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Taxi!!!

December 21, 2020, 9:27 PM ET [4 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
There will be plenty of discussions about who makes the opening night roster and who does not for the upcoming season… I want to focus this on something a little different. The taxi squad.

It’s something new for the NHL, but a very smart concept. Carrying one extra goaltender and up to five additional players will be a key for success in this 2021 season, it does show that the NHL and the NHLPA saw what happened in MLB and I like how this is being addressed. However, this could seriously impact the AHL. So, when you look at the taxi squad, you could look at a couple of different strategies. Each of them with some real risks.

First strategy is an obvious one… take the best available players, strip your AHL team of any available NHL talent to use for the squad. In Nashville’s case you grab Connor Ingram for the third goaltender, then you take the best two defensemen and the best two forwards that don’t make the opening night lineup. The down side to that? Prospects need to play, practice only goes so far, a move like this could really stunt a prospect’s development.

Strategy two, focus on players that have NHL experience. Take players like Steve Santini or Daniel Carr, players that have the experience and can play NHL hockey for short bursts, but have never shown the ability to stick long term at the NHL level. Not as much pop to this strategy, but it does allow prospects to continue their development and play regularly.

The third way is a combination of the two…

I for one, would not want to destroy the development of a prospect on the taxi squad and how teams deal with this will send some pretty clear signals on how they look at their prospects and their belief in those prospects… unless, of course, you seriously believe that the cup window is open.

Then… all bets may be off.

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Random Notes – Presented by

- Predictions - Dan Rosen and EJ Hradek both call the Preds to miss the playoffs on NHL Network… tough call… one that I disagree with.

- Trade - Minor move today as Nashville sent Zach Magwood to Ottawa for Michael Carcone.

- Yikes - Rumors have that fans will be allowed into Florida and Dallas rinks…

- Schedule? - No word on the schedule yet, but rumors are flying about preview looks that teams are getting… mostly about the “series” like scheduling.

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