Strong

By Doug Praskach

Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks players exchange hits. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks players exchange hits. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nashville Predators
Both teams shake hand after the San Jose Sharks defeated the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /

St. Louis Blues-  Record 49-24-9, 107 points. 2nd Place

The Blues played solid all year and fought for the division championship right to the end.  They defeated Chicago in the First Round of the playoffs and then beat Dallas in the Second Round. The Blues advanced to the Western Conference finals but fell to the San Jose Sharks.

The Blues have 16 players that will Free Agents of some sort in the next two years.  They have nearly $15 million wrapped up in Vladimir Tarasenko and Paul Stasny. They have two very big Free Agent decisions on David Backes and Troy Brouwer. Backes is a two-way forward and top-line center for the Blues, while Brouwer is a power forward who excelled in the playoffs.

Both players will be heavily recruited and are expected to be overpaid by other teams. That leaves a big hole in the Blues lineup and no money to fill it.  Paul Stastny will probably replace Backes on the top line but who replaces him on the second line?

They have two very good goaltenders in Jake Allen and Brian Elliot.  Both will need new contracts next year and they will probably only be able to keep one of them. They will also replace head coach Ken Hitchcock with Mike Yeo after this season.  That is a little strange and we will see how it plays out

This team has a lot of questions and not a lot of answers right now.

Next: Dallas Stars

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