Amid a season that can only be described as resurgent and defiant, the Nashville Predators are in the middle of a franchise-record 18-game point streak, catapulting themselves from squarely outside of the playoff picture as of early February to the number one wild-card spot in the Western Conference. This historic run is a testament to the tenacious spirit of a team reborn from its own ashes and who are now looking to make a run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Predators’ Defensive Improvement
A crucial part of the Predators’ recent success has been star defenseman Roman Josi’s incredible play. Josi has been pivotal for the the defensive unit’s ability to overcome some significant injuries, including to Jeremy Lauzon, Dante Fabbro, Alex Carrier, and Spencer Stastney over the last few weeks. Even with these recent injuries, the Predators have been able to weather the storm thanks to Milwaukee Admiral’s callup Marc Del Gaizo and Tyson Barrie, who had been a healthy scratch for much of the season.
The Predators have had little to no drop-off in terms of defensive output and quality of play despite having three of their regular defensemen injured in the span of just a few weeks. With Fabbro and Lauzon out of the lineup, Stastney was filling in quite nicely, as evidenced by his plus-7 rating in just 10games with the Preds this season. With Stastney suffering an upper-body injury on March 13, Del Gaizo has stepped up in his absence and contributed well , recording three assists in nine games and a plus-2 rating.
It looks like the Predator’s defensive core is finally getting healthy just in time for the end of the season and the playoffs, with Lauzon returning to the lineup and Fabbro now taking part in team practices and voluntary skates. When this defensive unit is healthy, they are one of the most underrated and experienced groups in the NHL and will be a solid core come playoff time.
Predators’ Offensive Potency
In addition to Roman Josi stepping up for the team over this 18-game point streak, the Predators’ first line, led by Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist, has been one of the top lines in the NHL and has just been getting better as the season goes on. The Predator’s first line ranks 2nd in the NHL in expected goals and 10th in expected goals per 60 minutes for lines with 400-plus minutes played together this season.
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Forsberg, who just reached the 40-goal milestone for the second time in his career, has been the other obvious standout for the Predators during this run. His outstanding play on the offensive end and head coach Andrew Brunette’s new system have produced one of the top offenses in the NHL, which has become a staple of the Predators’ play during this streak.
As the top line flourishes, the depth scoring has continued to improve . With trade-deadline acquisitions Jason Zucker and Anthony Beauvillier filling in nicely and multiple depth forwards like Colton Sissons, Kiefer Sherwood, and Michael McCarron having career seasons, this Predators offensive attack is not only well-coached but dangerous on all four lines.
Brunette Finding Coaching Success
What Brunette has done with this team is remarkable. The Predators have steadily improved as the season has progressed, and we now see what Brunette’s system can do when the players are confident and have fully bought into his game plan. The extraordinary turnaround in their performance metrics before and during this 18-game point streak tells you all you need to know about how well-coached this team is and how well they are playing in this system.
The improvement in goals per game from 2.96 in their first 54 games to an astounding 4.11 during their last 18 games, coupled with a drastic reduction in goals against per game from 3.28 to 1.83, shows how in rhythm on offense and defense the Predators are, and they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. If the Predators can carry this momentum into the playoffs, they will be a hard team to beat and will undoubtedly make their first-round opponent nervous to face them when the time comes.
Predators Seek to Carry Momentum Into Postseason
As the playoffs approach, the Predators stand ready to carry the momentum of their historic streak into the postseason. Avoiding an end-of-season implosion, the Predators have just 10more regular-season games until they know who their playoff opponent will be. As of March 27, the Predators have a 99.9% chance to make the playoffs and a 66.3% chance to hold onto the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. With a combination of stellar individual performances, coaching ingenuity, an unbreakable team spirit, and the loudest fans in the NHL, Nashville has not only secured a spot in the playoff conversation but has also earned the respect of teams around the league and signaled its intention to defy expectations and make a deep run toward the Stanley Cup.