Nashville Predators: An Early Look At Next Season’s Lineup
A No-Brainer For the Nashville Predators
Yakov Trenin – Colton Sissons – Mathieu Olivier
With all of the roster changes that have taken place and all of the questions surrounding lines, there is one that should not be in question for next season.
The 4th line, consisting of Yakov Trenin, Colton Sissons, and Mathieu Olivier, exemplifies the exact style of play and attitude that the Predators continue to work towards on their journey to once again be known as “the hardest working team in the NHL.”
This line often started games and came up with some of the biggest hits of the season. When Olivier became injured, Tanner Jeannot filled his slot and picked up where Olivier left off.
The 4th line must build on their accomplishments and the momentum they gained during the stellar second half of the season. This line is a tone-setter, and the entire team can feed off of their intensity.
3rd Line Has Lots To Prove
Nick Cousins – Cody Glass – Tanner Jeannot
Two of the three players on this line have lots to prove next season, while the other looks to continue his role as the Predators’ chief agitator.
Cody Glass was the 6th overall draft pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Glass spent two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights but missed some games due to injury. However, he will be looking to make a strong comeback with his new team.
Tanner Jeannot was one of Nashville’s protected players in the Seattle Kraken Expansion draft. As a result, Nashville lost one of the most consistent players they had in Calle Jarnkrok. Jeannot will need to step up his game, bring his “Herd Line” mentality to the 3rd line, and make sure that Poile doesn’t regret exposing Jarnkrok to the Kraken.
Nick Cousins is another player that adds some grit to the Predators roster and spent most of his time on the 3rd line last season. A seasoned veteran that his linemates can look up to, Cousins is a no-nonsense player that does a good job of protecting his teammates and getting in his opponent’s head.
2nd Line Has Potential To Be Great
Eeli Tolvanen – Mikael Granlund – Luke Kunin
With Mikael Granlund signing his shiny new contract, he will look to lead this young second line and provide scoring for a Predators team that desperately needs it. Granlund was a priority signing for Poile, and it will be up to him to prove that he is worthy of his $5M per year payday.
Eeli Tolvanen showed flashes of brilliance last season. His ability to score from the circle was something to behold. However, his production dropped off after sustaining an injury. He never really returned to form after that. The Predators will need to see a return to his pre-injury production if this line is to be successful.
Luke Kunin is another player that fits right into Nashville’s plan to be one of the toughest teams to play against. His ability to score in front of the net and his desire to play a tough game make him a great asset and building block for the future.
The Money LIne
Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Matt Duchene
There are two reasons why this line should be called the “Money Line.” The first being that these three players will eat up $24M of precious cap space next season. Secondly, if Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Matt Duchene can get firing on all cylinders, other teams better take notice.
Many armchair GMs are now reading this and questioning my sanity. Most feel that Tolvanen would be the logical choice for this line, moving Duchene to center the 2nd line.
However, I liked what I saw from this trio during the playoffs. They showed flashes of exactly what they are capable of doing on the ice together.
Johansen’s and Duchene’s detractors are numerous, and they don’t ever expect much from the pair. However, with the team going through a mini rebuild, the time is now for these two players to finally live up to expectations. They will need to take the reins and show fans everywhere that they can recapture their past glories.
And what can you say about Forsberg? He is right on the cusp of being an elite forward in the NHL. Next season will be his time to shine, even more so now that the team will need more scoring from wherever they can get it. Forsberg is more than capable of stepping up to that challenge.
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Many will ask why players like Rem Pitlick and Philip Tomasino aren’t in this lineup? Of course, you could also throw Rocco Grimaldi into that category as well. The truth is, since the team is in “competitive rebuild” mode, we will have to see how the season progresses before we can tell where they might land in the lineup.
There are several places that any of these three players could fit in if needed or desired. All three should see some ice time next season, especially Grimaldi.
Also, all three could insert themselves into the lineup with excellent showings during training camp as Olivier did last season. They have to show the coaches what they are capable of and how they have progressed to earn their spot or take someone else’s.
Pitlick looked pretty good in the ten games he played last season but never really found his footing on the roster. Tomasino is itching to get into the NHL lineup as soon as possible. The question of whether or not he is ready for the NHL should get answered this season.
And just like the end of last season, where Grimaldi slots in remains a mystery. His speed is his greatest asset, but his size and lack of defense hamper his ability to excel in a John Hynes system. However, he can score, and that is an immediate need for this Predators team.
In Conclusion
The main components of this lineup showed some consistency during Nashville’s run to the playoffs last season. Once in the playoffs, the Predators almost pulled off the improbable by taking one of the better teams in the NHL to six games in the first round.
This lineup provides a safety net to build from, at least in the early stages of the season. Therefore, my consensus would be to run this lineup to see how they perform and adjust as needed.
With a young roster and a lack of scoring talent, Hynes will need to get his lines sorted quickly, or the Predators could find themselves in a deep hole very early in the season.