Mattias Ekholm returns to Nashville for the first time since his trade in February.
Nashville Predators
In late February, the Predators decided they would go nearly “scorched earth.” GM David Poile traded Mattias Ekholm to the Edmonton Oilers for Tyson Barrie and a prospect. Barrie has been great for the Predators, jumping in on the blue line fairly seamlessly. It’s never easy to bid farewell to a homegrown player like Ekholm, but he was put in a great place to succeed in Edmonton.
Nashville is 1-2-0 on the season. Both of their losses were winnable games, but when you hand the other team a ridiculous number of power play opportunities—and penalty shots—you don’t have a very high chance of winning the game. The other side of the penalty kill is the power play. Nashville’s power play has been awful for several seasons, and it’s up to new head coach Andrew Brunette to right the ship before it’s too late. A strong power play is crucial for postseason success, and Nashville’s power play is truly trash.
Once again, I’d expect Juuse Saros in net. Luke Schenn remains injured, so Dante Fabbro will stay in the lineup. I am unsure if there will be other substitutions.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have started 0-2-0, and that’s a little weird for a team many expect to carry the Western Conference. They were spanked by the Canucks in their first game and defeated again by Vancouver on Saturday. They poured on the shots in their second outing against the Canucks, and I expect they’ll come out firing tonight.
Leon Draisaitl, as expected, leads the Oilers in points with two goals and an assist. The season is very, very young, and Draisaitl is likely good for 40 goals if he remains healthy. It goes without saying that Connor McDavid requires extra coverage, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard are also worth watching. As mentioned, they’ll be extra hungry for a win. Going winless this early in the season is both concerning and not concerning—Edmonton has the players to recover and storm up the standings, but if they’re in a hole early, it could mean a rough ride.
In net, the Oilers have Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. I’m not sure what to make out of either goalie, as both have looked quite rough so far. I’m unsure who will get the start tonight, but I’d bet on Campbell.
Reasons to Watch
- Mattias Ekholm returns to Bridgestone Arena.
- Connor McDavid.
- Edmonton will be hungry for a win, and tonight is a great test against a likely Western Conference finalist.
Keep Your Eye on This Guy
The easy answer is Mattias Ekholm. He’ll be doing his thing on the blue line, and we’ll all be watching.
Tonight’s Theme Song
Ekholm was one of my favorite Predators, and I am thrilled he’s found success with the Oilers. He is missed in Nashville. Here’s “Home” by Michael Bublé to make you sad and nostalgic.
How to Watch
Puck drop is at 7:00 Central tonight. Bally Sports has your broadcast and 102.5 The Game has the radio call.