The Predators are back home briefly after their CMA Road Trip where they posted a 4-2-0 record including huge wins over Dallas and St. Louis, continuing Dallas’ slide, snapping St. Louis’ win streak and reclaiming the top spot in the uber-competitive Central Division. The Predators have ridden excellent goaltending, timely scoring and solid defensive play to a 9-3-2 record good for 20 points. Another thing the Predators are riding? The hot play of rookie Filip Forsberg.
Forsberg, the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, came over from the Washington Capitals in a deal that sent long time Predator Martin Erat to the Nation’s capital for their playoff run. The trade was a head scratcher at the time it happened as it appeared very one-sided… that perception is now hardened into reality with each passing game. The 20 year old Swede is showing why he was drafted so high, gelling seamlessly into the top line with Mike Ribiero and James Neal. Forsberg is also exhibiting that his time spent in Milwaukee last season was time well spent. His body is maturing and his game has certainly matured, developing into a serious contender for the Calder Trophy this season, leading all NHL rookies in assists and total points, leads the NHL in Plus/Minus and Forsberg is one goal behind league rookie leader Tanner Pearson in goals.
The fancy stats gang will tell you that this player cannot keep this pace up, Forsberg is posting an astronomical shooting percentage of almost 15%. That is almost unheard of. Forsberg has posted 15 points in 14 games. The Predators haven’t had a point per game player in… well… they have never had a point per game player. Do I expect Forsberg to continue on this scoring tear? Well…
Why not? He’s already on the top line, he is already gotten the leagues attention and coaches are already scheming to stymie this first line for the Predators, so far… the code hasn’t been cracked. Head coach Peter Laviolette has done an outstanding job of placing the youngster in the right places at the right times to fully utilize his skills… I don’t expect that to change as well. But seasons do have an ebb and flow to them and this youngster will need to apply the learnings from last season and fight through adversity at the NHL level, but the confidence he is building right now will make it easier for him to do just that.
It is certainly an exciting time for Pred Nation as this season has begun better than even the most gold colored glasses could show. The Preds are in town tomorrow night for a tilt against the Oilers before heading back to St. Louis on Thursday.
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Random Notes
- Saturday’s win was the sixth time this season the Predators won after giving up the first goal. That’s one of those good news / bad news things that can come back to bite a team.
- Viktor Stalberg was recalled from his conditioning assignment in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, it appears he may be out for an undetermined amount of time due to an injury sustained Friday night. Quotes from the Tennessee indicate a knee injury.
- Huge win for Vancouver last night over Anaheim with former Duck Nick Bonino potting the winner in the shootout.
- Interesting reports coming out that the salary cap may not go up next season. That could really hamstring some teams who were acting as it it would. Why? Some blame the declining Canadian Dollar
- Somebody sacrifice a live chicken, because Columbus needs the hex lifted. Eight straight losses and injuries galore are rapidly derailing a season that began with a lot of hope.
- Two games tonight… New Jersey @ Boston and Calgary visits Carolina.
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