I’m fairly certain neither Cody Franson nor Anton Volchenkov will be
back on the blueline with the Nashville Predators for the 2015/2016 season. Mainly due to other signing priorities, but also due to the impressive development of the younger defensemen under the team's first pairing of captain Shea Weber and possible future captain Roman Josi.
In my opinion, Victor Bartley (who didn't get nearly enough games in this past season after a solid NHL rookie season, due to the addition of Volchenkov), will get much closer
to a full season under his belt, especially if Weber's return for knee surgery delays his start to next season. As for someone new to replace Bartley in the extra seventh-man role...
The
Predators will want to hold on to Anthony Bitetto, but will still want him to
play as much as possible, so he stays in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals until there's a call-up. Unless the Predators decide to give AHL veteran Joe Piskula (13 NHL games in just over 8 seasons) his own locker
in Nashville, they’ll sign another older but still reliable
NHL vet to a one-year deal. A former NHL regular who's since fallen by the wayside in the AHL would be good.
Anyhoo...
"Boil"
"Boil" (Transformers "Generation 1" Decepticon Pretender Bludgeon)