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Nashville Predators: Things They Should and Shouldn’t Do

By Rich Howe

Predators GM David Poile listens to a questionWatson Suspension Presserpoile 091218
Predators GM David Poile listens to a questionWatson Suspension Presserpoile 091218 /
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After their horrible start to last season, the Nashville Predators got their act together and made a huge run at the end of the season to make the playoffs.

However, the Predators also didn’t manage to get out of the first round of the playoffs and suffered an early exit for the fourth straight year. Even though they gave the Carolina Hurricanes all they could handle, it still wasn’t enough to push them into the 2nd round.

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The good news is the Predators built up some momentum at the end of last season, and during the playoffs, they can carry into next season. That is if they can properly navigate the necessary changes to the roster.

The bad news is GM David Poile has made some mistakes with trades and roster changes in the past that have negatively impacted the team.

Whether out of nostalgia or the genuine belief that the roster he has assembled can make deep playoff runs, Poile has kept the team’s core players together probably longer than he should have.

The push from being a mediocre team to one capable of making deep playoff runs consistently will take some skillful navigating and tough decision-making by Poile.

Father Time is also tapping on Poile’s shoulder and the team that he has assembled. First-round playoff exits can’t continue to happen, and next season may be the last hoorah for this iteration of the Predators.

However, the core players, along with younger players who showed that they could handle NHL minutes, proved that with an “all in” mentality, they could be one of the toughest teams to play against in the league.

Here are a few things that the Predators should and shouldn’t do next season.

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