The condensed 2013 regular season schedule is likely to test the depth of every NHL team, and Nashville's minor-league club in Milwaukee will continue to play a major role in their success.

The Predators have long held penalty killing to be a team strength, so Gaustad's size, strength and faceoff ability will prove critical this season.

Every team needs foot soldiers as well as stars, and Nick Spaling has endeared himself to Preds fans in recent years with his hard-working approach to penalty killing. Will the rise of other young forwards threaten his future in Nashville, however?

David Legwand's competitiveness showed up in some very unconventional ways during the 2012 playoffs. His contributions to the Predators' success are essential, even if sometimes overlooked.

Nashville's de-facto #1 center has long had to battle through nagging injuries. Does the lengthy NHL lockout provide reason to be optimistic about Mike Fisher's readiness for the upcoming season?