3. A Scoring Third Line
Depth scoring was one of the things that sank the Nashville Predators in the finals. Players were forced into roles they were not familiar with when Johansen and Mike Fisher went down. Having Colton Sissons playing on the first line is not a recipe for success, but that won’t be an issue anymore.
After an extremely effective offseason, the Predators look better than ever, mostly because of their depth. The addition of veteran winger Scott Hartnell could help bolster that lines offensive production. The other third line spot will likely belong to either Craig Smith or Pontus Aberg, which is fantastic news for the Predators. Smith had a down year last season, but he can still put up points if he’s paired with some offensively gifted players. Aberg is coming into the season to prove that the playoffs were not a fluke and he can consistently provide the scoring he did. Having Nick Bonino or Calle Jarnkrok center that third scoring line also bring an element of defensive responsibility.