Matt Halischuk put up respectable offensive numbers despite relatively little ice time. Can he grow into a larger role with the Preds this season?

Will the smooth-skating Swiss defenseman be able to make Predator fans forget Ryan Suter?

When the Preds reunited Sergei Kostitsyn with his brother Andrei at last season's Trade Deadline, hopes were high that their chemistry might lead to a deep playoff run for the Preds. Things didn't work out nearly that well, however...

Even in a shortened season, this represents an important milestone for the franchise, which has been working incrementally towards full HD coverage over the course of the last several years.

The Nashville Predators have had to battle an impression that they lack goal-scoring talent, but Patric Hornqvist's production over the last three seasons ranks him alongside names like Marian Hossa, Scott Hartnell, and Patrick Kane.

As a 28-year-old blueliner entering his 5th full-time NHL season, is there any upside left to Klein's game?

He stands second to David Legwand in the major career statistical categories for the Nashville Predators, and this season Martin Erat has been named part of the team's leadership group.

Geography dictates that Western Conference teams generally travel much farther than those in the East, but thanks to a 48-game schedule that is limited to intra-conference games, the disparity between East & West has never been greater.

With the dam about to break on the NHL Lockout, our focus is about to shift to real competition. So what are the main stories to watch as the season gets underway?

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.