Nashville Predators: Stat Projections for Key Players this Season

Now that we finally have a set NHL schedule of 56 games, let’s dive into some stat projection for some key players on the Nashville Predators.

The Nashville Predators have went through a lot of roster changes this offseason and are going to lean heavily on their veterans at the top of the lineup to carry the load.

Depth scoring and production might be a problem for this team, especially in the early going. Key veterans will have to be at the top of their games to keep pace with a new Central Division that features a lot of rising teams that usually play in the Eastern Conference.

With a 56-game schedule, single-season franchise records are probably mostly safe. However, let’s throw some bold predictions out there on what kind of stats key players will produce on the Predators for the 2020-21 season.

Matt Duchene

There’s a lot of pressure on Matt Duchene to live up to the expectations that were put on him when the Predators got him in the 2019 offseason. It was one of the biggest offseason signings in team history.

Duchene didn’t have as horrendous of a first season in Nashville that some people like to throw out there, but it also left a lot to be desired.

I’m fully expecting Duchene to play on a more consistent level and lead a more productive second line for Nashville. He’s not going to be the prolific goal scorer, but he does need to start making the player around him better through his puck and skating abilities that he undoubtedly has.

Duchene had a huge drop in production from the previous season when he spent time with both Ottawa and Columbus. A 70-point campaign dropped down to just 42 points for the Nashville Predators.

I don’t think that’s the norm from Duchene, and now we need to see something in between at the very least. He’s not going to be a point-per-game pace necessarily, but being much more efficient that last season is a must.

With more stability on the roster and the coaching staff, expect Duchene to up his efficiency level.

Season Prediction: 53 games, 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points

The return of Johansen

There’s just no way around how down of a year Ryan Johansen had, and it directly impacted how inconsistent the Predators were at the top of their lineup.

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Johansen massively dropped from 50 assists to 22 assists despite only playing in 12 fewer games.

I just don’t see that same kind of lousy production happening again from this top-line center.

If Johansen shows these same struggles again at getting his linemates involved then expect another disappointing season for the Predators.

I’m remaining optimistic that Johansen has somewhat of a bounce-back season and rekindles the chemistry with Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. His assists totals should rebound back to his career average.

Johansen for his career has averaged close to 0.5 assists per game, but last season managed barely above 0.3 assists per game. He’ll get back to his career average this coming season, and the top line will in return be much more reliable.

Season Prediction: 56 games, 9 goals, 29 assists, 38 points

The Captain

The question around Roman Josi is can he repeat his Norris Trophy winning season? He absolutely can, and last season definitely was in no way a fluke or a blip on the radar.

Josi carries this team, sometimes to a fault, on a regular basis. Let’s hope he gets some help on the offensive side of things by some of the previously mentioned players having improved seasons.

With that said, Josi is going to keep doing what he does best. Pushing the pace and creating scoring opportunities all on his own thanks to his speed and puck handling skills. There’s no reason to think that’s going to change anytime soon.

Oddly enough, Josi’s shooting percentage has always been fairly below the league average. If he starts getting a little more luck with his shots on goal, then his goal total could really blossom. He set a career-high in goals last season despite playing in just 69 games due to the pause.

Josi will be a big reason once again why the Predators hang around in the playoff hunt and push for a top-four spot in the newly constructed Central Division.

It’s also going to be grueling for players to make it through all 56 games without needing a rest, but Josi is a different breed. He’s the captain, and barring any unforeseen injuries, he’ll grind it out through every regular season game.

Season Prediction: 56 games,13 goals, 40 assists, 53 points, Norris Trophy finalist

Fear the Beard?

The Predators really need Ryan Ellis for the full season this year. The ugly injury in the Winter Classic forced the Predators to do dig deep on defense, and it didn’t work out in their favor while Ellis was out.

Ellis still managed to be very efficient on the offensive side of things while he did play. He had 38 points in 49 games, posted another strong Corsi rating and remained involved in the power play with nine points.

Where I lose my confidence in Ellis is making the smart decisions defensively as a top-line defenseman alongside Roman Josi. He sometimes gets caught in bad position and puts the team in bad situations.

If Ellis can stay healthy this season then he’ll post solid offensive numbers again and be a main catalyst to keeping the Predators relevant. I’m looking for more power play production from him, but I also don’t think he’s going to erupt into a Norris Trophy type of player.

Season Prediction: 51 games, 10 goals, 23 assists, 33 points

A dynamic duo?

Juuse Saros is the primary starter going into the season, but Pekka Rinne will get his fair share of starts as well in this condensed 56-game schedule.

A lot of back-to-backs and mini series against the same opponent is going to required using multiple goaltenders throughout the season.

Starting with Saros, the pressure is heavily on him to pick up where he left off back in March. He really put the team on his back and carried them to a No.6 seed going into the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Saros didn’t play at a top level in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, but neither did the team in front of him. Now that the defense has been addressed over the offseason through free agency pickups, the goaltending should get better.

As for Rinne, he’s likely going into his farewell season with the Predators. Some of the weight that’s been on his shoulders for many seasons is now taken off. He’s the backup that can hopefully come in and steal some wins.

Neither Saros or Rinne are going to win the Vezina Trophy by any means this season, but they’re also not going to be the main problem for the Predators. They’ll both play good enough in net to keep the Predators highly competitive in the Central Division.

I also won’t be surprised at all if a third goaltender gets in the mix for a start or two because Saros or Rinne will need rest. That goaltender will be Connor Ingram.

Season Prediction for Saros: 30 starts, 16-12-2 record, 3 shutouts, 2.75 GAA

Season Prediction for Rinne: 24 starts, 12-10-2 record, 2 shutouts, 3.00 GAA

The reason why I’m optimistic that the Predators can push for the fourth spot in the Central Division is predicated on these previously mentioned players having either bounce-back seasons or maintaining their level of production that they’ve shown throughout their careers.

It’s the newcomers and inexperienced players joining the roster that give me reservations regarding depth scoring and team chemistry.

Write down these predictions or screenshot them so we can all analyze how right or wrong I was in May. The regular season is slotted to start on January 13.