Tomasino needs to avoid the sophomore slump
With so many players having career years for the Nashville Predators, Philip Tomasino‘s very solid rookie season was kind of overlooked. He looked very comfortable in important roles for this team, and quietly managed 32 points in very limited ice time of 11:32 per game.
Furthermore, Tomasino’s possession metrics were equally impressive with a Corsi-for of 54.5 in all situations, and he chipped in on the power play with nine points.
Going into 2022-23, Tomasino’s role is expected to expand to a top-six role. That’s a major ask from a player that just turned 21-years-old. If he does get a top-six role, he’ll probably be alongside two veterans in Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederreiter.
Tomasino’s production should grow, or at least maintain, if he’s in the top-six. However, if he struggles in this capacity, then Head Coach John Hynes will have to be quick to switch things up.
My confidence in Tomasino is extremely high, but I’m also realistic that he could hit a hurdle in his second full season in the NHL. He has to prove to the team that he’s ready for this massive jump in responsibilities by being alongside Johansen and Niederreiter on a regular basis.