Here is the first of the eliminated teams as I see how the Wild and Predators can rework their rosters in the offseason to not only get back to the playoffs but also get farther then this year.
Minnesota Notable UFA’s: Nicolas Deslauriers, Nick Bjugstad, Kyle Rau, Jordie Benn, Marc Andre Fleury
Notable RFA’s: Kevin Fiala, Connor Dewar, Jacob Middleton
Draft Picks: MIN 1RD, VAN 2RD, MIN 3RD, MIN 4RD, MIN 5RD, MIN 6RD
Why did they exit the first round.
The Wild has a fantastic regular season putting up 115 points, but ran into a brick wall in the postseason losing to St.Louis in 6 games and there were a few reasons I felt why they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. First up is their depth scoring as the Wild basically had consistent scoring in the playoffs from their top line and their depth scoring just went dead in the playoffs. The Fiala and Eriksson Ek lines were a big part of how the Wild became so lethal in the regular season but when it came playoff time those two lines combined for 14 points while the Kaprizov line produced more then the two lines combined with 17 so the loss of the depth scoring was probably one of the biggest reasons they are out.
Number two would have to be the goaltending as Fleury who played games 1-5 and Talbot who started game 6 both didn’t do too well in net in t he playoffs. Fleury who had won 9 of his 11 starts with Minnesota in the regular season and had a brilliant 2.74 GAA and a .910 SV%, but only won 2 of 5 games in the playoffs and his numbers dropped to 3.04 and a .906 in the playoffs and while it wasn’t to drastic I think it was definitely enough to be a factor in the loss and Talbots numbers in one game were worse then Fleury’s so I feel that the goaltending was a bit of a problem. And finally I think the fact that they drew the Blues was one big reason they exited. St.Louis was not only the hottest team in the NHL going into the playoffs other then Minnesota, but had also won all three regular season games against them and were the only team that the Wild really had a problem with, so all of these factors are reasons I feel that the Wild were ousted in the first round of the playoffs.
How I think they can improve in the offseason.
The Wild had a great thing going in the regular season but fell flat a lot earlier then I thought in the first round and here is what I think they will do in the offseason to try and get back to the playoffs and back to the first round next year. In the net I know that the Wild have recently made comments saying they would love to have Cam Talbot and Marc Andre Fleury back as the tandem but with their cap crunch I just can’t see that. The Wild only have $7 Million dollars in available cap space without making any moves so I think they will bring at least one of the two goalies back to be the starter, whether they decide to sign Fleury who I think should be willing to sign for 2 years at somewhere between $3.5-4.5 Million per year and then they trade away Talbot who only has a year left on his contract, or they let Fleury go via free agency and will keep Talbot in the fold but either way both are not going to be back together. As for the backup position I strongly feel that they should give Jesper Wallstedt who recently signed his ELC and was drafted 20th overall last year a long look. While he may benefit from another year in junior or the AHL I think he is ready for NHL action and if I was Minnesota I would be willing to give him the backup role, but if they absolutely want him to have another year of development then I see them going after a cheap backup who will sign for a year while Wallstedt is developing, so Talbot/Fleury will be starter and Wallstedt/ cheap veteran will be the backup next year for Minnesota.
Defence is also going to be a big part of what happens to their team next year. As far as their top 4 goes for next year I don’t think that Spurgeon or Brodin will be moved given their term and money on their contracts and how good they play, and I feel that Middleton was acquired to help in their top 4 and should continue to be a partner for Spurgeon after they sign him to a new deal as he is a RFA and I feel that he will get a new contract somewhere between $2.5-4 Million dollars per year. And as for the fourth spot I feel as though Dumba’s time as a Wild is coming to a close as his $6 Million dollar cap hit and being a year away from becoming a UFA is going to tempt Minnesota to move him as he should be able to fetch a nice return and maybe even get another forward that they desperately need. And I feel that Addison, who is a prospect who hasn’t gotten much of a opportunity is the prime candidate to feel in the hole left by Dumba and I think he would be perfect their. After those moves I don’t think they will bring back Benn and then have 3 great depth defensemen in Goligoski, Kulikov and Merrill who could fight for third pair duty’s, but if they feel that the D-Corp still makes too much money then I could see them moving Kulikov who has 1 year left on his deal at $2.25 Million dollars and could replace him with a cheap free agent signing. So that is what should be done to the defence as they move Dumba and possibly Kulikov, being in a cheap depth defensemen, sign Middleton to a multi year deal and give Addison a bigger role should help this defence continue to be good.
And lastly the forward group will definitely need a little tweaking even though they don’t have much cap space to work with. The biggest question is Fiala and I feel that not only because of how hard it was to sign him last offseason but also given the little cap space, even if they do move Dumba I still don’t see them being able to sign Fiala so I think he is moved for a incredibly rich package. So w I feel that the Greenway line with Foligno and Ek will continue to be a line but I don’t think that Hartman will continue being the top line Center past this year. I believe that next year Marco Rossi who was a first round pick from a few years ago and had 53 points in 63 AHL games which was his first AHL season this year, is poised to Center Kaprizov and Zuccarello next year while I would think Hartman plays with Boldy next year, and given the fact they will have traded Fiala I think they will try to acquire a top 6 winger, probably right winger who can play with Boldy next year whether via trade or free agency. And lastly I see them signing a couple of cheap bottom six forwards to fight for fourth line roles with guys like Frederick Gaudreau, Dewar and Duhaime. So just to recap I see them getting rid of Fiala, bringing in a cheap player who can play in the top six, giving Rossi a shot to be their first line Center, and signing a few depth forwards to challenge for a fourth line spot and if this happens then I strongly believe that the Wild will have a strong chance to make it to the second round next season.
Nashville Notable UFA’s: Filip Forsberg, Nick Cousins, Matt Benning, Ben Harpur, Jeremy Daives, David Rittich
Notable RFA’s: Luke Kunin, Cody Glass, Yakov Trenin, Thomas Novak, Cole Smith, Matt Luff, Jeremy Lauzon
Draft Picks: NAS 1RD, NAS 3RD, LA 3RD, NAS 4RD, NAS 5RD, NAS 7RD
Why did they miss the playoffs.
The Predators were the 16th and final team to make it to the playoffs and really didn’t play well against the Avalanche getting swept but there are a few underlying factors I feel that caused the Predators to miss the playoffs. First off the absence of Juuse Saros in the playoffs was a huge reason as to why they didn’t do to well in round 1. Saros was one of the main reasons why the Predators did so good this year after he had won 38 of 67 games putting up a 2.64 GAA and a .918 SV% and at the time of injury had played the most starts of any goalie and has been voted a Vezina Nominee. So when you lose a vezina caliber goalie that played out of his mind in the regular season for the entire playoff series, it kills a team because of Saros plays I think Nashville wins a game or two.
Secondly was that all of their offense that helped them through the season dried up in the playoffs. Forsberg and Duchene both became the first 40 goal scores in Predators history this year and Josi was oh so close to becoming a 100 point defensemen, something that is rarely seen and even Granlund and Johansen had pretty good year but those five players who had solid regular seasons only put up a combined 12 points in the postseason so with their big time players not coming through especially at key times it really hurt this team. And lastly I think being the 16th seed and having to play the best in the west and second best in the league also hurt them. Colorado is arguably the favourite to win the Stanley cup this year and when you have a healthy Avalanche team playing the team that just slipped in, missing their Vezina goalie, and being heavily outmatched in talent I just think that the series was doomed from the start for Nashville and these reasons are why I believe the Predators aren’t in the playoffs anymore.
How I think they can improve in the offseason.
The Predators definitely have questions that are going to need to be answered in the offseason and here is how I think those questions will be answered.
First up is goaltending and I have no doubt about who the starter will be next year. Jusse Saros didn’t necessarily carry this team to a playoff berth but they definitely wouldn’t have made it without him and his numbers showed just how good he is and he has been nominated for the Vezina trophy and they weren’t to good in the playoffs when he was injured so I have no doubt that he will be starter next year. And as for the backup position I don’t see Rittich coming back next year in a Predators uniform so I have the Predators go in one of two directions, either they will bring in Askarov, who is highly regarded as the best goalie prospect in the league, recently signed his ELC, put up some fantastic numbers in Russia and was a former 1st round pick and I believe is absolutely ready for the backup role for Nashville, but if they want him to get some AHL time before becoming a regular NHL player, then I think Nashville will use Connor Ingram as their backup as I believe proved himself this season and especially in the playoffs that he is a capable backup and I think in at least the short term he would work. So just to recap have Saros the starter with either youngster Askarov/Ingram being the backup next year.
As for their defence I actually wouldn’t change much because I like the way their defence is right now but I do think that they could do a couple of tweaks to their defence. I believe that Josi who is a Norris finalist and Fabbro should continue to be the top tandem in Nashville and I don’t think they should touch that pair, and I believe that Ekholm will remain on the 2nd pair on the left side but the right side defensemen on the 2nd pair could possibly change in my opinion. I think that Lauzon will be resigned but probably to be a 7th defensemen and Borowiecki should play left side on the 3rd pair. And as for Alex Carrier, I think Carrier who just had a astonishing 30 point season this year will either go on the 2nd pair or 3rd pair and depending on how much this team believes in him, I would think they either get a cheaper 3rd pair D-Men if they believe in Carrier to be a top 4 defensemen or if they think he is better at the 3rd pair then I could see the team going hard after a top 4 defensemen in free agency. So basically keep their D-Corp together, extend Lauzon who is a RFA, and finally sign either a 2nd or 3rd pair defensemen should help them be better defensively next year.
And finally offensively this team has one big question in Forsberg that should determine what this team does in the offseason. So to begin they are probably going to have to give it their all in my opinion to sign Forsberg and right now at this current point in time I don’t think he will resign with Nashville so while I think they will keep Granlund and Duchene on their top line together, I think that either via free agency or in a trade the Predators are going to go hard to try and find another top 6 forward who can play with Duchene on the top line. Also I would keep Jeannot with Sissons and Trenin who is a RFA and will need to be signed, because that third line did absolutely amazing this year and I wouldn’t touch the line. Then I would have two of Tolvanen, Tomasino, or Kunin who is also a RFA and needs to be signed will play with Ryan Johansen who played a lot better then recent years on the second line and with the experience that Tomasino and Tolvanen got this year I think they can be much better next year and whoever doesn’t play with Johansen will play on the fourth line. I feel that Glass will get a shot to play on the fourth line and maybe prospects like L’Heureux or Evangelista will get a shot to play NHL games next year and I also think that to round their roster they will get a couple depth forwards to fight for forth line spots as well. So to recap I think that Forsberg is gone and the Predators will try and find a replacement to play with Duchene, sign RFA’s Kunin and Trenin to new deals, maybe let prospects L’Heureux or Evangelista get a shot at a NHL spot and sign some depth forwards and with all of these moves I feel that the Predators could be back in the playoffs next year with a chance to make it to the 2nd round.
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