The Nashville Predators do not want any star forwards – they’re scoring by committee

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The Nashville Predators have been as soon as referred to as a defense-first group that struggled to generate offense. With the group sitting close to the highest in all scoring classes this season, that is clearly not the case anymore.Miikka Salomaki, Roman Josi, Colton Sissons and Austin Watson|John Russell/NHLI by way of Getty ImagesDon’t let their vibrant gold jerseys idiot you: the Nashville Predators have by no means been a flashy group. The group has a historical past of being a defense-first group and has by no means had a participant problem for the general scoring lead – or realistically come shut.
And that’s not going to vary this season. Nashville’s prime two gamers – Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis – are defensemen and the group nonetheless doesn’t have a No. 1 middle. Kyle Turris, as soon as one of many brightest younger stars within the league, is among the costliest fourth-line forwards at $6 million. To not point out that Filip Forsberg missed six video games with an upper-body harm and former 69-point man Mikael Granlund has simply 4 factors to indicate for by a month of play.
However, in some way, the Predators sit second in goals-for with 60 by 15 video games, trailing the high-flying Washington Capitals by three. However in contrast to Washington, Nashville doesn’t have a participant on the stage of Alex Ovechkin or John Carlson to depend on, which makes the group’s offensive explosion that a lot crazier. To provide a little bit of historical past, Viktor Arvidsson’s 34-goal season in 2018-19 was the most effective ever by a Predator. Nashville is the one group within the NHL that has by no means had a 40-goal scorer, one thing the Vegas Golden Knights have regardless of having simply two full NHL seasons underneath their belt.  The Preds have but to develop a bona fide scoring star throughout the group’s lifespan: there have been solely 4 situations of a Predator breaking 70 factors, nevertheless it hasn’t occurred since 2008. 
The Predators presently lead all groups with 9 gamers with not less than 10 factors by 15 video games, and Mattias Ekholm (9), Turris (eight) and Rocco Grimaldi (seven) aren’t far off. Of the large 9, six gamers have not less than 5 objectives, led by Nick Bonino’s eight. For comparability, the Washington Capitals, sitting first with 63 objectives, have eight. In third place, the Boston Bruins have gotten 32 of their 56 objectives from the highest line. After that, not a single ahead has greater than three objectives, nevertheless it’s not precisely hurting them because the Bruins sit first within the Atlantic Division. It took 17 video games for the Tampa Bay Lightning to attain 60 objectives final 12 months, and that’s with a lineup consisting of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Brayden Level – Nashville’s star energy doesn’t come shut.
The Predators are the one group with a goals-per-game common of 4 this season, simply narrowly beating out Washington’s three.9. Josi (16 factors) and Ellis (15 factors) paved the way offensively, whereas Matt Duchene, the Predators’ top-scoring ahead by 15 video games, sits tied for 43rd with 13 factors. But it surely’s if you dig a bit deeper that you just discover the true worth in Nashville’s rise to second within the Central Division: the pure scoring depth the group has by no means had earlier than. Colton Sissons has 11 factors in 15 video games and is properly on his technique to smashing his earlier report of 30 factors. Combine in Bonino’s eight-goal begin that would end in his first 25-goal season in his 11-year profession and Calle Jarnkrok’s mini-breakout with 9 factors in his first 12 video games and also you’ve received a group that doesn’t have a problem scoring proper now. Heck, Turris has eight factors regardless of taking part in lower than 14 minutes an evening.
Being this good offensively this early is unparalleled territory for Nashville. Via 15 video games final 12 months, the Preds had six gamers with 10 factors, and one in every of them was Turris, who had 12 of his 23 factors within the opening 15 video games. There’s by no means been one other level in Predators’ historical past that greater than 5 gamers had 10 factors by 15 video games, regardless of ending fourth in objectives with 272 in 2006-07. That’s why this season feels completely different: because the Preds look to be a significant contender within the robust Central Division once more, that is precisely the depth wanted for a group to be a real Stanley Cup contender.
GM David Poile has constructed one of many deepest rosters within the NHL and deserves a ton of credit score. He has saved the core collectively with out having to overpay by free company and coach Peter Laviolette has made use of the instruments at his disposal. Add in a scorching goalie like Pekka Rinne, who hasn’t had a regulation loss in 9 contests this 12 months, and also you’ve received a group on the cusp of one thing particular. It’s proof you don’t want a star ahead to be a prime group – you simply want a balanced lineup. The truth that the Preds can seemingly depend on any line to supply offense is large, and because the membership seems to be to remain related throughout their Cup window, it’s one thing they should hold doing to showcase simply why it’s probably the greatest rosters Tennessean hockey followers have ever witnessed.
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Tags: nashville predators, nhlConnect: In regards to the AuthorSteven EllisSteven Ellis is a Digital Content material Producer for The Hockey Information. He spends his free time listening to music you would not like and watches obnoxiously-long motor races.