With the 2024-25 season just days away, the predictions are almost as numerous as the possibilities. While the NHL annual awards aren't going to be awarded until June, players and coaches are going to start building their resumes.
On the Nashville Predators there are a handful of potential award candidates. Let's review them and talk about what they need to do to win.
Juuse Saros - Vezina Trophy
Saros is a perennial contender for the Vezina Trophy. He's recieved votes for it for the last four seasons and probably will again this year.
For Saros to finally break through and win he simply needs to keep doing what he's doing. He'll have to start around 60 to 65 games, and he'll need to come away with at least 35 wins, but ideally getting to around 40 will give him a much better shot at finally taking home a win.
What bodes well for Saros here is that since he's been nominated previously, if the cast of candidates have similar numbers, he might get the nod as a "career" achievment candidate.
Ryan O'Reilly - Lady Byng Trophy
The funny thing about this former Lady Byng winner is that he just doesn't have that look. Old helmet with no visor, big beard, missing teeth. He's a tough guy for sure, and has been one of the best two way forwards in the league during his career, but he does it gently.
O'Reilly can be a serious contender for the award if he keeps his penalties to minors only, and knocks his PIMs down into the single digits. This isn't a totally unreasonable task as he's done it four times in his career, twice only receiving one penalty in an entire season. The last few winners have been in the single digits penalty-wise.
Roman Josi - Norris Trophy
Josi is a perennial contender for the best defenseman award. He was the runner up in the voting last season, and you could argue he does more on the defensive end than the winner Quinn Hughes. If Josi stays within striking distance points wise and doesn't get hurt, he could end up getting the nod over a player like Hughes or Cale Makar.
Josi is one of the most consistent players in the league and also gets a nod towards that "career achievement" portion of the award because of that.
Andrew Brunette - Jack Adams Award
A two time runner up, surely improving on last season would assure Brunette a win for Coach of the Year right? Right?
In theory Brunette's path to victory could be all but sealed thanks to Barry Trotz. Witth the imporvements made the roster the win total for this Predators squad can certainly increase. If that is possible than the award could end up in Brunette's trophy case by this summer.
If you think any other Predators can make a case for some hardware let us know! Can Forsberg enter the MVP race? Can O'Reilly reclaim Selke glory? Tell us what you think!