Nashville Predators: Goaltender Doubts Loom Heading into Season Finale

Now that the huge weight is lifted off with securing a playoff berth, the Nashville Predators will look to beat out the Dallas Stars for the top wildcard spot in their 2021-22 season finale.

Last night’s shootout win over the Colorado Avalanche had no shortage of thrills as the Predators mounted an impressive comeback to temporarily jumped ahead of Dallas in the standings with one more game left.

The ongoing question surrounding this team is the status of Juuse Saros, and who will be the Game 1 starter. David Rittich or Connor Ingram?

What an odd predicament to be in for the Nashville Predators. This back-to-back feels more like a preseason audition for who wants to be the backup than it does an audiotion for Game 1 starter of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Saros left late in Tuesday’s game against the Calgary Flames in what ended up being a high ankle sprain per a source that told Alex Daugherty of AtoZ Sports.

According to that report, Saros could be out anywhere from four to six weeks, but it could also just be a pain tolerance thing. At the bare minumum, he’s almost certainly out for the first round. By virtue of a mini miracle the Predators make it past the first round, then you can re-evaluate.

Nashville Predators have to decide on Game 1 starter

There’s been very little confidence from the organization shown in Rittich even getting the normal amount of backup starts.

Saros led the NHL in starts with 67, and even started in back-to-back games on April 16 and 17. A controversial decision that saw Saros surrender seven goals on 51 shots faced over the two games.

Rittich started off sluggishly last night against the Avalanche, but did rebound strongly to close the game out as he was peppered with shots left and right. He finished the game with the win and his third 40-plus save outing of the season.

As much as I admire Rittich’s work ethic and the way he doesn’t back down, I’m having a hard time trusting him as the full-time starter in the playoffs.

However, the other option is Ingram. A player with just two career NHL starts, but one that does have confidence from the organization to more than likely be the backup to Saros next season.

Additionally, Ingram did look rather good in his first  NHL start way back on October 24 when he held the Wild to two goals on 33 saves. His other start he got roasted against a potent Oilers offensive attack that quite frankly almost any goaltender would’ve suffered the same fate.

Go with the young one that’s in the future plans

This is really a difficult scenario to be in, but if it’s up to me I’m riding with Ingram as he’s likely your future backup. What better way to see what you have in him then putting him in this pressure situation of the playoffs?

Sure, he might fail and the Predators get ousted quickly in the first round. But the same is likely to happen with Rittich in net as well. This team has defensive issues galore, so even if Saros was available the playoff hopes would be low.

Nothing good is going to happen if the Predators don’t clean up their defensive mistakes and constant penalties, regardless of who’s in net, unless you can throw me prime Pekka Rinne? Didn’t think so.

We should see Ingram start the season finale tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Unless he just completely falls apart and doesn’t look ready at all, then he’s my Game 1 starter. I just need to see Ingram make the quality saves and not be the primary reason if the team loses.

However, I’m expecting the Predators to not go the more aggressive route and instead take the more conservative approach of starting the veteran Rittich. Either way, tall order for this Nashville Predators team to make any kind of noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs without Saros.