Ozzy Wiesblatt was indeed a crazy train this season
Remember not too long ago when the Predators faced the Edmonton Oilers and hit Leon Draisaitl so hard he left the game and didn't return for the season? The player that did that was none other than Ozzy Wiesblatt. Much like his Milwaukee teammate Schaefer, Wiesblatt's speciality is knocking people off their feet. He recorded exactly 100 hits this season, while also blocking 18 shots. Wiesblatt plays like he's 6-foot-6, even though he's only 5-foot-10.
One underrated perk about him is his defense. Not only does he know how to secure a hit, but he also knows how to secure the puck. Among his 15 giveaways this year, only two of them were in the defensive zone. Beyond hockey, this guy is strong. Even after losing his brother, Orca Wiesblatt, Ozzy still put in everything he had in every game he played, even dedicating his first NHL goal to him.
When looking at things to improve, it'll have to be his shot. His 4% shooting accuracy is the lowest among forwards on the team. If given a playmaker, maybe we can see him score some more goals next season. Overall, I like what he's done for the team; he's got a bright future.
Joakim Kemell was a late bloomer but that's not a bad thing
It took eight games for Joakim Kemell to tally a point, his first of which being a crash-the-net style goal in Tampa. Four games later, he recorded two assists and a +4-point-differential. In total, Kemell took 12 shots in his 16 appearances this season. I truly think his absence from the scoresheet in most of them were purely bad luck. NHL EDGE recorded his hardest shot 92.61 mph, putting it in the 91st percentile. He isn't a bad shooter, he's just faced a lot of tough netminders.
Outside of goal scoring, Kemell is a fast, hard-hitting forward. He's in the 99th percentile for average shot speed. I personally would not want to face that type of shot on a nightly basis. We might've been able to see more goals out of him if he was given more ice time, but a logjammed forward core limited that. He also had a solid physical game, landing 25 hits; not bad at all.
Kemell knows he's an excellent shooter, so the one thing I'll critique him on is his lack of applying it. He only made 12 shots this season, putting his shot accuracy at 8.3%. For a player known for his hard shot and quick release, you'd expect him to shoot it more. That just isn't the case. I love what Kemell has done, I just wish I could see more shot volume.
Brady Martin and Cole O'Hara are rookies, but there isn't enough data to give them grades
Both Brady Martin and Cole O'Hara are excellent players. They both tallied an assist in their short span with the team. However, as mentioned in the subtitle, there just hasn't been enough data and games played to make a valid argument.
Taking a look at what they've done in juniors and in the AHL respecitvely, it's clear that there's tons of skill to bring into the NHL. Martin has the higher upside, but that doesn't mean O'Hara is someone to ignore. If O'Hara can tally a primary assist in his first NHL game, I can bet you he'll have more of an impact when given more time.
Looking back at this season, the real highlight was the performances from our young guns. Without them and we could've very well been in the same situation as last season. If there's anything to be looking forward to next season, it's the youth.
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