McDavid Leading a New-Era in Nashville
2022-12-27After playing 601 regular season and 61 playoff games for the Predators, the Predators traded Tomas Hertl, along with Logan Hutsko to the New York Islanders for William Nylander and $1,250,000 Cash.
“It was a really hard conversation with Hertl when we informed him our desire to change directions. He has been a pillar and integral centerpiece for this franchise since the inaugural draft. Moving him was not a reflection of him as a player, it was a symbolic trade in order for us to change our direction as a franchise. Hertl has been an absolute warrior for us over the years and was one of four remaining members of the inaugural draft class. When we spoke with Hertl, he understood that not only was it time for us to move forward, it was also time for him to go to a new team and embark on the next chapter of his career. With Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid fully in the driver seat at the center position on our team, it would not have been fair to Hertl, an elite center himself, to be relegated to 3rd line duties. We owed him more than that, and we weren’t prepared to not allow this player the full grace for him to evolve into the best player he can be. And he can’t do that as a 3rd line center.”
“Additionally, as an organization we felt we kept falling just short of a Stanley Cup final berth, only ever getting as far as the conference finals, and feel our goal scoring has just not been potent enough to propel us to the next level. We did not want to sit idle this off-season and go into another year with the same genetic make-up and expect different results. So we felt it was necessary to make a big move like this in order to signify that we’re making proactive steps to achieving our ultimate goal, and adding Nylander’s goal scoring ability made the clarity of that goal seem a lot more attainable.”
The Predators made other moves this summer, as they were quietly one of the more active teams in reshaping their roster in order for another hopeful long playoff run in 2022-2023.
Vladimir Tarasenko, who seemingly appeared to be a one-year rental for the Predators after the Predators traded their 2021 1st round pick for him last summer in a deal with the San Jose Sharks. Tarasenko shockingly re-signed with the Predators to a monstrous 3 year deal @ $10,500,000 per season. The deal is seen as a desperate attempt by the Nashville brass to keep their offense at potent levels. Tarasenko will slot in on a top line with newcomer William Nylander, centered between Connor McDavid.
After the Nylander trade and Tarasenko signing splashes, GM Eric Wolf had another task on his agenda. Improving the defense. “Our blueline, yet again, needed help. With only a top four Provorov, Severson, Brodin and Bear, we knew we could not enter into the new season expecting to win with a blueline that lost potency over the summer. And with the signing of Tarasenko it made another long-time Predator Taylor Hall the odd man out in the top 6.” Nashville traded Taylor Hall along with struggling prospect Adam Boqvist to the Calgary Flames for Rasmus Andersson and Kasperi Kapanen.
“Anytime you can add a 50 pt blueliner who is still RFA controlled, that’s an asset that doesn’t come by every day. We knew we had to jump on this deal in order to bring our blueline back to respectability. You aren’t going to win any championships if you don’t have a puck mover like Andersson. So we felt this was a very necessary deal to execute in order to balance our team.” Wolf said.
And lastly, Wolf and the Predators capped off their summer winter with a deal very similar to the one in where they rented the final year of Tuuka Rask’s contract. This years version? Carey Price. “We’ve had a bit of a goalie carousel in the last few years. As much as we’d love stability in that position, it just hasn’t been in the cards.” Nashville shipped out pending UFA Casey DeSmith and prospect Klim Kostin for the veteran Price, in which Nashville hopes the addition of Price will provide a bit more stability and overall experience at the goaltending position. “We ultimately felt having Carey Price in his twilight season gives us a better chance of stopping 1 or 2 more critical shots in the playoffs this year. You never know, it might just be the difference when it comes down to the wire late in the playoffs.”
Expected Opening Night Line-Up:
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Nylander – McDavid – Tarasenko
Barbashev – Crosby – Wilson
Kapanen – Monahan – Atkinson
Walker – Colton – Grant
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Provorov – Andersson
Brodin – Severson
Mayo – Bear
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Price
Vladar
With some major shake-ups heading into the 2022-2023 season, the Predators led by phenom Connor McDavid hope they have finally found the recipe to get them further into the post-season this year. Will it be enough, or will the tires completely fall off all the way to a being a lottery team? Only time will tell whether or not if The Prophecy becomes true….
Article Photo Cred: Kyle Phillips
Solid moves. Can't argue that the Predators look a better team on paper going into the 2022-23 season!
McDavid Leading a New-Era in Nashville
Nashville shakes up the core in an attempt to win it all