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Nashville Predators Hierarchy of Importance in the Lineup

By Chad Minton

WINNIPEG, MB - JANUARY 12: Calle Jarnkrok #19, Roman Josi #59, Matt Duchene #95 and Yannick Weber #7 of the Nashville Predators discuss strategy during a second period stoppage in play against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on January 12, 2020 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Preds shutout the Jets 1-0. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - JANUARY 12: Calle Jarnkrok #19, Roman Josi #59, Matt Duchene #95 and Yannick Weber #7 of the Nashville Predators discuss strategy during a second period stoppage in play against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on January 12, 2020 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Preds shutout the Jets 1-0. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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It takes a complete team to win a Stanley Cup. Just a few high-performing players usually won’t cut it. So what about the Nashville Predators?

The Nashville Predators managed to not completely sink this season and hung around on the playoff bubble from November on. Now they’re in the playoffs if the regular season doesn’t get completed.

It’s a credit to some unsung heroes like Rocco Grimaldi and Nick Bonino that the team was able to charge back into a wildcard spot to the current time. There are others who played an important role as well.

But what about the players who are most important to the team? The ones that have the talent and skills to be an elite player and carry the Predators the full distance of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

Having role players exceed preseason expectations is always a warm and fuzzy story, but ultimately the Predators need their superstars to play like it on a regular basis. Here are those top-five players ranked both currently and going forward into the next several years.

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