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Nashville Predators: Players Who Will be Critical to the Rebuild

By Chad Minton

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) talks with Predators right wing Eeli Tolvanen (11) during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) talks with Predators right wing Eeli Tolvanen (11) during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Juuse Saros

Even though my confidence in Saros’ future in Nashville is at an all-time low, the goaltender situation remains a complicated one for the Predators.

We still don’t know what Pekka Rinne plans to do after this season. Will he retire? Will he look elsewhere to be a backup and try to get a Stanley Cup that way? Maybe he will be willing to take a team-friendly deal to remain in Nashville?

Everything is up-in-the-air when it comes to Predators goaltenders right now, and no short-term plan is in place past this season. Even if Saros continues to struggle this season, you might have to move forward with him into next season.

This will all depend on contract negotiations as Saros is becoming a restricted free agent in next offseason. It will be a tricky situation for the Predators to negotiate.

Unless the numbers just don’t make sense contractually, the Predators need to stick with Saros and hope he shows a rebound in his game to be a serviceable starting goaltender during the rebuild until Yaroslav Askarov is ready, or Connor Ingram returns to the ice.

If Rinne does throw us a wildcard and returns for another season with the Predators, then we’ll have more to sort out on that front.

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