If you missed last night’s SlapShot Radio, make sure you check out the podcast, on-demand at the SSR podcast page, the link is below. Today’s blog is a preseason look at the changes on Nashville’s stellar defensive corps.
Losses – Ryan Suter
Gains – Scott Hannon
Retains – Shea Weber, Hal Gill, Roman Josi, Kevin Kline
On the Bubble – Jonathan Blum, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm
An abbreviated training camp should start on Sunday and the Nashville Predators have a few questions to answer, but no question is larger than, “who takes Ryan Suter’s place?”
The answer?
No one… Suter is a talented blueliner and his loss is not one the Predators wanted to happen. Asking several coaches inside and outside of Nashville about this situation during the last few months revealed a confidence in the depth of the Nashville defensive prospects. It was shocking to me that there was a lack of concern about what has been perceived by some as a devastating loss to the Nashville defensive corps.
If Nashville had lost Shea Weber to Philadelphia's offer sheet, then I would be leading the chorus about the devastation of the Predator blueline... but the best defenseman in the league is still patrolling the ice in a Predator Gold jersey.
As camp starts, Shea Weber will have a new partner in Roman Josi. Josi may not be as strong defensively as Suter, but many scouts and coaches alike compare him favorably to Suter at the same age, with more potential offensive upside. The top pairing in Nashville may show some adjustments, but when you look hard at this pair, you see that it will remain a force in the league.
Kevin Kline had a breakout season last year, especially after his bout with the flu as the year turned. The second half of the season was his most consistently excellent hockey to date. The expectation is for him to continue that level of play.
The return of Hal Gill is a very positive one for the team, his experience and positional excellence is something that will be a strong influence on the younger members of this blueline. That showed when he joined the team last year at the trade deadline. He is fully recovered from the late season injury that limited his playoff availability and will benefit from the shortened season.
Scott Hannon is the only addition to the Predators lineup (thus far) that has never been with the team previously. A solid veteran that many observers call a key add to this blueline, adding veteran presence and stability to this young, talented blueline. I have spoken to quite a few scouts that are very high on this signing, calling Hannon very underrated.
That is five of the six regular defensemen. Who will be six and seven? Four potentials…
Jonathan Blum had the attention of the Nashville coaching staff after a hard offseason of work and development. They were looking forward to see his results in Milwaukee this season, he has played all of the Admiral’s games this season so far, posting one goal and eleven assists and a plus/minus of -3. He has gotten mixed reviews from Milwaukee observers but the feedback on Blum has improved as the season has progressed. A notorious slow starter, he may make a serious run at this team in a shortened training camp.
Mattias Ekholm got his career as a Predator off to a rough start, not exactly showing well in a couple of game last season. He went back to Europe, worked on his game and has shown much better in his 29 games as an Admiral. He’s posted four goals and ten assists and a -2 for the season so far. Not sure if he is ready to make the leap just yet, but feedback is much more favorable then we have previously heard. Once he gets over his injury, he may get a shot.
Ryan Ellis has been a highly regarding prospect that appeared to be coming into his own. The first rounder who, despite his size, shows incredible ice sense and vision has almost completely recovered from an early season wrist injury. After a sluggish start, he has nine points (2g, 7a) in his first 20 games with a +6. Ellis is the power play quarterback of the near future for Nashville and I do expect him to start the season in Predator Gold.
The fourth option is to look at a potential free agent signing, bring back a Mark Eaton, another player with a familiarity with Nashville's systems. There won’t be much time to determine this however as training camp may only be a six day process.
In summary... despite the loss of an all-star defenseman, this blueline is still in fine shape.
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Random Notes
- According to Josh Cooper in the Tennessean, the players that were in Europe are returning. Two more are expected back by Friday.
- Several sources saying that Nashville will open against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena, but nothing is official until the schedule is released.
- Still can’t get my head around the firing of Brian Burke in Toronto … wow… simply wow.
- The Prodigal Pred has apparently been sent down to his KHL team’s farm team as a disciplinary action. So it looks like even the KHL is getting fed up with Radulov’s antics.
- Speaking of the KHL, the league commissioner is showing some severe arrogance, while accusing the NHL of the same… ummm… if you want to be taken seriously, you need to respect a contract.
- The NHL schedule should be out after the PA ratifies the CBA. I keep hearing that is has been a challenge and that bits and pieces of almost everything that has been out there has been true… at least for a time.
- Another true show of emotion from the Commissioner yesterday during the press conference… we have certainly seen a more “human” part of Gary Bettman during the last few months.
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We had a great lineup for last night’s show, the one and only Barry Melrose, ESPN.com’s Craig Custance joined us from New York to give us the latest from the Board of Governors meeting and our special guest was the coach of the Gold Medal winning Team USA Juniors, Phil Housley!
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