THN picks Preds to finish...
Posted 4:11 AM ET | Comments 19
10th in the West.
Is this what you expected? Better than you expected? or worse?
For me, its what I expected. This team has a solid first line, a strong 1st d-man pairing and good goalie, who will try to erase the Predator curse of goaltenders in their 1st season of full time duty acting as sitting ducks on ice. This team has depth on defense in terms of players who eventually will be solid d-men but not right now. What they lost on defense to Free Agency will be the difference between last year and this year. Its such a gaping hole and it seems that very few are seeing it. This is probably because of all the attention that most Pred fans direct theirs to, its obtaining a top 6 forward. Moreover, every game against divisional opponents will be just as hard to win this year than last year. I don't want to be the pessimist here but I think its safe to say that this will be a season full of challenges for the Nashville Predators.
Here is the reasoning that The Hockey News gave: "After four-straight post-season appearances from 2004 to 2008, the Preds are finding out that good coaching and a shoestring budget no longer cut it in the ultra-competitive West. Nashville has an all-star caliber goalie and a young, skilled, bruising D-corps. But with no scoring stars up front, the Preds are destined to fall short of the playoffs."
Source: http://www.thehockeynews....son-predictions-No-7.html
---------------------------------------------
My last blog, which was written what seems like ages ago, featured me predicting that Trotz and Poile would be gone before the 2010/11 season began. While I do feel that both have done an impeccable job in getting this team to where we're at right now, for 2 full seasons now, I have felt that this team needs a tandem to take this team to the next level. A coach with legitimate and lengthy playoff experience. A GM who isn't afraid to make a deal when in a position of having depth. THN is right. The days of feasting on weak divisional opponents are over and the days of relying on coaching to win games (as opposed to the players on the ice giving a consistently strong effort every night) might as well be over too.
There's a saying that goes like this: "If you always do what you've always done. You'll always get what you've always gotten."
-RR
Is this what you expected? Better than you expected? or worse?
For me, its what I expected. This team has a solid first line, a strong 1st d-man pairing and good goalie, who will try to erase the Predator curse of goaltenders in their 1st season of full time duty acting as sitting ducks on ice. This team has depth on defense in terms of players who eventually will be solid d-men but not right now. What they lost on defense to Free Agency will be the difference between last year and this year. Its such a gaping hole and it seems that very few are seeing it. This is probably because of all the attention that most Pred fans direct theirs to, its obtaining a top 6 forward. Moreover, every game against divisional opponents will be just as hard to win this year than last year. I don't want to be the pessimist here but I think its safe to say that this will be a season full of challenges for the Nashville Predators.
Here is the reasoning that The Hockey News gave: "After four-straight post-season appearances from 2004 to 2008, the Preds are finding out that good coaching and a shoestring budget no longer cut it in the ultra-competitive West. Nashville has an all-star caliber goalie and a young, skilled, bruising D-corps. But with no scoring stars up front, the Preds are destined to fall short of the playoffs."
Source: http://www.thehockeynews....son-predictions-No-7.html
---------------------------------------------
My last blog, which was written what seems like ages ago, featured me predicting that Trotz and Poile would be gone before the 2010/11 season began. While I do feel that both have done an impeccable job in getting this team to where we're at right now, for 2 full seasons now, I have felt that this team needs a tandem to take this team to the next level. A coach with legitimate and lengthy playoff experience. A GM who isn't afraid to make a deal when in a position of having depth. THN is right. The days of feasting on weak divisional opponents are over and the days of relying on coaching to win games (as opposed to the players on the ice giving a consistently strong effort every night) might as well be over too.
There's a saying that goes like this: "If you always do what you've always done. You'll always get what you've always gotten."
-RR
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Blog Archive
12 Relocation...
12 Wednesday thoughts
17 A little more about me PLUS Melrose, Gilmour and more!
19 Sharks vs. Preds - Fight review
12 Wednesday thoughts
17 A little more about me PLUS Melrose, Gilmour and more!
19 Sharks vs. Preds - Fight review
01 Why the NHL is better off in Phoenix than in Winnipeg
10 Winnipeg for NHL - Part 2: The Rebuttals
13 Congrats to the Champs! plus Pronger and more...
17 My 2009 NHL Entry Draft preview (with predictions)
24 Mike Babcock gets the nod ...plus more draft talk
10 Winnipeg for NHL - Part 2: The Rebuttals
13 Congrats to the Champs! plus Pronger and more...
17 My 2009 NHL Entry Draft preview (with predictions)
24 Mike Babcock gets the nod ...plus more draft talk
test -what's the deal with MHB? Can't post?
Message PostedStupid Hockey Buzz.
this site really is beginning to suck technologically speaking
Wow, this is getting to be a huge problem.
Question - Hasn't this team always come in at the bottom of EVERYONES ranking in the past? I don't have an idea of where the current team will rank but I don't think it will be at bottom. The team should have more continuity at the beginning of the season and the second line could finally find the right fit for them and the defense looks bright!
ill do this in pieces to save retyping the whole thing.assuming no more deals at least til deadline if things go great, meaning some youth develops and injuries at a minimum 6th. if bad 10th or 11th.
3 areas of concern. scoring of course. should be better w/ a full year of sully but still need more second line scoring and a better PP, but when hasnt that been true. if we get to the middle of the pack w/ current players that should help alot
2nd- youth on D. 3 experienced, 1 second year dman and then all newbies. thats a potential problem. all are talented and hopefully improve as year goes forward, but thats alot of inexperience. this is the place i could see 1 last deal being done before camp. a vet for a 1 year deal might be wise
3rd- and this isnt mentioned much. we lost alot of faceoff talent/experience. only smithers is what i would call a GOOD faceoff man. arnott and legggy are decent. alot of d-zone faceoffs lost w/ inexperienced dmen is not a good combo. lets hope rinne doesnt have a mason/ellis flashback of their accepting the #1 netminder
I think 10th is a pretty fair spot. If things go the right way we should be more like 7th or 8th, if not, 10th is probably accurate.
Agreed with gist of above comments. (Will try smaller posts on MHB. That seems to be OK)??
Thoughts in reaction to predram's blog that wouldn't post yesterday: It pains somewhat, but barring a complete out performance from a host of unexpected sources and a lights out goaltending season, I have to concur.
While optimism is great, the reality of our needs is greater, no doubt. However, maybe we prove the pundits and naysayers wrong.
Regarding Poile and Trotz, the time for changes always comes eventually and, while some good will be realized, new faces are no guarantee of same. Also, the budget constraints here won't change in the near future and will affect anyone who steps in. As I see it, that tight player budget will also limit the available pool of those who might consider taking on the coaching or GM roles in Nashville.
I don't have a problem with Poile. I do wish he'd make some other moves, but overall I think he's doing pretty well. Now Trotz....