Penalty Kill
Overall Grade: A
On the other end of the spectrum is the Nashville Predators penalty kill. The only reason this team is hanging on for dear life and leaving a small glimmer of hope that this season isn't going to end in another nightmare.
Your key penalty killers like Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, Ryan O'Reilly, Brady Skjei and Nick Perbix deserve a lot of praise for this aspect of the game. They're giving the team a chance every night to hang around despite having very little goal support.
The Predators are tied for 3rd in the NHL on the penalty kill at 90 percent. They have been shorthanded 40 times in 11 games, which is 6th-most in the NHL. This area is the only thing keeping this team's head above water.
Juuse Saros also plays a huge role in this, obviously. You can't have a top-rated penalty kill without a great goalie and that is what Saros has been able to do. He his making his money while the Predators are shorthanded.
Saros has a .927 save percentage against the opponent's power play, which is wild considering his overall save percentage is more pedestrian at .904. Without Saros living up to the pressure while his team is on the penalty kill, the Predators would probably be the worst team in the NHL right now. It's the only thing saving them, quite literally.
That brings me to my grade for Saros overall. I'm not going to go out and give him an A+ because he hasn't been perfect. Like the vast majority of goalies, he has given up a few he'd like to have back. The one that stings the most is the late-game goal he gave up on Cole Caulfied with three seconds left in what ended up being an overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Be that as it may, I'm still giving Saros a solid A- and easily the team's MVP in the early going. Could he hit a streaky rough patch? Sure, and if that happens then you'll really start to see the wheels fall off on the Nashville Predators season.
But as for now, the Predators are riding on a couple shaky spare tires and trying to make it to the service station to save the vehicle from completely breaking down.