Nashville Predators 10-game report
by Dirk Hoag on Oct 30, 2011 10:51 PM EDT
in Nashville Predators Analysis
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PrintAs the Nashville Predators head out of town for their annual CMA road trip, they'e carved out a respectable 5-4-1 record despite a rash of injuries to key players. We have seen nights where they've looked dominant, and other nights when the Preds were completely outclassed by their opponents.
So what can we say about the individual players so far?
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Goaltending
Pekka Rinne has gotten pretty much all the work so far, and has been far and away the team's MVP:
With injuries continuing to dog the Predators' forward ranks, Rinne will still be relied upon to keep the games close enough for an offensively-challenged team to have their shot at victory each night.
Skaters
The table below breaks down the skaters' performance. "Adjusted Corsi" includes the effects of Zone Starts (giving guys who start more often in the defensive zone a break, etc.), and "Corsi Rel Quality of Competition" is a measure of how tough the opponents are that each Predator has been facing in 5-on-5.
| Player | Pos | GP | Scoring | Shots | Ice Time (EV/SH/PP) |
Adjusted Corsi |
Corsi Rel Quality of Competition |
5-on-5 Pts/60 | Comment |
| David Legwand | C | 10 | 2G, 7A | 14 | 14:34 / 2:08 / 3:10 | -9.28 | +0.963 | 1.28 | Two goals so far are an empty netter and an attempted pass which deflected in. |
| Craig Smith | C | 10 | 3G, 5A | 26 | 12:00 / 0:01 / 3:06 | -20.08 | +1.982 | 2.54 | Honey Badger has been an early boost, but have to wonder if he'll cool off. |
| Sergei Kostitsyn | L | 9 | 3G, 5A | 10 | 13:39 / 0:42 / 2:34 | -5.42 | +2.651 | 3.04 | 9 games, 10 shots. Outstanding playmaking, though. |
| Ryan Suter | D | 10 | 2G, 3A | 14 | 19:16 / 3:22 / 4:40 | -1.51 | +2.212 | 0.65 | Doing what he always does, soaking up minutes and taking on the toughs. |
| Colin Wilson | C | 10 | 2G, 3A | 18 | 14:00 / 0:01 / 3:01 | -3.46 | +0.950 | 1.33 | So far, pretty good, but still holds onto the puck too long at times. |
| Shea Weber | D | 10 | 1G, 4A | 28 | 18:36 / 2:45 / 4:50 | +2.03 | +2.230 | 0.67 | Leading the way as usual, just needs to stay out of the box a bit more. |
| Matt Halischuk | R | 10 | 2G, 2A | 13 | 12:33 / 2:14 / 0:20 | -8.17 | +0.748 | 1.96 | Does the little things that Barry Trotz wants, but overmatched against Top 6 foes. |
| Mike Fisher | C | 3 | 2G, 2A | 5 | 11:21 / 0:23 / 2:45 | -21.80 | +0.801 | 5.41 | Looks like a great fit with Craig Smith, just hope he can stay healthy. |
| Nick Spaling | L | 10 | 1G, 2A | 14 | 13:41 / 2:29 / 0:24 | -3.96 | +1.644 | 1.35 | A PK mainstay, just don't expect much more than that. |
| Kevin Klein | D | 10 | 1G, 2A | 9 | 16:53 / 3:07 / 1:17 | -8.76 | +1.569 | 1.11 | Has shown flashes of offensive jump, but playing stopper is his main focus. |
| Patric Hornqvist | R | 9 | 2G, 0A | 21 | 10:29 / 0:00 / 3:00 | -18.94 | +1.412 | 1.27 | Goals are starting to come, hopefully getting back up to 100%. |
| Jordin Tootoo | R | 10 | 0G, 2A | 15 | 13:05 / 0:14 / 0:10 | -4.45 | +0.373 | 0.92 | Ignore the haters, Toots. Keep on keeping on. |
| Jonathon Blum | D | 10 | 0G, 2A | 6 | 16:11 / 2:33 / 1:24 | -15.34 | +0.690 | 0.76 | A jack-of-all-trades on the blueline, but still developing consistency. |
| Jack Hillen | D | 8 | 0G, 2A | 5 | 11:59 / 0:51 / 0:00 | -25.61 | -3.310 | 1.27 | Specialist needs protection from tough matchups. |
| Niclas Bergfors | R | 4 | 1G, 0A | 9 | 6:49 / 0:00 / 0:48 | -28.33 | +4.250 | 2.20 | J.P. Svatos hasn't earned his way into Trotz's good graces yet. |
| Martin Erat | R | 2 | 1G, 0A | 2 | 12:42 / 1:04 / 3:09 | -13.72 | -0.111 | 2.41 | Great to see him back in the lineup, now just needs to stay there. |
| Jerred Smithson | C | 10 | 1G, 0A | 9 | 12:36 / 2:43 / 0:06 | +6.32 | +0.711 | 0.48 | Facing an absurdly tough defensive workload, but pushes play up-ice anyway. |
| Blake Geoffrion | L | 10 | 0G, 1A | 3 | 8:55 / 0:57 / 0:31 | -10.27 | -1.150 | 0.68 | Have to wonder if he'd be better served playing more in Milwaukee. |
| Cal O`Reilly | C | 5 | 0G, 1A | 1 | 10:44 / 1:29 / 1:51 | -17.50 | -0.173 | 1.17 | Fare thee well… |
| Brian McGrattan | R | 7 | 0G, 1A | 2 | 5:51 / 0:00 / 0:03 | -1.02 | -0.024 | 1.46 | More effective entertaining the crowd than playing hockey. |
| Zack Stortini | R | 1 | 0G, 0A | 1 | 4:53 / 0:00 / 0:00 | -24.57 | +3.368 | 0.00 | Could be in for a long stay in Milwaukee, with Thang getting the call-up. |
| Francis Bouillon | D | 3 | 0G, 0A | 1 | 18:05 / 0:07 / 0:19 | -7.29 | -0.401 | 0.00 | Helps stabilize the blueline, wonder when he'll start to work special teams. |
| Mattias Ekholm | D | 2 | 0G, 0A | 1 | 11:36 / 0:15 / 0:33 | +13.40 | +5.814 | 0.00 | See you next fall, kid. |
| Teemu Laakso | D | 7 | 0G, 0A | 4 | 10:39 / 0:39 / 0:00 | -27.56 | -0.472 | 0.00 | Could be the Cal O'Reilly of defense, working his last chance at a job in Nashville. |
So who has impressed you so far, either positively or negatively?
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Comments
I LOLed at the "JP Svatos" nickname for Bergfors
Good stuff.
If I hit a hole-in-one on this grand slam the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate.
by jasonkylebates on Oct 30, 2011 10:54 PM EDT reply actions
I hope they bring it tomorrow night
If I am going to be abused at United Center we had at least put on a respectable showing.
If there is ANY team I want to beat the crap out of, it's Chicago.
I want to pummel them into the ground, and stomp up and down on them, and send Honey Badger after them to destroy their remains, and then stomp up and down on them again. I do NOT want to be used and abused by Chicago. I would love nothing more than to embarrass them in their own barn :D
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
I just want to get out of Chicago without concussions.
We lost a season and a half of man-games last year while playing in Chicago. Lombardi and Bouillon. Keep your domes safe!
There is nothing worse
than their goal music. Except maybe the way San Jose lames up “Rock and Roll pt 2”
by musamonster on Oct 30, 2011 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Simple fact is that Wilson shows glimpses of flashy puck-handling that no one else on the team has. To me he seems a few lucky breaks away from going on an offensive tear for a stretch this season.
Proud owner of a fantasy hockey team named "Lonely Wristshots."
by TerryCrispisms on Oct 30, 2011 11:27 PM EDT reply actions
I would only argue that Honey Badger has snuck past some defensemen with surprising finess. That he managed to do so coming right out of college is impressive. I hope it bodes well for the future.
Puck And Punk blog: The only music with enough heart for hockey.
Follow me on twitter:@3DLink
You sneaky Dirk
Publishing this ten game player based breakdown just hours before mine was going to roll out. I know it, you’re just trying to undercut me, steal my readers!
I’m kidding of course.
I think it is obvious to say that Craig Smith is going to be the storyline to follow. Well I don’t expect him to score at his current pace, I am eager at how he performs as opponents adjust to his game.
Puck And Punk blog: The only music with enough heart for hockey.
Follow me on twitter:@3DLink
I’m sure Dirk will link your breakdown in the Morning Hockey News ;-)
by Only Fan In J.C. ? on Oct 30, 2011 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I LOL'd at 3D's blog post.
Colin Wilson has been better. He still needs to stop trying to be so cute, he can get laid off the ice and after the game.
honey badger
While he definitely has some skill, i still expect him to hit a huge wall later in the season. With the vast difference between the college vs pro schedules, his lack of experience and endurance will catch up to him. I just hope, when it happens, that he works his way through it. By which i mean not giving up, but working harder, when he gets demoted to the lower lines.
the only things I want to see change is Spaling on the offensive lines. He does not have the ability to produce consistently. Let smith anchor the 2nd line while Fish is injured. And send Geoffrion to milwaukee, his offensive game isn’t up to a level where he can improve it in the NHL yet.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
Boomer
won’t get sent down as long as he keeps playing so physical. He isn’t exactly lost out there either given that he is a rookie. I think he is looking more and more comfortable. Confidence is building.
by Marcus Newman on Oct 31, 2011 9:19 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Terry. He has really been atop his game this year so far. Time will tell if he can keep it up for a full season. Though he has no shots on goal yet, he has certainly taken many shot on the net of comedy and scored many times. He gives it his all often logging way more than 60 minutes per game. Kudos, Terry. Keep it up
60% of the time it works every time
by Creeping Death on Oct 31, 2011 12:27 AM EDT reply actions
unfortunately we haven’t been able to hear him a whole lot with the early tv blackouts, but looking forward to the next televised game.
thankfully he has been kickin it and keepin it real on the radio during games. Old school
60% of the time it works every time
by Creeping Death on Oct 31, 2011 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions
What our first 10 games tells me is.........
that when we lose one (or two as has been the case at times) of our top 6 forwards with injuries, it makes a bigger difference in our lineup than one would hope it would. Not having a Ward or Goc type player who can fill in on the top two lines when needed has been felt this season.
Rinne is clearly the MVP so far (no surprise there). Biggest disappointment would have to be Bergfors (aka. J.P. Svatos, LOL!). Be it that Trotz just won’t play him or Bergs hasn’t gotten a fair shake, Poile’s build up of him during the off-season looks pretty silly right now.
5-4-1 is pretty good considering it’s only been the past two games where we’ve played well in.
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 1:44 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I have to agree with you. The games where we have had most of our top lines intact, we have looked pretty good. Let’s hope SK comes back soon and Fish is not out too long (and we get ZP in here soon).
Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson
ZP has to be tired of playing with Ilya “Everybody set me up for a shot” Kovalchuk by now. Get him in gold & blue! :)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 11:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I have a feeling
a bit of our problems are growing pains with some of the younger guys as well. Hopefully some of the kinks will work out, but no doubt they will also pop up again. 5-4-1 is also decent for how bad we have looked at times, but also pretty good compared to how a few other teams that are “much better than us” are faring at the moment.
Gotta agree with Rinne as MVP. He was our MVP last year as well… Oh how nice it would be if he could keep playing that way but we were able to point out someone else as MVP!
I agree
that is why we need the vets in there to help balance out some the young guys while they mature.
Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson
My hope is that the guys remember that they played very, very good after Fish was hurt and they keep it up. My fear is that it all falls apart again. Reality is likely to be somewhere in between.
And 5-4-1 is pretty much on pace for us at the end of October. We were very close to that last season, iirc.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
I think we’re doing alright, so far. I had a slight panic attack when we lost a bunch in a row, but other teams (see: Boston, Vancouver, etc.) have been having similar issues, so we aren’t alone. I think we just need to find our stride, and I think we’re starting to get a better idea of what that is!
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
It is fun to read/remember all the doomsdayers a week or so ago. This has been the preds as long as I remember, STREAKY. We just need the winning streaks to be a lot longer than the losing streaks. It also seems in the past that every time the Preds beat Detroit they go on a mini losing streak, especially if they are within striking distance of the division lead. Hopefully that will change this year.
Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson
This reminds me of a quote from Clare Booth Luce that I read recently that went something like “Thereb are two kinds of people in the world, optimists and pessimists. The pessimists are usually better informed”. ;)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 6:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails ~ William Arthur Ward
I just wanna adjust our offensive sails, so I must be a realist. :)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 8:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Clare Boothe Luce and there, not thereb. Need one of those big screen android thingy’s. :D
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 8:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I thought McGrattan showed a little skill this last game. He doesn’t seem to make too many mistakes, which is good. Overall, I think we have a better player than him in our system, though.
Bergfors is starting to show signs of Trotzskyism. I think he will fit in here. I expect him to get good Marx in the midseason review. I know most of you think that my opinion on this is Bolshevik, but give him a chance.
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
by cisar on Oct 31, 2011 1:53 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I will give him a chance. As long as Trotz takes his time and isn’t Russian him, I think everything will be ok
60% of the time it works every time
by Creeping Death on Oct 31, 2011 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
well done
i think you understated suter a little. he is at a nice goal pace and we need that. i agree that smith will wear down and laakso is the next pevs, cal, santo, etc.
Kostitsyn
I don’t get the constant criticism of Kostitsyn’s shooting decisions on this site. I even read a criticism of his awesome pass to Suter who buried the goal in the first game. It was absolutely the right decision to pass the puck as Mason and another BJ’s defender were already square to him, yet he was derided for deciding to pass rather than shoot the puck into Mason’s chest. Who freakin’ cares how often he shoots. I care how often he scores, and once again the guy is leading our team in goals.
You guys give Legwand so much slack. Why don’t you cut a little to Kostitsyn too.
Did you miss the "outstanding playmaking" comment?
I’m fine with him as a Top 6 guy, he’s a smart hockey player and supports his linemates well.
He doesn’t shoot enough to be a decent goal-scorer, though, and despite what Barry Trotz said about trying to get him to shoot more over the summer, he’s not doing it. I just hope Poile approaches SK74’s situation very carefully, and avoids extending him long-term on the assumption that he’s going to hit the 30-goal mark anytime soon.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of Hockey Gear HQ, a site devoted to hockey equipment and accessories.
His situation reminds me of a past interview with Erat where he described himself as a playmaker who looks for the setup, not goal. Does Erat have an incredible wrist shot? Absolutely. Should he be able to put up 25-30 goals a year? Yeah, I think he could, but he’d need to go through a shooting conditioning course to completely rewire that part of brain. Without that change in mentality then it would never happen, and Erat is too old for that. (Hint: he’s not that old, but for this type of change he is)
Puck And Punk blog: The only music with enough heart for hockey.
Follow me on twitter:@3DLink
I didn't miss anything
I’m just pointing out that there seems to be a daily “Kostitsyn passes too much” comment here. It’s almost like you’re on a crusade about it.
Kostitsyn kicks ass
I got no problem with him.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Oct 31, 2011 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Who on this site gives Legwand the slightest bit of slack?
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
Uh oh...
You, ma’am, have poked the [metaphorical] bear! :)
(I’m not the bear, but I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.)
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
Which bear do we speak of?
Gbear is mostly neutral in the Legwand wars. I want to add to what we have here, not subtract. :)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Oct 31, 2011 6:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Not yet bro-man.
We don’t need him to score every game. But we need him every once in awhile.
He’s done that so far this year.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 1, 2011 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I do.
And Sam LOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS
him.
The truth is always the right answer....
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 1, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions
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