Nashville Predators: How the Predators will win Lord Stanley’s Cup

After winning the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators are primed to make another run at the Stanley Cup. Can they win it? Yes. Here is how.

The NHL season has reached its second half, and team dreams of making the playoffs understand the importance of every game. Every point in the standing matters. Luckily, the Nashville Predators find themselves atop the Central Division; however, only 10 points separate the Predators from the bottom-dwelling Chicago Blackhawks.

Needless to say, the race to win the division will be tough. As will the Western Conference. Four teams in the conference have 59 or more points. Twelve of 15 teams in the west have a positive goal differential. Nine teams win more than lose on while on the road.

Winning the division does matter to the Predators. It will assure them on home ice advantage for most of the playoffs. It will not be enough for them, though. After tasting the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, the hunger for a championship drives them. That is not to say the season is “Cup or Bust,” because it is not the Predators’ style. The desire for a championship is strong, and the team possesses the ability to earn it.

“Wait a minute? Aren’t you the guy who wrote why the Preds won’t win the Cup?” Why, yes I am. Thanks for noticing. In that article, I laid out reasons to keep them from winning it all. Just making it to the Cup Final is difficult. This team can do it.

How? Well, for several reasons.

Schedule for success

The second half of the season is set up perfectly for the Nashville Predators to win. I detailed this a few days ago.  Of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Predators’ schedule is the easiest. That is not to say their schedule is easy. Of the 38 games left, 12 come against teams with losing records. The Vegas Golden Knights, for example, have 5 such games left.

Additionally, the Predators have 21 home games left, more than any other team in the race for the west. But let’s go a little deeper.

Nashville has the best records against the West of all teams in the conference. They have the fifth best road record of all teams in the NHL. And, they are the NHL’s best team in games decided by a goal or less.

And, for the record, the Predators are 13-6-3 against current playoff teams. The St. Louis Blues are 13-8-2, the Golden Knights 15-6-1. As for the Tampa Bay Lightning, they are 15-6-2 against playoff teams, 8-3 over the Western Conference.

The remaining schedule helps the Predators. And compare well to other favorites to win it all. I call that a “win-win.”  Should the Predators win home-ice advantage through the playoffs, watch out.

Injuries

Typically, a team that suffers injuries to their key players struggle to win. Filling the vacancies while they are gone is typically left to less-capable players. Depth is tested, and other facets of a team are forced step up.

This season, the Predators have missed several important players. Ryan Ellis was gone for 38 games. Their top scorer, Filip Forsberg, still has a couple of weeks on the Injured Reserve before he is slated to return. Viktor Arvidsson is out. Ryan Johansen missed time. Roman Josi. Nick Bonino. You get the picture.

Funny thing is, the Nashville Predators have not missed a beat. With Forsberg out, the team is 5-1-1 including a road win in Los Angeles and a victory over Vegas. Not bad.

Injuries have tested the depth, and the depth is rising. Kevin Fiala is showing a hunger to score good wingers possess. Calle Jarnkrok is stepping up as well. Knowing you have players on your team able to perform when others don’t is something all Stanley Cup Champions have. The injuries will serve the Predators well.

Best goaltending duo

Question: Which team in the NHL has the best goaltending duo?

Answer: The Nashville Predators.

Oh really? Yes. Here are the numbers.

If you count ALL goalies in the NHL, three teams have two players ranked in the top 20 in save percentage. Those teams are Vegas, Anaheim, and Nashville. No, if you take out those goals with fewer than 10 starts, you get one team in the top 12. That would be the Predators.

The duo of Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros lead the NHL in save percentage at .922. The Los Angeles Kings are tied at the top with the Predators. The team has allowed the third fewest goals on the season (116) and the least goals at even-strength.

Rinne started the season off playing stellar hockey but has cooled just a bit over the last few weeks. The opposite is true for Saros. After a horrendous start, Saros has three shutouts with two over 40 saves.

The name of the game is score and keep your opponent from scoring. So far this season, few do it to the level of the Predators.

Scoring Depth

The name of the game is scoring……oh, wait. I just said that.

Every team the wins the Stanley Cup has one player they can count on to score. A superstar, if you will. Pittsburgh had some Sidney guy, and the team from Chicago was led by Toews.

They also had something else: four players with 20 or more goals on the season. Fun fact, the Predators only had three 20+ goal scorers last year.

As things stand now, the Predators have five players with 10 or more goals. I do not doubt Forsberg will attain 20 goals. As will Craig Smith and Arvidsson. The only question is who the fourth will be.

My guess is Fiala. Though 20 goals are not out of reach of Jarnkrok or Subban. The Predators will need to find another player on which to rely on for a goal. Fiala’s speed and tenacity can propel him to be the player the team requires. Should Fiala, or someone else, reach that level, the Predators will be set to win the Cup.