NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 15: Craig Smith #15 celebrates his goal with P.K. Subban #76 and Ryan Johansen #92 of the Nashville Predators against the Minnesota Wild during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on October 15, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
Sitting atop the Western Conference right now, Nashville is riding high. However, the Nashville Predators will face some challenges in November.
Through 8 games this season, the Nashville Predators are playing about as well as possible. They are sitting right now with a 7-1 record, with 14 points. Currently, they sit atop the Western Conference with the Colorado Avalanche, who also have 14 points.
Over the weekend, the Predators took two straight games in Western Canada, with a 5-3 at Calgary, and a 3-0 at Edmonton. The team is returning home for a Tuesday night game at Bridgestone Arena vs the San Jose Sharks.
However, even though they’re on a 5 game win streak, and have been dominant since a 3-0 loss at home vs Calgary on Oct. 9, the Predators are sure to face some tough challenges in November.
Whether it be a whole new set of issues that haven’t come to light yet, or be it the task of just continuing what has worked well so far, November will not be easy for the Predators.
Goalie Dilemma
On Saturday, the Predators announced that starting goaltender Pekka Rinne was being placed on the injured reserve. Rinne left last Friday’s game in the 3rd period, after a collision with teammate Kevin Fiala. As a result, Rinne will miss at least two more games, after sitting on Saturday night during a 3-0 win at Edmonton.
With that, the Predators are staring a major challenge right in the face.
Rinne, the longtime franchise goaltender, is reaching the end. He is 35 years old, and at 6’5″ 205 lbs, it’s only a matter of time before his body starts to break down. I hope it never does, but at his age and size, it seems inevitable. With this injury, it’s possible that Rinne and the Predators could be headed down a tricky road, in which the team tries to find a balance between their reigning Vezina-trophy goalie, and the future netminder, Juuse Saros.
So far this season, Rinne is 3-1, with a 2.1 GAA, a .929 save percentage, and 1 shutout.
On the other side, the 23-year old Saros is a perfect 4-0, with a 1.54 GAA, a .945 save percentage, and 1 shutout as well.
Those numbers right there epitomize the dilemma for coach Peter Laviolette. Rinne has been the guy for over a decade. Saros will be the guy soon enough. Rinne is playing very well right now. Saros just so happens to be playing even better.
What to do?
To me, that will be one of the biggest challenges that the Predators will face in the upcoming weeks, as Pekka recovers from injury, and the schedule ramps up. If both continue at the same high level of play, we should expect a healthy rotation like we have seen in the past years. If one falters or is injured though, the Predators could have a real dilemma on their hands.
With 14 games in November, the Predators will be fully into the rut in no time. From there, things might get hairy in net.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – MAY 3: P.K. Subban #76 of the Nashville Predators celebrates his goal against the Winnipeg Jets in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 3, 2018 at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jason Halstead /Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** P.K. Subban /
Continuing Defensive Domination
Through 8 games this season, Nashville’s blue line has lived up to the hype. They’ve shut down opponents left and right, and made it very easy on themselves most nights. They’re allowing a league-low 1.9 goals per game, have recorded 2 shutouts, and have won their last 5 games by 2+ goals.
For years now, it’s been known that Nashville’s power is built from the back, up. This year, through 8 games, it’s been the same story.
P.K. Subban has 2 goals, 4 assists, and a +5 rating.
Simply put, Nashville wins when it plays defense. The top 4 on the Predators’ blue line are among some of the best in the game, and when they play like it, Nashville is hard to beat. They stifle shots, they eliminate chances, and they start offensive rushes.
However, in November, Nashville will face some of the better offenses in the NHL, like Tampa Bay, Colorado, Boston, San Jose, and Dallas. The Predators blue line will have to be on their A-game every night in order to give Nashville a chance to win. If they struggle, Nashville will.
The defensive group is off to a hot start, but could have problems keeping it up in November.
CALGARY, AB – OCTOBER 19: The Nashville Predators celebrate a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames after an NHL game on October 19, 2018 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images) /
Road Challenges
In November, the Predators will have to take the hardest road trip of them all, when the team heads out west on November 7th. The 5 game road trip versus Colorado, Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose, and Arizona will be a true test to see what this team is made of.
Any good team can win at home. Only great teams can go on the road and repeat the same success.
With this road trip, Nashville will be put to the test five times in eight days, in hostile arenas, far from home.
However, the Predators are coming off of a huge pair of road wins over Calgary and Edmonton over the weekend, a 4-point sweep that made coach Peter Laviolette have to pay up to a bet that he made with the team.
This is @PredsNHL coach Peter Laviolette. The Team had a bet if they won the first two games of the trip thru Western Canada he would wear this..and that's no bull. pic.twitter.com/hZflfgaqzt
As I said though, this road trip is the type of stretch that can make or break a team for a period of time, and will really show us what they’re all about.
From November 7th-15th, we will see if the Predators are really the best team in the West.
Next. Nashville Predators: Three Big Surprises Early in the Season. dark
Through 8 games, Nashville has been exceptional in almost every aspect of the game. With November though, comes a whole new set of challenges, and the task of continuing their success.
