It's time to start considering which Nashville Predators have had the best campaigns, as this 2009-10 NHL regular season draws to a close. Today, let's discuss rookies - Nashville prides itself on a strong developmental pipeline, and that trend has held true this season as a pair of young players have assumed critical roles.
Follow after the jump for a breakdown of the candidates, debate away in the comments, and cast your vote in the poll...
At times he looked like the odd man out as Teemu Laakso and Alexander Sulzer received more playing time early in the season, but Franson has come into his own as the season has progressed. Second on the Predators defense with 6 goals, he also ranks second on the team in Plus/Minus.
As if that wasn't good enough, his Points/60 minutes in 5-on-5 play ranks 7th in the NHL among defensemen with at least 40 games played and averaging at least 10 minutes of ice time.
Slowed by groin trouble for the first half of the season, Wilson has stepped in on the wing in Nashville and produced well down the stretch, with 6 goals and 5 assists in 18 games after the Olympic break. His contribution as a secondary scorer will be especially important to the Predators' playoff hopes.