Nashville Predators: Top Players Ready for a Breakout Season in 2021-22

The long wait is almost over, folks. Nashville Predators hockey is just over the horizon as they’re opening up their rookie camp and preparing for the start of the preseason on September 26 against the Florida Panthers.

There’s a sense of freshness with this Predators team going into 2021-22. With that also comes uncertainty and challenging lineup decisions, which we should get some answers to in training camp and the preseason.

There are going to be plenty of opportunities for players to break out this season now that the Predators’ veteran core was dismantled in the offseason through trades, free agency and the expansion draft.

Here are some early candidates on this young Nashville Predators that can have breakout seasons and help take this team back to the playoffs for an eighth-consecutive season.

Tanner Jeannot

2020-21 Stats: 15 games, 5 goals, 2 assists, 2 PIM, 21.7 shooting %, 12:08 ATOI, 53 hits

This is an easy one to add to this list of potential breakout players on the Nashville Predators. Tanner Jeannot almost instantly became a fan-favorite after the youth injection happened this past season.

Jeannot plays like a wrecking ball. He never seems to let up and always plays with that chip on his shoulder. A playing style that this entire Predators team is going to need to play with this upcoming season.

What I love most about Jeannot is how hard of a worker he is. He’s an undrafted free agent that’s finally getting his NHL opportunity at 24-year-old. He spent a lot of time in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors before the Predators signed him.

It’s not a stretch of the imagination for me to expect Jeannot to easily set some impressive career highs this season in all major statistical categories including points, time on ice, hits and games played. He’s going to be an important everyday player for the Predators’ bottom six.

Who knows, he might even ascend up the starting lineup if others struggle badly. Excited to see him grow into an everyday NHL player in 2021-22.

Alexandre Carrier

2020-21 Stats: 19 games, 1 goal, 2 assist, 8 PIM, 3.2 shooting %, 20:03 ATOI, 22 hits

Unlike Jeannot, Alexandre Carrier has actually been on our radars for a while coming up through the prospect ranks. You can kind of say he broke out last season by seeing his time on ice explode to over 20 minutes per game, but obviously this is the season that he can really take the next step forward.

Carrier brings a lot of offensive upside as the hopeful replacement to Ryan Ellis up top alongside Roman Josi. I’m looking to see Carrier’s shooting percentage improve drastically for this breakout season to come to fruition.

It’ll be pretty surprising if Carrier doesn’t wind up on the top defensive pairing with Josi to open the season. He showed towards the end of last season that he’s ready for that prime role and lived up to the pressure of playing those elevated minutes.

With 19 games played in 2020-21 and it being a pro-rated amount of games to count as a rookie season, I’m not sure that Carrier will be eligible to be a rookie this season. Normally the cut off is more than 25 games.

If Carrier can effectively fill in the void that Ellis’ departure leaves, then I’ll be pleased with that. I’m looking for his offensive production to spike up to double digit goals and assists for me to consider it a breakout season. I think that’s manageable for him.

Cody Glass

2020-21 Stats (with Vegas): 27 games, 4 goals, 6 assists, 8 PIM, 4 PP goals, 14.3 shooting %

This acquisition has grown on me more and more throughout the offseason. Cody Glass still has a lot of upside at just 22-years-old and a former sixth-overall draft pick in 2017. Some people just seem to be giving up too soon on him.

I really like Glass’ potential to contribute on the power play and be an offensive scoring option on the third line preferably. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to find that breakout season, and again, he’s still so early in his NHL career.

Glass never really spent much time in the AHL with just 22 games in that league. However, Glass did spend extensive time in the WHL and once put up over 100 points in a season for the Portland Winterhawks in 2017-18.

Also, Glass actually brings some defensive promise as well. This could end up being the perfect landing spot for him here in Nashville. I’m looking for him to easily set some new career highs in his third season in the NHL.