Nashville Predators: These Players Are Facing the Most Pressure Entering Season

Rocco Grimaldi

Grimaldi isn’t on the same level as Turris and Granlund, but I do think he’s facing an elevated amount of pressure to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. He was lightning in a bottle and was a fun player to watch in the bottom-six. Now he has to show that he can be relied upon as a regular on the roster. His career sample size is still very small, with barely more than a full regular season slate.

Last season Grimaldi flew in under-the-radar. He was flying around all over the ice creating scoring chances and igniting the crowd. Now he’s trying to stick around full-time on the Predators roster. He’s trying to avoid being a healthy scratch on a regular basis. He still has a lot to prove to Laviolette to reserve a spot for him on the fourth or third line.

Grimaldi won his arbitration hearing and earned himself a $1 million contract for one year. More than what the Predators probably wanted to commit. I think he’s worth that deal, but now he has to stick on the roster. His next contract will be very lucrative if he continues to trend upward and be a spark that can flip the ice and create breakaway scoring chances.