2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Marcel Goc

With the season over, it's time to take a look back and examine each player's individual performance. We'll briefly break it down, and then offer a letter grade for the year. It's report cards, Nashville Predators-style, from Blum to Wilson. Next up: Marcel Goc.

Today's entry was written by Special Guest Star J.R. Lind, Nashville's tallest bowtie-wearing business reporter and devoted Goc follower.

Marcel Goc

#9 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 202

Born: Aug 24, 1983

Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent

The Skinny: Building off a career year in 2009-10 that earned him an extension in Nashville, Marcel Goc looked to play a key role in Barry Trotz's attack, such as it is. Goc is just the kind of guy we've grown accustomed to in Nashville: a solid two-way guy who isn't afraid to into the corners and do all those other little things Trotz and David Poile love. And at $775,000, he was a good bargain. Goc was well on his way to another career-best season with 9/15 through 51 games, but was put out for season when he injured his left shoulder in a February game against Vancouver. This, after separating his right shoulder earlier in the season when boarded by Washington's Nicklas Backstrom.

The Performance: Skating just 13:38 per game, Goc notched 24 points in those 51 games (scoring at 1.90 per 60, among the team leaders), just six fewer than his career-best. Through a combination of solid play and battlefield promotions, Goc ended up - at one time or another - centering every line, though his greatest success was on the EKG/Eastern Bloc/Euro line, a combination that served to spark Sergei Kostitsyn and jumpstart Marty Erat. He also saw some increased power-play time, especially ahead of his injury and even saw whiffs of work on the PK and performed OK (even scoring a shorty), which is just fine for a guy who'll always the third option shorthanded behind Jerred Smithson and David Legwand. Faceoff-wise, Goc was off a bit this season, winning 49.9 percent.

The Grade: Marcel's become a fan favorite in Nashville. I started the All Marcel Tweets Will Be Capitalized meme, which caught on for reasons even I don't get. He leads all NHLers in Inspiring Borderline Blasphemous Puns Per 60 now that Miroslav Satan is playing in the KHL. On the ice, Goc appears to have turned the corner to consistency - if he can ever stay healthy and that's the big question. If he could stay upright and make himself a 70-game man, he could be dangerous. Given his pre-injury pace - but having to account for the the we'll-never-know-what-might-have-been markdown - GOC GETS AN A-PLUS IN OUR HEARTS AND AN A-MINUS ON THE REPORT CARD.