The Nashville Predators missed the playoffs by three points last year, and despite some nice additions, they will still have an uphill battle in the tough Central division.
Use the below Tabs to view Predators info for this upcoming season, as well as some numbers from last year.
2013-14 Record: 38-32-12, 88 points
Where they finished: 6th in the Central; 10th in the Western Conference; 20th in the NHL
Player Salaries: $63,069,167
Cap Payroll: $57,112,143
Bonuses: $3,051,667
Cap Space: $11,887,857
Buyouts: $666,667
Forwards: $33.23 million (15)
Defensemen: $15.49 (6)
Goalies: $7.73 million (2)
Source: CapGeek.com
In: Anton Volchenkov D , Derek Roy C/LW, James Neal RW/LW, Johan Alm D, Mike Ribeiro C, Olli Jokinen C, Peter Laviolette Head Coach
Out: Barry Trotz Head Coach, Joonas Rask LW/C, Nick Spaling W/C, Patric Hornqvist RW, Patrick Eaves RW
2014-15 Team Outlook:
The Nashville Predators aren’t known for being overly active in the off-season, but they certainly were this year.
After canning Barry Trotz and hiring Peter Laviolette to be the team’s new head coach, Predators GM David Poile went out and acquired James Neal via trade, and later signed Olli Jokinen, Derek Roy, Mike Ribeiro and Anton Volchenkov in free agency.
Their free agent signings are hardly household names loaded with talent, but they are all established NHL players and the Predators will pay the four of them just $5.55 million next season.
Olli Jokinen isn’t the player he once was, but he’s still a top-9 center. Derek Roy isn’t the player he once was, but he’s still a top-9 player, and will help out on the man advantage.
On the other hand, Ribeiro is a top-6 talent, but the Phoenix Coyotes cut ties with him due to some alleged off-ice issues and/or attitude problems. Ribeiro is coming off a 47-point campaign while playing for a relative low-scoring Coyotes team. In the lockout-shortened season a year prior, he averaged over a point-per game, so he can certainly still perform at a high level and is worth taking a shot on.
The Predators have a healthy Pekka Rinne, and a solid defense core led by Shea Weber, so they should be fine in their own zone.
A new voice could be just what the Predators need, and Laviolette’s up-tempo system should work in the favor of Seth Jones, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and the rest of Nashville’s mobile defensive core.
I don’t see them as a playoff team, but they’ll be competitive.
Written by Todd Cordell, who can be found on twitter @ToddCordell.
The depth chart listed below was taken from NHL.com’s 30-in-30.
FORWARDS
Colin Wilson – Mike Ribeiro – James Neal
Matt Cullen – Olli Jokinen – Filip Forsberg
Gabriel Bourque – Calle Jarnkrok – Craig Smith
Viktor Stalberg – Paul Gaustad – Eric Nystrom
Derek Roy – Richard Clune
DEFENSEMEN
Roman Josi – Shea Weber
Mattias Ekholm – Seth Jones
Anton Volchenkov – Ryan Ellis
Victor Bartley
GOALTENDERS
Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton
| Forwards | POS | HT | WT | DOB | BIRTH PLACE |
| Gabriel Bourque | L | 5′ 10″ | 192 | 23-Sep-90 | RIMOUSKI, QC, CAN |
| Rich Clune | L | 5′ 10″ | 207 | 25-Apr-87 | TORONTO, ON, CAN |
| Matt Cullen | C | 6′ 1″ | 200 | 2-Nov-76 | VIRGINIA, MN, USA |
| Mike Fisher | C | 6′ 1″ | 215 | 5-Jun-80 | PETERBOROUGH, ON, CAN |
| Filip Forsberg | C | 6′ 1″ | 186 | 13-Aug-94 | OSTERVALA, SWE |
| Paul Gaustad | C | 6′ 5″ | 223 | 3-Feb-82 | FARGO, ND, USA |
| Calle Jarnkrok | C | 5′ 11″ | 156 | 25-Sep-91 | GÄVLE, SWE |
| Olli Jokinen | C | 6′ 2″ | 210 | 5-Dec-78 | KUOPIO, FIN |
| James Neal | L | 6′ 2″ | 208 | 3-Sep-87 | WHITBY, ON, CAN |
| Eric Nystrom | L | 6′ 1″ | 193 | 14-Feb-83 | SYOSSET, NY, USA |
| Mike Ribeiro | C | 6′ 0″ | 177 | 10-Feb-80 | MONTREAL, QC, CAN |
| Derek Roy | C | 5′ 9″ | 184 | 4-May-83 | OTTAWA, ON, CAN |
| Colton Sissons | C | 6′ 1″ | 187 | 5-Nov-93 | NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, CAN |
| Craig Smith | C | 6′ 1″ | 202 | 5-Sep-89 | MADISON, WI, USA |
| Viktor Stalberg | L | 6′ 3″ | 209 | 17-Jan-86 | GOTHENBURG, SWE |
| Colin Wilson | C | 6′ 1″ | 216 | 20-Oct-89 | GREENWICH, CT, USA |
| Defensemen | HT | WT | AGE | DOB | BIRTH PLACE |
| Victor Bartley | 6′ 0″ | 203 | 26 | 17-Feb-88 | OTTAWA, ON, CAN |
| Mattias Ekholm | 6′ 4″ | 204 | 24 | 24-May-90 | BORLANGE, SWE |
| Ryan Ellis | 5′ 10″ | 175 | 23 | 3-Jan-91 | HAMILTON, ON, CAN |
| Seth Jones | 6′ 4″ | 205 | 19 | 3-Oct-94 | ARLINGTON, TX, USA |
| Roman Josi | 6′ 1″ | 192 | 24 | 1-Jun-90 | BERN, CHE |
| Anton Volchenkov | 6′ 1″ | 220 | 32 | 25-Feb-82 | MOSCOW, RUS |
| Shea Weber | 6′ 4″ | 233 | 28 | 14-Aug-85 | SICAMOUS, BC, CAN |
| Goalies | HT | WT | AGE | DOB | BIRTH PLACE |
| Carter Hutton | 6′ 1″ | 195 | 28 | 19-Dec-85 | THUNDER BAY, ON, CAN |
| Pekka Rinne | 6′ 5″ | 204 | 31 | 3-Nov-82 | KEMPELE, FIN |
A look at the Nashville Predators top prospects heading into this season. Each source may use different classifications as to if a player is deemed a prospect or has graduated on from a prospect.
| RK | NHL.com | ESPN Corey Pronman |
Dobber Prospects | Hockeys Future | The Hockey News |
| 1 | Filip Forsberg | Kevin Fiala | Filip Forsberg | Filip Forsberg | Filip Forsberg |
| 2 | Calle Jarnkrok | Filip Forsberg | Kevin Fiala | Kevin Fiala | Kevin Fiala |
| 3 | Colton Sissons | Calle Jarnkrok | Calle Jarnkrok | Vladislav Kamenev | Colton Sissons |
| 4 | Austin Watson | Miikka Salomaki | Vladislav Kamenev | Calle Jarnkrok | Vladislav Kamenev |
| 5 | Kevin Fiala | Brendan Leipsic | Colton Sissons | Juuse Saros | Taylor Beck |
| 6 | Brendan Leipsic | Colton Sissons | Austin Watson | Colton Sissons | Marek Mazanec |
| 7 | Felix Girard | Vladislav Kamenev | Taylor Beck | Pontus Aberg | Austin Watson |
| 8 | Juuse Saros | Austin Watson | Pontus Aberg | Jack Dougherty | Miikka Salomaki |
| 9 | Jack Dougherty | Juuse Saros | Miikka Salomaki | Brendan Leipsic | Jack Dougherty |
| 10 | Miikka Salomaki | Jimmy Vesey | Jack Dougherty | Jimmy Vesey | Brendan Leipsic |
* Dobber Prospects – Prospects based on relevance in a fantasy-hockey keeper league, not actual talent on the ice.
Nashville Predators Draft History from the past five years
| 2014 Draft | ||||||
| Rd. | Draft # | Player | Pos. | Team | Ht. | Wt. |
| 1 | 11 | Kevin Fiala | RW | HV71 J20 (SWE) | 5’10” | 194 |
| 2 | 42 | Vladislav Kamenev | LW | Magnitogorsk 2 (RUS) | 6′ 2″ | 203 |
| 2 | 51 | Jack Dougherty | D | USA (NTDP-18) | 6′ 2″ | 185 |
| 3 | 62 | Justin Kirkland | LW | Kelowna (WHL) | 6′ 2″ | 175 |
| 4 | 112 | Viktor Arvidsson | LW | Skelleftea (SWE) | 5′ 9″ | 172 |
| 5 | 132 | Joonas Lyytinen | D | Kalpa (FIN) | 6′ 0″ | 154 |
| 6 | 162 | Aaron Irving | D | Edmonton (WHL) | 6′ 0″ | 185 |
| 2013 Draft | ||||||
| 1 | 4 | Seth Jones | D | Portland (WHL) | 6′ 4″ | 205 |
| 3 | 64 | Jonathan Diaby | D | Victoriaville (QMJHL) | 6′ 5″ | 223 |
| 4 | 95 | Felix Girard | C | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) | 5’11” | 190 |
| 4 | 99 | Juuse Saros | G | Hpk Jr. (FIN-JR. ) | 5′ 10″ | 178 |
| 5 | 125 | Saku Maenalanen | RW | Riga 2 (RUS) | 6′ 4″ | 190 |
| 5 | 140 | Teemu Kivihalme | D | Burnsville HS (MN) | 5’10” | 150 |
| 6 | 155 | Emil Pettersson | C | Timra Jr. (SWE-JR. ) | 6′ 1″ | 158 |
| 6 | 171 | Tommy Veilleux | LW | Victoriaville (QMJHL) | 6′ 0″ | 188 |
| 7 | 185 | Wade Murphy | RW | Penticton (BCHL ) | 5′ 11″ | 176 |
| 2012 Draft | ||||||
| 2 | 37 | Pontus Aberg | LW | Djurgardens (Swe) | 5’11” | 187 |
| 2 | 50 | Colton Sissons | C/RW | Kelowna (WHL) | 6′ 0″ | 193 |
| 3 | 66 | Jimmy Vesey | LW | South Shore (EJHL) | 6′ 1″ | 200 |
| 3 | 89 | Brendan Leipsic | LW | Portland (WHL) | 5′ 8″ | 165 |
| 4 | 112 | Zachary Stepan | C | Shattuck-St.Marys HS (MN) | 6′ 0″ | 166 |
| 4 | 118 | Mikko Vainonen | D | HIFK (Fin) | 6′ 2″ | 205 |
| 6 | 164 | Simon Fernholm | D | Huddinge Jr (Swe) | 6′ 4″ | 187 |
| 6 | 172 | Max Gortz | RW | Farjestads JR (Swe) | 6′ 2″ | 196 |
| 6 | 179 | Marek Mazanec | G | Plzen (CZE) | 6′ 4″ | 187 |
| 2011 Draft | ||||||
| 2 | 38 | Magnus Hellberg | G | Almtuna (Swe) | 6′ 5″ | 185 |
| 2 | 52 | Miikka Salomaki | RW | Karpat (FIN) | 5’11” | 198 |
| 4 | 94 | Josh Shalla | LW | Saginaw (OHL) | 6′ 1″ | 194 |
| 4 | 112 | Garrett Noonan | D | Boston Univ. (HE) | 6′ 0″ | 205 |
| 5 | 142 | Simon Karlsson | D | Malmo Jr (Swe) | 6′ 2″ | 170 |
| 6 | 170 | Chasen Balisy | C | Western Mich. (CCHA) | 5’11” | 170 |
| 7 | 202 | Brent Andrews | LW | Halifax (QMJHL) | 6′ 2″ | 200 |
| 2010 Draft | ||||||
| 1 | 18 | Austin Watson | RW | Peterborough (OHL) | 6′ 3″ | 180 |
| 3 | 78 | Taylor Aronson | D | Portland | 6′ 0″ | 196 |
| 5 | 126 | Patrick Cehlin | RW | Djurgarden | 5’11” | 176 |
| 6 | 168 | Anthony Bitetto | D | Indiana | 6′ 1″ | 210 |
| 7 | 194 | David Elsner | RW | Landshut Cann. | 6′ 0″ | 185 |
| 7 | 198 | Joonas Rask | F | Ilves Jr. | 5’11” | 168 |
| Player | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PP | SH | GW | S | S% |
| Shea Weber | 79 | 23 | 33 | 56 | -2 | 52 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 195 | 11.8 |
| Patric Hornqvist | 76 | 22 | 31 | 53 | 1 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 248 | 8.9 |
| Craig Smith | 79 | 24 | 28 | 52 | 16 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 215 | 11.2 |
| Mike Fisher | 75 | 20 | 29 | 49 | -4 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 177 | 11.3 |
| David Legwand | 62 | 10 | 30 | 40 | -8 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 107 | 9.3 |
| Roman Josi | 72 | 13 | 27 | 40 | -2 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 7.7 |
| Matt Cullen | 77 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 4 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 134 | 7.5 |
| Colin Wilson | 81 | 11 | 22 | 33 | -1 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 112 | 9.8 |
| Nick Spaling | 71 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 85 | 15.3 |
| Ryan Ellis | 80 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 9 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 123 | 4.9 |
| Gabriel Bourque | 74 | 9 | 17 | 26 | -5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 108 | 8.3 |
| Seth Jones | 77 | 6 | 19 | 25 | -23 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 100 | 6 |
| Paul Gaustad | 75 | 10 | 11 | 21 | -6 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 13.5 |
| Eric Nystrom | 79 | 15 | 6 | 21 | -25 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 12.5 |
| Viktor Stalberg | 70 | 8 | 10 | 18 | -14 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 114 | 7 |
| Mattias Ekholm | 62 | 1 | 8 | 9 | -8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 1.7 |
| Calle Jarnkrok | 12 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 15.4 |
| Rich Clune | 58 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -7 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 10.3 |
| Victor Bartley | 50 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4.8 |
| Michael Del Zotto | 25 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3.8 |
| Filip Forsberg | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
| Matt Hendricks | 44 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -5 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 3.8 |
| Colton Sissons | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7.7 |
| Kevin Klein | 47 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -11 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 2 |
| Simon Moser | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14.3 |
| Patrick Eaves | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Piskula | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Mark Van Guilder | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Beck | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Goalie | GPI | GS | MIN | GAA | W | L | OT | SO | SA | GA | SV% |
| Carter Hutton | 40 | 34 | 2085 | 2.62 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1006 | 91 | 0.910 |
| Marek Mazanec | 25 | 22 | 1370 | 2.80 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 650 | 64 | 0.902 |
| Pekka Rinne | 24 | 24 | 1367 | 2.77 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 645 | 63 | 0.902 |
| Devan Dubnyk | 2 | 2 | 124 | 4.35 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 9 | 0.850 |
| Magnus Hellberg | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.750 |
Performance and Usage Charts for the Nashville Predators from last season, from Extra Skater.
