The Nashville Predators stole a shootout victory from the Tampa Bay Lightning on the back of their opponent's former captain, Steven Stamkos, on Saturday afternoon. The win lifted spirits in Nashville after Andrew Brunette made savvy lineup moves, scratching Nicolas Hague and shifting to a traditional 12-6 setup that led to Reid Schaefer's opening goal; Schaefer replaced Hague in the lineup.
The good vibes continued on Sunday, as Chris MacFarland then made a one-for-one deal to acquire Shane Wright from the Seattle Kraken. It cost the team Matthew Wood, but it was the price of acquiring a fellow young player at a high-value position. All eyes are now on whether a fresh start can reignite the former fourth overall pick's career.
It won't get any easier for the Predators on Tuesday, as they'll face the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have been running over teams all season, and it'll be an interesting first test for Wright's debut. The 22-year-old will start as the team's second-line center according to the lineup at Monday's practice.
Shane Wright starts on Predators' second line
Wright projects more as a middle-six center over his career, while he could potentially fill in for spot duty on the top line. Brunette will throw him right into the fire on Tuesday night, centering Filip Forsberg and Nils Hoglander, with a chance to stake a claim to a lineup spot that could be his for the rest of his career if he wants it.
Fans want the appealing first-line guys, but there is value in having a dependable middle-six center who you can throw out there in matchups against the other team's best players to free up the top line. Wright can be that player for the Predators moving forward, and having someone like Forsberg to lean on is something he never really had in Seattle.
Nicolas Hague scratched for a second straight game?
Hague was on the extra pair at practice on Monday afternoon, which doesn't bode well for his chances of returning. It's hard to break up a winning lineup, and the team likely won't take Schaefer out for the 11-and-7 setup again, especially after the young forward played so well against the Lightning.
Hague will need to be patient and work his way back into the lineup. The coaching staff has lost trust in his game right now, but that doesn't mean he won't become a factor again after a few games off the ice.
Juuse Saros draws a tough matchup
Tonight's projected starters are Juuse Saros and Pyotr Kochetkov. Saros has posted great numbers this season, and the Predators' ability to steal a win with him as the backup on Saturday was a great showing from the lineup. They'll now get a rested Saros, and they'll hope he can steal a game against the defending champions.
It won't be easy against Kochetkov, who is a perfect 10-0 this season with a 1.49 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. The Preds will need a near-perfect performance from Saros.
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