Just when you think the Nashville Predators are going to turn a corner and finally be the team they appeared to be on paper, they find a way to turn in yet another ridiculously bad performance.
Coming off two consecutive overtime losses to the Colorado Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers, their matchup with the Calgary Flames felt like one they could finally get back into the win column in. Instead, the team went backwards by not even scoring a single goal and losing 2-0.
With the slogan of "there's plenty of hockey left to turn things around" holding less water by the day, the Predators might just be what they're showing us on the ice. A bad hockey team full of underperforming veterans and poor execution.
Who deserves the biggest share of the blame for Nashville Predators?
No one is blameless on this team right now, but I have to start with the veteran leadership first and foremost. That includes both 2024 free agent pickups and the returning leadership like Roman Josi and yes, even Filip Forsberg.
I've tried to keep Head Coach Andrew Brunette free of most of the blame, but if the team continues down this parth we realize that the head coach usually is the first dominoe to fall. I just wonder if General Manager Barry Trotz will be willing to go to that extreme with Brunette only being in Year 2 of his tenure after finishing in second place in the Jack Adams Award voting in his first year.
Brunette can't go out there and finish the scoring chance for them. His system is tagged as being hard to learn and adjust to, but the analytics suggest the Predators just aren't scoring when the opportunities present themselves.
I'm also kind of tired of hearing about the 18-game point streak from lasts season because it can be misleading. Not only did that Predators team reel off 18-straight games with a point, but they won 16 of those 18 to get 34 of a possible 36 points in the standings.
Nothing is impossible, but it's about as close to impossible as you can get for the Predators to achieve that again this season. They need multiple stretches of winning four of five. Even overtime points don't do any good. It's just not about stringing together a point streak, they need two points almost every night now.
With the Predators sitting in a three-way tie for last place in the Western Conference with a 5-10-3 record, they of course still have time to make a comeback to make the playoffs. We keep waiting for that winning streak to happen and wipe this bad taste out of our mouths, but it just hasn't happened yet.
We had this current five-game road trip circled as a measuring stick for where this team is going. They're 0-1-2 with road games at Vancouver and Seattle remaining. If they somehow win those two games and finish the road trip at 2-1-2, honestly that's really not that bad all things considered.
I'm honestly at a loss for words on how to repair this broken team. It all comes down to poor execution, lack of team chemistry, and not finishing on their scoring chances.
To illustrate those three bad qualities, just look at their 5-on-5 play. They're the worst team in the NHL at Goals Scored Above Expected coming in at -16.51. That's almost 17 goals fewer than what their expected goals are. That tells me the system is working, but the players aren't executing or finishing with putting the pucks in the net. Some of that can of course be contributed to just bad puck luck and stellar goalie play.
Then you see the shooting percentage. Also worst in the NHL at 7.48 percent and they're starting to pad that lead over the next worst team in that category which is the Edmonton Oilers.
So you want to know how this team fixes itself and starting winning games? Fix those two categories, and until the veterans can start living up to their reputations, this horrendous trend will continue and a fire sale will have to occur before season's end.
The 2024 big ticket free agents have been ghosts of their former selves. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault combined for 82 goals last season. They have seven combined goals this season. That's a pace of about a 50 percent decrease in goal production between the two from last season.
Yes, there is still time to turn things around. Preds are 6 points behind the wildcard teams
What happens if everyone suddenly snaps out of it and the team starts reeling off some winning streaks? They're going to have to be the hottest team in the NHL for a while to turn this around. Again, not impossible, but also hard to see it happening.
The crazy part is, the Predators can still rally if they improve in these two areas. If players starting burying their scoring chances, it turns into a different story. A much more positive and happier story. I've just reached the point that I have to see it to believe it.
We're only 18 games in. The Predators have to play nearly perfect hockey from here on out. There is no more margin for error. Desperation hockey is already upon us before Thanksgiving, so enjoy Smashville.