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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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Filip Forsberg
BUFFALO, NY – APRIL 2: Filip Forsberg #9 of the Nashville Predators  (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images) /

. . Filip Forsberg. 3. player. 151.

Arguably one of the best pure goal scorers in Predators franchise history is Filip Forsberg. There are others you can bring into the discussion, but that’s a debate for another day.

When it comes to the current day and beyond, Forsberg is a player who can without question achieve elite status for the Predators.

There’s only two more seasons left on Forsberg’s contract, and the thought it that GM David Poile will do everything he can to pay up to keep him. But at the same time, Forsberg needs to make that next big jump.

Forsberg has always been good for 30-plus goals and plenty of highlight plays to make the late-night sports shows. But he really hasn’t shown any big jumps since 2015-16.  That’s somewhat concerning.

One thing that’s working against Forsberg is he burst onto the scene so rapidly that now he appears complacent in his production. He’s still a very great player, but now we want the ascension to the next tier of elite players.

Forsberg is very important to the Predators for many obvious reasons. He’s a player that can change games all on his own, commands a lot of attention from the defense and is still in his prime.

If Forsberg stays on the same scoring pace he’s been on for virtually his entire career, the Predators will have a tough decision to make on how much they want to pay him in just two more offseasons.

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