Nashville Predators in Much less Hassle Than 3 Stanley Cup Contenders

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October 16, 2024

The Nashville Predators could also be off to a 0-2-0 begin to the season, however there’s 80 extra video games and a ton of time to get on monitor.

There have been some massive modifications within the low season, so a bit of little bit of a rocky begin to start the season ought to’ve been anticipated. A two-game dropping streak in the midst of the season would not be checked out too in-depth, however the begin of the season all the time amplifies issues.

Whereas the Predators are winless by way of the primary week of the season, they don’t seem to be the one crew seen as a Stanley Cup contender off to a really powerful begin. Nashville is joined on the backside of the standings by the Edmonton Oilers (0-3-0) and Colorado Avalanche (0-3-0), however the Vancouver Canucks are additionally winless by way of two video games as properly.

The Predators are the one one of many 4 contenders and not using a win within the Western Convention that really has a reliable beginning goalie or a wholesome one. Not solely that, Juuse Saros is locked in for eight extra years after this season.

I anticipate all 4 of the groups to get heading in the right direction quickly as there may be an excessive amount of expertise to go round for targets to not begin moving into.

One thing attention-grabbing to notice concerning the Predators, Oilers, and Avalanche is the groups rank thirtieth, thirty first, and thirty second in PDO, which is the equal to luck within the NHL. It’s the mixed capturing proportion and save proportion of a crew and never solely are targets not moving into for any of the three groups up to now, there have been quite a lot of targets towards.

NSH has been weakest amongst them in anticipated aim share (EDM third, COL seventh, NSH eleventh) which is price noting.

By two video games, the Preds have not penetrated the hazard space as a lot… however that may include extra time. They have been strong in that space final 12 months (fifth in xGF).

— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) October 13, 2024

Begins are simply as essential as some other level within the season for any NHL crew. Each one of many 82 video games can provide a crew the identical quantity of factors and Nashville, in addition to Edmonton, proved {that a} dangerous begin could be rotated in a rush and in a giant method.

Nashville, Edmonton, and Colorado all rank within the prime 11 to date this season in anticipated targets for. The Predators maintain the eleventh spot this season, however completed fifth in 2023-24, and with a worse roster.

With solely three targets for in two video games for the Predators, anticipate the puck to begin discovering the again of the web. With Saros beginning nearly all of the video games, anticipate the fixed Vezina contender to make numerous saves too.

There may be way more to fret about in web with the Oilers, Avalanche, and Canucks than the Predators, within the short-term and long-term. Wins for Nashville will come, and perhaps in bunches like final season’s spectacular turnaround.

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