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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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. . Matt Duchene. 5. player. 151.

To be clear, this isn’t necessarily ranking each player based on talent, but also about how critical they are the team’s current success and success moving forward.

When it comes to Matt Duchene, his first season with the Nashville Predators went off without much of a bang. Perhaps he gets a chance to change that outlook in some sort of a playoff format later this summer, but as of now it’s short of the mark.

Duchene was brought in to transform the top-six. He’s an incredibly talented puck handler, sees the ice astoundingly well and should be producing around 50-60 points per season right now in his prime.

The reason why I have Duchene narrowly cracking this list over a few other options is the huge contract the Predators signed him to over the offseason, and just his important to make the Predators’ top-six one of the best in the NHL.

For the Predators to return to being one of the top teams to beat in the Western Conference, they need Duchene to be one of the most productive players on the team. With the way he plays the game, he makes players around him so much better.

Duchene can also help make Filip Forsberg into an elite goal scorer that can produce upwards of 40 goals per season if he’s playing at his top level. This is why I have Duchene in this hierarchy of importance on the Predators roster.

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