Nashville Predators: Scariest Players in Franchise History
The Nashville Predators have had plenty of intimidating players over the years that scared the opposition. Here are the scariest in Predators history.
With Halloween here, the Nashville Predators are still trying to find their identity for the 2017-18 season. Consistency is currently lacking at this early point in the season, and an uptick in intensity might be needed.
The Predators have had plenty of gritty players over the years that have come in and set a tone. Players who might not end up with flashy stats, but they make their mark nonetheless. These types of players create a culture that translates into a team that go can deep into the playoffs. The Predators already know that from last season.
It’s not just about racking up the most penalty minutes. That can work against a team if it’s not coming at the right time to generate momentum, and the current Predators roster collectively has a lot of guys who bring the right amount of intensity.
Let’s take a look back at those Predators players who scared the opposing team into submission without having to necessarily score a goal. Those guys that weren’t flattering or cordial by any means, and definitely knew the penalty box all too well.
Rich Clune
This guy was fun to watch. Clune was never in the game to put goals on the board. If that happened, it was pure bonus. He’s only got seven career goals, all with the Predators. Instead, Clune’s role was to be the notorious enforcer to shift momentum and gain the mental edge.
Clune is an example of a guy who plays his role well. He’s not out there to light up the scoreboard or blaze down the ice to create scoring chances. In the 2013-14 season, Clune piled up 166 penalty minutes in just 58 games. There may have been times he put the Predators in tough penalty kills, but at least he was good at it.
You may not remember that Clune actually flashed some offense occasionally. Two of his seven career goals are game-winners. He cracks the list of scariest Predators players.
Mattias Ekholm
Ekholm is a guy that perfectly fits the mold of intimidating. He’s currently an important part of the Nashville defense, and grossly underrated. He does so many things that doesn’t always show up in the box score. The Predators did the smart thing by locking him into a contract extension in 2015.
During the Stanley Cup run, I kept noticing Ekholm and his fierce play. To this day I’m still of the belief that he’s overlooked. The guy forechecks, blocks shots and kills penalties relentlessly. He’s also the first guy to jump to the defense of a teammate in a scuffle, or chirping at the official when he’s unhappy. You need a guy like Ekholm that brings that emotional aggression on every play.
Unlike other enforcers, Ekholm has the ability to create offense. He has spent his entire NHL career with the Predators, tallying 20 goals and 90 points. Perhaps the most impressive part about him is his ability to be aggressive, while staying out of the penalty box. Just 34 penalty minutes over 82 games last season despite having an aggressive playing style shows discipline.
Alexander Radulov
Radulov was the first lethal goal scorer that I can remember the Predators having. Sure, there were a handful of guys who could chip in here and there. Radulov’s came in with the Predators during the 2006-07 season and put up 18 goals over 64 games. That number seems modest today, but at that time the Predators were not known for goal scorers. His plus-19 rating in his first season with Nashville puts a bigger spotlight on his immediate impact.
His ability to score as a young players isn’t what puts him on this list. It was his passion and fiery nature that the Predators had never seen before. He came in blazing and brought an excitement that fans had never seen to that point. The franchise wasn’t even a decade old yet.
We all know that Radulov’s breakup with the Predators is an ugly one. Leaving that aside, he’s easily one of the scariest players of the franchise’s history. His ability to score goals without much aide from his teammates makes him a scary proposition for the other team. It’s too bad he didn’t spend more than two seasons with Nashville.
Jordin Tootoo
One player notorious for being the enforcer in Predators franchise history is Tootoo. His exit out of Nashville rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way, but you can’t discount his impact. First off, no player up to that point had every reached his fandom. Fans couldn’t get enough of him and his intensity.
Every shift Tootoo was on, I expected a fight or scuffle. You love the fighting element of hockey, and Tootoo brought that in a Predators uniform. His offense wasn’t too shabby, either. His last season in Nashville was his best all-around season with 30 points. However, triple digits in penalty minutes for the majority of his Nashville seasons shows his style of play.
I have to be honest about not realizing how many seasons he actually has in a Predators uniform. Seven seasons of intense hockey that got fans extremely pumped up during a time when the franchise was in jeopardy. The heated fan response to his breakup to go to the Red Wings, of all teams, illustrates his importance to the fans. Tootoo had a lackluster 2016-17 season with the Blackhawks most recently. Going to two rivals might hurt his Predators legacy, but there’s no denying the electricity he brought to games.
Shea Weber
If you debate Weber being the best player in Nashville Predators franchise history, a strong counter argument better come. Weber is the first true superstar of this franchise that still isn’t two decades old.
Weber’s ability to affect both the defense and the offense is astronomical. He’s obviously physically intimidating and able to be a force as a defenseman. He really took off and got national recognition thanks to his infamous slapshot. Just check out this montage of Weber’s slapshots from Sportsnet if you need a reminder:
Weber is hands down the scariest player in Predators franchise history. Going to the penalty box or fighting isn’t why he’s on this list. There’s been a lot of great players that have come and gone, but none with the impact of Weber. The best part about his intimidation factor is how it translated to goals. I still feel sorry for anyone unfortunate enough to be between the goal and a Weber slapshot.
If you scan over all over the major statistical categories of Predators franchise history, you’ll see Weber among the leaders on most of them. He’s the franchise leader in power play goals and shots, per Hockey Reference. As for penalty minutes, he has to settle for second to Tootoo with 568. Weber gets the nod for scariest player in Predators history.