The Hockey Writers Nashville Predators staff writer Colin Fitts will evaluate the performance of each player on the 2014-15 Predators roster every weekday in alphabetical order. You can follow Colin on Twitter, @FittsTHW.
Mike Fisher
Position: Center
Age: 34
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 215lbs
Stat Line: 59 GP, 19 G, 20 A, 39 PTS, +4 +/-, 39 PIM, 125 hits, 60 blocked shots, 52.3% faceoffs, 18:26 AVG TOI
Playoffs Stat Line: 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, +1 +/-, 0 PIM, 5 hits, 3 blocked shots, 45.7% faceoffs, 11:32 AVG TOI
*Points at Home vs Away: Home – 10 G, 15 A | Away – 9 G, 5 A
*Faceoff percentage Home vs Away: Home – 55.03% | Away – 49.71%
*Giveaway/Takeaway Correlation: 16 giveaways, 27 takeaways
Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent ($4.2 million cap hit in 2014-15)
Highlight of the Year: Mike Fisher record his 500th career NHL point in a 5-4 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues on January 21. He ended the night with two goals and one assist and 502 career points.
Strengths: Fisher is a self-less player that can do it all. He saw ice time in all aspects of the game — 5-on-5, power play and penalty kill. He led all Nashville forwards in blocked shots last season with 60 and knows how to deliver big hits. Last season, he had a career year in the faceoff dot winning 52.3% of faceoffs. On the ice and off the ice, he is well-liked by his teammates and was named the Predators’ nominee for the King Clancy Award, given to a player who exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. This is the third time that his teammates chose him for the honor (2012, 2014).
Weaknesses: It is incredibly hard to find any faults in Fisher’s game. The only problem Fisher may have as he ages is dealing with injuries. After suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon injury, Fisher did not make his season debut until November 27 against the Edmonton Oilers and missed 26 games in the regular season and playoffs.
What to Expect Next Season: Neither Fisher nor the Predators have shown any signs of parting ways this summer. A new contract should be signed within the next two to three weeks before UFA’s are allowed to talk with other teams.
“Mike Fisher, we would love to have him back,” Poile said in The Tennessean. “He represents so much to our team, both on and off the ice. … He’s a real leader. I truly feel that the best place for Mike is here in Nashville. As long as I’m the manager, he can play as long as he wants.”
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