Nashville Predators: Philip Tomasino Watch is Heating Up

The Nashville Predators have made a lot of rookie splashes this season, and Philip Tomasino could be next in line to make a debut.

As if this season for the Predators hasn’t been exciting enough with all of the young players getting their opportunities to deliver on the NHL stage, there could be the biggest NHL debut yet to come over this final stretch of games.

Highly-touted top Nashville Predators prospect Philip Tomasino was called up to the team’s taxi squad yesterday as the team continues to manage through a long list of injuries:

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The Predators have figured out ways to keep winning despite having to lean on a lot of inexperience. They’ve used a wide range of rookies this season, and they’ve all played vital roles in getting the Predators into this fourth playoff spot.

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Tomasino has been playing most of the current season in the AHL for the Chicago Wolves, who are the temporary shared affiliate for the Nashville Predators until the Milwaukee Admirals take the ice again in 2021-22.

Much like his entire hockey career to this point, Tomasino is putting up points at over a point-per-game pace with 20 points in 18 games for the Wolves this season. Most of us have full confidence that he could make an immediate impact on the NHL level.

Tomasino also lead the Wolves in shots on goal and only trails Tanner Jeannot, who is currently starting for the Predators, in total points on the team.

When looking at the current state of the Nashville Predators roster, you see a team full of high-energy players that are meshing better together now than they ever have all season. They just got done blasting the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday to the score of 7-2, but there’s still a lot of work left to do to secure a playoff spot.

It’s just been key injury after key injury for the Predators even throughout the hot streak. The latest blows have hit the youth of the roster as the Predators lost Eeli Tolvanen, Alexandre Carrier and Mathieu Olivier to injuries.

In response the Predators have moved in Jeannot and Rem Pitlick into the lineup, and both have delivered positive results. Next man up could absolutely be Tomasino is yet another injury plagues the team, which is very possible.

Where Tomasino would fit best in the lineup

The belief I have is Tomasino is ready to get that vital NHL experience through being on the taxi squad and practicing with the team. Even if he doesn’t make his NHL debut this season, which I believe he will, it’s still highly beneficial for him to be on the taxi squad.

This call up to the taxi squad makes total sense as having Tomasino ready to go if the team needs him is important down this final stretch. Where the Predators would fit him into the starting lineup is an interesting conversation to have.

I’d personally love to see Tomasino play alongside Mikael Granlund if he gets called up over these last 12 games that the Predators have. Granlund is an excellent offensive player in many ways and these two players would feed off each other on the same line.

Of course if Filip Forsberg were to return to the lineup from injured reserve over the last 12 games, then a Tomasino/Forsberg duo would be electric. Forsberg is still designated as week-to-week, so it’s really unknown if he’ll make it back in time to play with Tomasino this season.

A second line landing spot for Tomasino would make the most sense for me if he indeed ends up making his NHL debut before this season ends.

This all highly depends on which current injured players end up returning. Tolvanen is on that list of players that may return, as is Matt Duchene. There is so much that has to be sorted out based on which injured players may or may not come back.

The projected lineup for the Predators hasn’t been released yet ahead of their next game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. Unless something unforeseen happens, like another unknown injury, then I’d expect Tomasino to remain on the taxi squad for now.