Nashville Predators: Things They Should and Shouldn’t Do

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.

More from Predlines

• Nashville Predators 2023 Training Camp Spotlight: Kiefer Sherwood
• Captain Candidates if Nashville Predators Didn’t Have Roman Josi
• The All-Time 25 Games or Less Nashville Predators Lineup
• Nashville Predators 2023 Training Camp Spotlight: Cody Glass
• Joakim Kemell Flashes his Offense in Nashville Predators Loss to Tampa

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.

The Nashville Predators SHOULDN’T “Do Nothing”

The past two free agency periods have been lackluster. In 2019-20, the lone transaction before the trade deadline was signing defenseman Korbinian Holzer. This season the only pickup was defenseman Erik Gudbranson.

When Poile could have moved some players with value, he chose to do nothing because he believed in the roster. As a result, in 2019-20, some free agents left for other teams, with Nashville getting nothing in return.

And while some pre-season acquisitions and trades did inject some life into the team, there was nothing earth-shattering.

Poile will have to make some very tough choices this offseason to move the team forward. Unfortunately, these decisions may involve getting rid of some beloved players, but this necessity needs to outweigh any heartfelt sentiments that linger.

The Nashville Predators SHOULD Get Saros A Veteran Backup

Juuse Saros exhibited other-worldly play when minding the nets for Nashville last season. So much so that a Vezina Trophy nomination seemed a foregone conclusion for Saros, but the nomination never came.

With Pekka Rinne‘s possible retirement and Kasimir Kaskisuo leaving to play in Europe, the Predators could be searching for a viable backup for Saros.

Connor Ingram could be a possibility, but he only played in five AHL games last season. Devin Cooley is another option, but he spent most of last season with the Predators’ ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades.

With so much riding on next season, the Predators should sign a veteran free-agent goaltender but not just any goaltender. They need to make sure that they sign a solid enough goaltender that can take over for Saros as needed or if he struggles at the beginning of the season, as is his tendency.

The Nashville Predators SHOULD Keep The Young Players On The Roster

Keeping the younger players on the roster is a huge no-brainer for Poile. Injuries to core players allowed the younger players to show their worth to the organization last season. They played with passion and proved that they belonged on the roster.

It would be a huge mistake on Poile’s part to ignore this fact and not keep the younger players on the roster next season. And while Poile doesn’t ultimately answer to the fans, neglecting another youth movement could prove to be too much for the Nashville faithful to handle.

There are some excellent younger players and prospects that could wind up being the future stars for Nashville. While it may cause some growing pains, Poile and Head Coach John Hynes need to work them into the roster, give them playing time, and allow them to grow. So let the Philip Tomasino watch begin.