His basic stats hardly jump off the page, but the value Jerred Smithson provides to the Nashville Predators goes far beyond the conventional numbers.

Cal O'Reilly tantalized Nashville Predators fans with his offensive contributions early last season, but a broken leg ended his year early. Can he repeat that feat this fall?

He leads the Nashville Predators in career Games Played, Goals, Assists and Points, and is relied upon to fill a variety of roles for Barry Trotz on a nightly basis. But for many fans, David Legwand represents a reservoir of untapped potential, perhaps a legacy from that 2nd-overall draft choice which kicked off the Predators franchise back in 1998.

Teemu Laakso has toiled in the Nashville Predators organization for three full seasons, often coming tantalizingly close to earning steady NHL work only to head back to Milwaukee for more development. Is this his year?

Sergei Kostitsyn came to Nashville with more questions than answers last summer, and surprised everyone by not only earning the confidence of the coaching staff and taking on a leading role up front, but leading the team in scoring.

There is perhaps no more underappreciated job in the NHL than that of the defensive defenseman, who, like a referee, is often doing his best work when you really don't notice him much during a game.

In the first year of his new contract, Hornqvist's goal-scoring dropped by a third, leading some to wonder: did the Nashville Predators "buy high", or can he return to the 30-goal level?

Can this free agent pickup provide a steadying presence on the Nashville blueline while younger prospects continue to mature?

Almost treated as an afterthought by many fans when he was acquired in the Jason Arnott trade, Matt Halischuk made a name for himself with a tireless, straight-ahead game, and some timely offensive contributions that turned the tide in Nashville's favor.

As he attempts to make the Preds Opening Night roster for the first time, the question is, can Blake Geoffrion take the next step and become an every-night presence at the NHL level?