Since taking over as General Manager of the Nashville Predators, Chris MacFarland has made 11 trades while trying to reshape this roster. Early this off-season, he made one trade that flew under the radar with most of the league, but is paying off in a big way just 15 games into this season.
In a trade with the New York Rangers, the Preds acquired Adam Edstrom for Massimo Rizzo and a fifth-round pick. In an effort to bolster the top nine and add some size and speed to the lineup, the 6'7" winger checked a lot of boxes for the new GM.
After the departure of talented longtime penalty killers like Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, and Colton Sissons, Head Coach Andrew Brunette needed to fill some holes on his penalty killing unit. Edstrom fit in seamlessly and has been a noticeable difference-maker on the league's third best PK unit, providing two shorthanded tallies.
Edstrom is third on the team in goals with six total, beating his career high of five, which took him 51 games to get that year. Currently riding a three game point streak with three points in that span, he has also dished out 71 hits. At 4.73 hits per game, opponents better take note when he gets on the ice.
Sitting fifth on the team in points, he is a consistent threat to score in the offensive zone. According to NHL Edge Stats, he ranks in the 93rd percentile in high danger shots. In speed bursts over 20 MPH he also ranks in the 95th percentile, further highlighting the speed he brings to the forward group. Due to this production and impressive chance generation, he has gained more of Brunette's trust and has seen a steady increase in his ice time since his season debut.
Skating on a line with Jack Drury and Ross Colton, two more offseason pickups by MacFarland, Edstrom's line has been one of the few consistent groups in a lineup that is experiencing a lot of tinkering with all the recent trades and 11 forward, 7 D line combination they're using. This line has a 55% shots-for percentage and a stellar 60.5% Corsi-for, according to Dobber's Frozen Tools. The trio has been an exciting find and one of the coaching staff's go to in game.
Nashville moved into a wildcard position after a thrilling defeat of the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. With one goal and eight hits, newcomer Edstrom was once again finding a way to get on the scoresheet and stand out to fans. One of the positive surprises on the roster, his acquisition is already paying dividends, and MacFarland may be able to add this trade to his list of successes already.
Add us as a preferred source on Google