Now that All-Star Weekend is complete… let’s take a look at the month ahead for the Nashville Predators. After a 2pm team practice today at Centennial, the Predators take off for the final game in January, tomorrow night in Pittsburgh against the defending Stanley Cup champs. The team will return home right after the game.
The February schedule is as home heavy as January was road heavy, getting started with a three game home stand featuring Edmonton, Detroit and Vancouver before a quick one game trip to New York to take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The it is back home for a weekend back-to-back against Florida and Dallas. The team then gets its’ bye week. This bye week is a one year experiment on getting teams a break mid-season.
I have to say, I am not sure the bye week is working like it was intended… increasing the number of back-to-backs… compressing the schedule to Olympic year proportions… I don’t think the five days in February are worth it. That being said, if it leads to healthier teams in the playoffs, then this mind can be changed.
Post bye week the Predators have seven games in eleven days to finish the month, four of them at home. A road back-to-back gets the stretch started, at Minnesota and at Columbus before returning home for four, against Calgary, Colorado and a back-to-back against Washington and Edmonton before finishing the month in Buffalo.nhl.com
The month breaks down with seven games against the Western Conference, only three of them against the Central. Six games are against the East, three of them against playoff teams. The Western schedule features four games against teams in playoff position as of this writing.
The Predators appeared to have righted the ship before the All-Star break, that play will have to continue for the team to remain in playoff position and potentially improve it. Quotes from David Poile indicated that Roman Josi was close to return and that we could expect it shortly after the break… our first indication of a return will be today at practice.
Game time tomorrow is 6pm central from PPG Paints Arena in the Steel City.
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Random Notes
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Where We Stand – When play resumes tomorrow, the Nashville Predators have 56 points in 49 games played and stand 3rd in the Central Division. Nashville trails the division leading Minnesota Wild by 13 points (-1 GIH) and 2nd place Chicago by 9 points with two games in hand. Nashville leads 4th place St. Louis by three points, the Blues are in the first Wild Card slot, Calgary is in the second slot, tied with the Blues in points, St. Louis has three games in hand over the Flames.
- Congratulations to the LA Kings organization… they did a great job hosting All-Star Weekend.
- Gorgeous goal from PK Subban in the Central Divisions loss in the first round.
- Mike Smith and Ryan Kesler’s son saved the Skills competition. The NHL was silly in getting rid of the Breakaway Challenge.
- Very little drama in the Hardest Shot Competition this season
- Zero games in the NHL tonight, all times CST –
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