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The Importance of Being JoFA

July 23, 2020, 11:10 AM ET [2 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
We are just a few days from the Nashville Predators flying off to Edmonton to enter “the bubble” and so far… so good. Training camp is going well, the “unfit to play” list is staying limited, and the energy level among the team is high. All seems to be in place for an exciting start to an intriguing play-in round for the team.

The camp has been spirited, and some familiar lines have remained together, most importantly… the JoFA line. We need to face facts… there are a couple of keys for this team’s playoff fate. Goaltending, special teams and a dominant JoFA.

Goaltending is still a question mark… no clear winner has emerged from the competition between Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros. Does it come down to Rinne usually having a fast start to a season? Pekka normally gets off to excellent starts after the offseason, and we did just experience an offseason. Special teams have looked much improved in camp, the compete level is high and they are adapting to head coach John Hynes system well… I expect improvement in special teams from this work. That brings us to…

The JoFA line. Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg. A line that propelled the team to the Stanley Cup Final three years ago. In watching the reruns of that run in 2017, this line was a force, scoring, physical, aggravating… I still believe that if Johansen doesn’t go down in the Anaheim series, the Predators win the Cup… ahh … if’s and but’s.

The Predators will need that same type of dominance from that line… for that type of performance will cascade through the rest of the lines, increasing opportunities for the Duchene/Granlund/Turris line and the All-American line… the firepower of this line is a crucial piece of any potential success from Nashville.

The off time should help a player like Arvidsson, who does seem to wear down a bit as a season progresses… the re-focus time should help Johansen who was not having the best season… and improvements to those tow players will just make Forsberg more lethal. If you are looking for a key to any kind of deep playoff run… look no further than this line.

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Random Notes – Presented by


- Yannick Weber is getting lots of credit for his role as NHLPA rep for the Preds.

- The Smash Car is back… only this time it’s Preds personalities doing the damage. Donations benefit the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund

- The Preds exhibition game will be held next Thursday at 3pm CT… Fox Sports TN and the NHL Network will have the TV coverage, radio is on 102.5 the Game.

- We will be doing a Facebook Watch party live from the arena… keep an eye out for more details.

- I love the Preds playoff theme… “For Smashville” - considering everything this community has been through

- We will have our playoff preview show this Monday on SlapShot Radio, join us at 7pm Monday on 102.5 the Game.

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SlapShot Radio is back for our summer season as Zack, Brent and I are on Monday night’s at 7pm. The best hour of hockey talk on the longest running hockey show in the southeast … Join us Mondays at 7pm on 102.5 the Game.

Our sponsor list continues to grow. Drs. Jane Bacon and Aileen Kruger at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762. Cool Springs Wines and Spirits! The largest spirit store in all of middle Tennessee! And La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries Nashville! Three locations, locally owned and operated, check out La-Z-Boy in Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and Cool Springs!

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