Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
With Sunday's additions of Mike Santorelli and Cody Franson, are the Nashville Predators the team to beat out West?
Todd Cordell
The Preds are definitely in the top group, but I'm going to have to say no.
Their new-look defense of Seth Jones, Shea Weber, Cody Franson, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Anton Volchenkov is absurdly good, and with Pekka Rinna they have a shot every night. That said, though I really like the additions they made, I think Chicago still takes the cake for me.
They're a couple wins behind the top few teams in the standings, but they're tied for 1st in goal differential at plus-41, are 2nd in the league in score adjusted Fenwick (53.2%) and they always get up for the playoffs, so they're my No. 1.
That said, if Nashville can go out and get another forward perhaps I might have to reconsider.
Ryan Wilson Yes.
They have arguably the best goalie and defense corp. in the Western Conference, have a solid 53.2% Score-Adjusted Fenwick, they are 6th overall in goals scored per game at 2.95 and 3rd overall at preventing them at 2.27.
They added a great depth forward in Mike Santorelli and Cody Franson is a legit top four defenseman who has been wasting away in Toronto.
On any given shift the Predators could have any combination of Shea Weber, Roman Jusi, Ryan Ellis, Cody Franson, and Seth Jones out on the ice. That is pretty awesome depth and will help the forwards out tremendously with their controlled zone exits, which of course will lead to controlled entries into the offensive zone. A necessity against the other Central beasts in Chicago and St. Louis.
The truth is that the West is going to be a heavyweight fight but Nashville has done their best to enter as the favorite.
James Tanner No. Not even close. I think the Predators are still a team with guys playing out of their mind who won't keep it up. Their ranking as the NHLs top team will not last 30 more games.
Teams still better than Nashville: LA, Chicago, St. Louis, Anaheim. I don't exactly care what the standings say right this second: I do not believe the Predators are one of the NHL's top teams. They are good, but if they face LA in the first round they are going to lose.
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