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)
Showing posts with label Shea Weber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shea Weber. Show all posts
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
New Offensive Coach But Same Aggressive Style
Contrary to the popular belief that new coach Peter Laviolette has changed the Nashville Predators style, finally making them a true threat in the NHL. Due to Laviolette's offensive coaching style, people assume that the team has made a total switch from the style of play instilled into them by former coach Barry Trotz. While Trotz's coaching style was defensive in nature, the style of play he instilling into the team was an aggressive forechecking style that continues to this day under Laviolette.
The Predators have never been a team that sits on a lead. For one, they've usually had to work their butts off just to get a one-goal lead in a game. After which, they've had to work their butts off just to keep a one-goal lead. And whenever the team has been fortunate enough to have had more than a one-goal lead, they would continue to push their opponent's hard with aggressive forechecking.
That aggresive forechecking has been the main reason the Predators have always been a challenge for any team to play; with limited or still-developing natural talent being Nashville's main reason for any lack of success. Before this season, the Predators have always had to depend on scoring by committee; and even this season, the team's boost in scoring has had more to do with consistent contributions from all forwards, rather than guys like James Neal and rookie Filip Forsberg (and captain Shea Weber on the blueline) providing most of the scoring.
Anyhoo...
The Predators have never been a team that sits on a lead. For one, they've usually had to work their butts off just to get a one-goal lead in a game. After which, they've had to work their butts off just to keep a one-goal lead. And whenever the team has been fortunate enough to have had more than a one-goal lead, they would continue to push their opponent's hard with aggressive forechecking.
That aggresive forechecking has been the main reason the Predators have always been a challenge for any team to play; with limited or still-developing natural talent being Nashville's main reason for any lack of success. Before this season, the Predators have always had to depend on scoring by committee; and even this season, the team's boost in scoring has had more to do with consistent contributions from all forwards, rather than guys like James Neal and rookie Filip Forsberg (and captain Shea Weber on the blueline) providing most of the scoring.
Anyhoo...
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