Yesterday, we went over the entrance music for the goaltenders and defenseman and today we focus on the bottom of the offensive lineup leading up to the tippy-top of the Predators scoring prowess.
Paul Gaustad: One of the elder-statesmen of the 4th line, Gaustad brings a touch of grit, some key faceoff wins and a lumbering stride to the ice. This trudging but harmful (to our opponents) side of Gaustad leans towards the Man in Black:
Eric Nystrom: The other elder-statesman that brings salt and experience to the table for the 4th line, Nystrom is a hard-working drone that might see the ice if healthy, or the press box if healthy also. It’ll be interesting to see what he brings in the playoffs, but hopefully there will be “No Shelter” for our opponents.
Colton Sissons, Austin Watson, Miikka Salomaki: This may be a little unfair but all three play a similar style of game and have had ups and downs this season. For the bottom two lines, these players are as good as what we had in Spaling, the consummate USB plug-and-play forward. *snicker*
Viktor Arvidsson: Sparky Plug…our generations Antti Pihlstrom except Arvy can actually find the back of the net. That falling forward goal against San Jose…glorious. He just brings heart and fire every time he lands on the ice and that speed and tenacity has earned him one of the fastest and most fun songs to get the crowd hyped.
Colin Wilson: The polarizing figure that is Colin Wilson. He has such amazing highs when scoring (See: Last Year’s Playoffs) and such dismal lows when he’s not (See: This Season). So much potential and puck-handling skill that just can’t quite seem to find the scoring touch for any stretch of time. So, here’s to hoping we get a repeat performance in this year’s playoffs.
Mike Fisher: Quite possibly the nicest guy ever, a heart for giving and one of the luckiest men on the planet. Mike Fisher exemplifies the Predator Way through leadership and hard-nosed play. This isn’t a slam against the Trotz era of Nashville, but this player has been able to succeed in both systems and anchors the 3rd line with Wilson and Arvidsson to aplomb. Shout out to roadside_fury for the perfect selection as you can bet he’ll make Kesler Testify.