Nashville Predators: Bold Predictions for the First Round against Hurricanes
By Chad Minton
How many power play goals for Forsberg and Tolvanen combined?
We’re all ready to see that Forsberg and Tolvanen connection reignite in the first round. It could end up being the spark that not only provides some goal support for Saros, but also offsets Carolina’s second-ranked power play in the NHL.
First off, this will be a moot point if Head Coach John Hynes ends up making the shocking decision to not have Tolvanen in his starting lineup. He shared these thoughts on Friday, courtesy of Joe Rexrode of 102.5 The Game:
Hynes makes it clear Eeli Tolvanen "in or out" of the lineup will be one of the tough decisions for him entering the Carolina series.
— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) May 14, 2021
I have to hope that Hynes is just leaving all of his options on the table, but that he’ll make the easy decision to keep Tolvanen in the starting lineup.
With that said, the Predators have to narrow this glaring special teams gap in this matchup. Forsberg has to show me that he’s indeed in that second tier of elite NHL players that thrive in playoff moments.
Being opportunistic on the power play is a must, and I’m going with a bold prediction that says that Forsberg and Tolvanen will find some moderate success here. I’ll say Forsberg tallies two power play goals, and Tolvanen gets one at some point as well.
I’m taking a leap of faith here with Forsberg having just six power play goals in his 65 career postseason games. He needs to feast in this series when the Canes are in the box.