Nashville Predators 2009 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

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Nashville Predators 2008-’09 record:
40-34-8, 88 points (5th in Central, 10th in West)

Nashville Predators 2008-’09 playoffs:
Did not qualify

The Predators had a lot of adversity last year. They struggled with shoddy goaltending for the first half of the season and missed captain Jason Arnott and sniper Steve Sullivan for extended periods of time. Yet despite all of their struggles, Nashville stayed in the race down to the last few days of the regular season thanks in large part to the emergence of keeper Pekka Rinne and Sullivan’s return from a multiyear back injury. Unfortunately, their 40-34-8 record resulted in 88 points, which was a mere three points out of the final playoff spot.

Nashville Predators 2009 Preview

Nashville Predators General manager: David Poile (958-817-215, 26th NHL year, 2nd team)

Nashville Predators Coach: Barry Trotz (364-363-93, 11th NHL year, 1st team)

Nashville Predators Captain: Jason Arnott

Nashville Predators Top Returning Scorer: RW Jean-Pierre Dumont (16 goals, 49 assists, 65 points)

Nashville Predators Top Returning Goalie: Pekka Rinne (29-15-4, 2.38, .917)

Nashville Predators Key Additions: C Ben Guite; C Marcel Goc; D Francis Bouillon.

Nashville Predators Key Subtractions: D Greg Zanon; LW Vernon Fiddler; RW Jed Ortmeyer; C Scott Nichol; LW Antti Pihlstrom; C Radek Bonk; D Greg deVries; D Ville Koistinen.

Nashville Predators Top Line: LW Steve Sullivan, C Jason Arnott, RW Jean-Pierre Dumont

Nashville Predators Top Defensive Pairing: Ryan Suter, Shea Weber

Nashville needs some offense. While Sullivan is a great asset on the wing and can score a lot of goals, he’s had back troubles recently and is now 35 years old. J.P. Dumont is the team’s best playmaker and linemate Arnott scored 33 goals in only 65 contests last season, so there is some top end talent on hand. However, behind those three the only two proven contributors are Martin Erat (17 goals) and David Legwand (22 goals), who has never lived up to his lofty draft rating. The Predators, as currently constructed, are going to finish in the bottom third of the NHL in scoring.

The good news is that Nashville has a really good group of defensemen. Shea Webber (23 goals, 53 points) is one of the absolute top-flight two way defenders in the league and would have a significantly higher profile if he wasn’t based out of the hockey wasteland that is Tennessee. Along with Weber, young stars Ryan Suter and Dan Hamhuis are both extremely talented and the depth provided by fellow youngster Kevin Klein and savvy veteran Greg De Vries give Nashville one of the NHL’s best corps of defensemen. For all of the trouble this franchise has had in finding offensive talent, they sure know how to draft on the blue line.

In goal, the Predators have to hope that their newest ‘goalie of the future’ actually can perform semi-decently in the season following his breakout campaign. In each of the past two years, the Preds have had a young goalie play really well down the stretch only to bomb the next season. Pekka Rinne, come on down! Rinne was an incredible 18-1-2 when the Preds scored 3 goals in a game, so if he can remotely replicate his performance than Nashville could surprise. Don’t forget Dan Ellis either, whose play wasn’t terrible despite his 11-19-4 record last season. I expect a full season of solid goaltending for the first time in three years.

2009 Nashville Predators Goaltending:

Rinne unseated Dan Ellis as the Predators’ No. 1 netminder, posting 20 of his 29 wins in the second half. Led all rookies with a .917 save percentage. Confident, athletic butterfly goalie with tremendous poise and resiliency. Among the league’s best at foiling breakaways and shootout attempts.

2009 Nashville Predators Player To Watch:

RW Colin Wilson. Preds’ 2008 top draft choice helped the Boston Terriers to the NCAA title, earning a Hobey Baker nomination as a sophomore. Son of former NHLer Carey Wilson produced nine points in six games for United States at world juniors. Wins puck battles with his strength and buries goals with his soft hands.

2009 Nashville Predators Offense:

Arnott established a team record by scoring 33 goals, doing it in only 65 games last season. That equaled his career-best goal total set when he was a rookie with Edmonton during the 1993-94 season. Arnott missed 11 games, but came back to reach the 20-goal mark for the 10th straight season and 12th time in 15.

Nashville Predators 2009 Season Predictions

For years, they did it with mirrors in Nashville and found ways to overcome personnel losses while still contending for playoff berths. That magic formula wore off last season and they’re still searching for a new elixir.

We predict that the Nashville Predators will finish 5th in the NHL Central, 13th seed in West: 82 points.

Nashville Predators Betting

Nashville Predators Stanley Cup Odds: +6000
Nashville Predators Western Conference Odds: +3000
Nashville Predators Central Odds: +1500

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