Nashville Predators Management: C (Q1: F, Q2: D-)
Remember the first half of the season? I mean…remember even the off-season leading into 2021? We felt patronized as a fan-base.
All this talk of “youth movement” and not a lot to show for it. There is absolutely no way you could tell me General Manager David Poile predicted that injuries would precipitate the necessity for the youth to step up on this roster, because he left no room for youth at the start of the season, and yet here we are.
We’ve started 12 rookies due to injury and each have performed admirably, which invites the thought that sometimes your first instinct (youth movement) is the right one.
Regardless of what got us here, you have to give credit to Poile for at least believing in this team, and the youth waiting in the wings.
Poile could have begun the fire sale back in February, or even late March, but he’s stayed the course, and what has come from that has been a really special turn around that has the fan-base excited again.
Do we think we’re cup contenders? Realistically, probably not. But then again, neither did the 2016-2017 team. At the very least, we could play spoilers, and have something worth building on in the offseason and going in to 2021-2022.
Time will tell what the legacy of this rag-tag bunch will mean to the Nashville Predators, and ultimately, to David Poile’s legacy.
As said before, the final stretch of the season is going to be a wild ride, with the team fighting to stay in playoff contention.
Even now, we can’t predict how it’ll end, but we have to at least enjoy the ride for what it’s worth. This is a team worth rooting for.
All gas, no breaks, until the final horn of 2021 sounds – whenever that may be…let’s ride!