Nashville Predators: Regular Season Awards for Predators
By Steve Cook
Most Offensive Predator: Filip Forsberg
Filip Forsberg earned this award on a couple of different levels. He only played 67 games this season, but still ended up tying his career high of 64 points. Had he played the full 82 like he did the previous three seasons, he would have blown his previous points record out of the water. His hat trick in the final game against Columbus was a nice way to finish the season, and hopefully a sign of things to come.
Not only was Forsberg gifted on offense this season, but he was good at offending people too. He missed some games due to injury, but he also missed three games due to suspension after knocking Jimmy Vesey out.
ICYMI- #Preds Filip Forsberg has been suspended three games for interference on #NYRangers F Jimmy Vesey.
— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) February 4, 2018
https://t.co/yHfWgMuIW4
The patented Fors-Butt claiming another victim. One that thought he was too good to be a member of the Nashville Predators. Vesey won’t get much sympathy from us. Forsberg is a smart man.
Most Valuable Predator: Pekka Rinne
Can there be any other choice? With all due respect to every other Predator, nobody does their job better than Number 35. Few people in the NHL did their job better than Pekka Rinne did during the 2017-18 season. At the age of 35, Rinne is as good as he’s ever been. Whether he wins individual hardware or not, he’s in a better position to win the hardware that really counts than ever before.
As long as Rinne keeps doing what he’s done all season, the Nashville Predators have to be considered favorites against anybody in their path.