Nashville Predators Puck Drop: Has Next Season Started Yet?

Welcome to The Puck Drop, a weekly roundup of all things Nashville Predators. We look at news stories, social media posts, and everything else regarding YOUR NASHVILLE PREDATORS.

It is that time of year again when Predators fans are dying for any news from the team. We are only two weeks removed from their first-round exit from the playoffs and already asking when the next season will start.

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The big question on everyone’s mind is who the Predators will lose in the NHL Expansion Draft, which takes place on July 21. GM David Poile will have to submit the team’s protected player list on July 17.

The consensus among fans seems to be that Poile should expose Matt Duchene or Ryan Johansen to relieve Nashville of one of their hefty contracts.

Another option, although painful, would be to expose Viktor Arvidsson, who has had his share of struggles in recent seasons. While it could be tough to see him leave the Predators, the change of scenery may do him some good.

Next up after the Expansion Draft comes the NHL Entry Draft on July 23 and 24. The Predators hold seven picks in this year’s draft.

With their first-round pick, will they select the best player when it is time for their selection, or will they select a player to fill a future need that the team has? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The bad news is we are once again sitting here after a first-round playoff exit, wondering what the hell just happened. Unfortunately, this has been the common theme for the past few seasons.

The good news is the end of last season proved that with some hard work and strategic trades here and there, the Predators could look the best they have in years.

The push to the playoffs last season was an exciting time to be a Predators fan. Now Poile and Head Coach John Hynes need to do whatever it takes to carry that momentum into next season and make a deep playoff run.

Pekka Rinne Named King Clancy Memorial Trophy Finalist

Pekka Rinne has been named as a finalist for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy along with Kurtis Gabriel and P.K. Subban.

The King Clancy Memorial Trophy, named for Francis M. Clancy, is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

You would be hard-pressed to find any other human being on the planet who exemplifies these qualities more than Rinne.

Good luck, G.O.A.T! Noone deserves it more.

Nashville Predators Welcome A New Titan To Town

The Tennesse sports world was abuzz with the news that the Tennessee Titans had traded for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones.

This is a huge trade for the Titans, who are looking to shore up their offense next season, which ranked 2nd in the NFL last season.

Jones, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has 848 career receptions, 12,896 yards, and 60 touchdowns.

Welcome to Smashville, Julio!

Younger Players Should Impact The Roster Next Season

With how last season was structured, the younger players on the “Taxi Squad” gave them a golden opportunity to showcase their skills in a way that they probably wouldn’t have gotten to otherwise.

Players like Alexandre Carrier and Tanner Jeannot got the opportunity to play on the main roster and made a huge impact on the team. So much so that we are all looking forward to them continuing their careers in the NHL next season.

Whether he wanted to or not, Poile implemented the youth movement that he spoke about before the start of last season. With how well these younger players carried themselves in the regular season and the playoffs, it would be hard to imagine next season’s roster without them.

Also, let’s not forget. Next season we may also see the NHL debut of Philip Tomasino.

Stop With The Banner Jokes

It seems that the Predators will never be able to shake the stupid banner jokes that pop up from time to time. Even though every team in the league has banners of some sort hanging in their arenas, Nashville continues to get the grief.

Even though they have yet to win a Stanley Cup, how can the Predators be faulted for being proud of their accomplishments?

Luckily we have a top-notch social media team who is always on the case when these banner jokes arise.