Will the Nashville Predators be a better team in 2012-2013?

OTF reader Joe emailed me this morning with what surely be the main topic of conversation leading into the 2012-2013 NHL season. Will the Nashville Predators be better or worse than last season? It's easy to see how some could be concerned about how things are shaping up, given the events of the last few months. Here's some of what Joe had to say:

They ended up doing better last year than I initially thought that they would, BUT it seems like this year, we have the exact same team, MINUS Suter. It feels like ownership used Weber's deal to make them look active, and have taken the rest of the summer off. Right now, I think we are a worse team than last year. And even if we were the same, you can't keep putting the same product out if you're not reaching your goals... you have to make changes, additions, etc.... other teams will continuously get better as well.

When you look at the names which have left Nashville this summer (Ryan Suter, Alexander Radulov, Andrei Kostitsyn, Jordin Tootoo and more) this is an understandable mindset. I think we have to keep in mind how a hockey team changes over the course of a season, however, and with that in mind, things may not be quite as pessimistic as Joe makes them out to be.

Let's take a look, then, at a couple different ways one can examine this "better than last year" question...

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The table below shows how the depth chart shaped up (barring injury) at the beginning of last season, at the end, and how things look today. I've made comments alongside a few players in particular:

Start of 2011-2012	End of 2011-2012	Today's Roster	Comment
Forwards	Forwards	Forwards
David Legwand	David Legwand	David Legwand
Mike Fisher	Mike Fisher	Mike Fisher	Full year out from shoulder surgery
Martin Erat	Martin Erat	Martin Erat
Sergei Kostitsyn	Sergei Kostitsyn	Sergei Kostitsyn
Patric Hornqvist	Patric Hornqvist	Patric Hornqvist
Craig Smith	Andrei Kostitsyn	Craig Smith	I liked AK46, but I'm OK here
Colin Wilson	Colin Wilson	Colin Wilson
Nick Spaling	Nick Spaling	Nick Spaling	Full year out from shoulder surgery
Jordin Tootoo	Gabriel Bourque	Gabriel Bourque	Entering 2nd NHL season
Jerred Smithson	Paul Gaustad	Paul Gaustad	Nice upgrade in supporting role
Matt Halischuk	Alexander Radulov	Matt Halischuk	We miss you, Radu
Blake Geoffrion	Brandon Yip	Brandon Yip
Defense	Defense	Defense
Shea Weber	Shea Weber	Shea Weber
Ryan Suter	Ryan Suter	Roman Josi	Big challenge for sophomore Josi
Kevin Klein	Kevin Klein	Kevin Klein
Jonathon Blum	Roman Josi	Hal Gill	Age is concern
Francis Bouillon	Francis Bouillon	Scott Hannan	Upgrade in supporting role
Jack Hillen	Hal Gill	Ryan Ellis	Entering 2nd NHL season

I'm leaving goaltending out of the discussion for now, although I'm moderately more comfortable with the veteran Chris Mason as backup instead of Anders Lindback. Either way, Peks will still carry the heavy workload.

Overall, I'd say the current lineup is probably ahead of the crew which opened up last season, but a bit behind the "loaded up for a playoff run" squad which finished the season. As we know, a team can change over the course of a season, and if the Preds look to be competitive, it's likely that David Poile would make those tweaks around the edges to give his team a chance for a deep playoff run.

Basically, I see a good deal of young players still on their way up, and in addition I'll be very interested to see if guys like Mike Fisher and Nick Spaling are more productive now that they're both a full year removed from shoulder surgery (recall that Fisher wasn't quite ready to go at the start of last season). The significant downside risks are having Roman Josi step up into Ryan Suter's role and the loss of Radulov's scoring punch.

Assuming this current group starts the season healthy (knock on wood), I like where they stand. Are they a prime contender for the Presidents Trophy or the Stanley Cup? No, but they should compete well and put themselves into position for a shot in the playoffs. As for how they'll do there? Who knows - just as last season, it could be a very different-looking team by then...

Poll

How many wins (assuming 82 games) will the Preds record in 2012-2013?

• More than last season (>=50)
• About the same (45-49)
• Less than last year (<=44)

  223 votes | Results

NHL Lockout 2012 - At least we'll have video game hockey: Tuesday's notes

Sure, the NHL seems hell-bent on dragging its fans into another lockout, but at least today marks the release of EA Sports' NHL13, the latest installment of their hallmark video game. After the jump, our around-the-league notes start with a review of that game from the one and only Down Goes Brown...

Best of Nashville 2012 - The Nashville Scene

This year they have a reader poll for "Best Sports Blog". Can you help us defend our title from 2011?

Nashville Predators News

Carrie Underwood likes ‘gory’ horror flicks, says Mike Fisher - The Tennessean
Nashville's hockey & music couple came out Sunday night for a movie premiere in Cool Springs.

Predators won't panic if no NHL deal | The Leaf Chronicle
Wouldn't it be more fun if they did, though? Players running around, OMG OMG!

Trade of Rod Langway to Washington Capitals still resonates in DC thirty years later - NHL.com
Long before he landed Peter Forsberg ahead of the 2007 Trade Deadline, David Poile pulled off one of the biggest trades in NHL history, as a young GM in Washington.

Paul McCann - LockoutWatch
Paul's not picking sides, he just wants some hockey.

Penalty Box Radio Sept 10 - Blog Talk Radio
The gang welcome in Brent Peterson.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Down Goes Brown: An in-depth review of NHL 13
Nice - "NHL Moments Live" is a new feature that promises to let fans relive the most memorable moments from recent seasons, which has Edmonton Oiler fans excited since previous versions of the game never included the draft lottery.

Fear, loathing and 'I can't believe we're doing this again' - TSN
Bob McKenzie is back on the beat, and knocks it out of the park with a comprehensive look at the CBA situation. Is the owners' proposal a bald-faced cash grab? Of course it is. But the NHLPA's position is no more tenable, and the league had every reason to dismiss it out of hand. Face it, folks, we haven't seen significant progress on the major issues yet and we're unlikely to soon.

Here’s what the fans can do to take back their game - The Globe and Mail
Eric Duhatschek advises fans to stay away in meaningful numbers once a lockout ends. While much will be said, I doubt that will happen.

NHL labor talks: History backs NHLPA’s trust in Steve Fehr - Sporting News
Donald Fehr's tag-team partner sounds like the "good cop".

Who gets paid during an NHL lockout? - Puck Drunk Love
Ruh roh, Pete & Terry.

As NHL lockout nears, teams, players and sponsors eye potential impact - Sporting News
We all know the diehard fans will come back after a lockout as soon as the puck drops, but how about casual fans?

NHLPA nitpicking is getting shrill, Peter Adler says | Edmonton Journal
The owners' mouthpiece laughs off the attempt by the players to use provincial law to avoid a lockout in Quebec and Alberta.

The Dark Blue Jacket: The 2012-13 CBJ Ground Floor - The Defense
It's interesting to see how the balance of talent is shifting towards the blueline in Columbus.

It’s time for hockey’s culture of sexual assault to change | Backhand Shelf
In light of the current Boston University scandal, does hockey in general have too much of a cultural tolerance for allowing "boys to be boys"?

Serioius Topic Require Serious Work, How Backhand Shelf Fails To Meet The Standard When It Comes To Sexual Assault And Hockey " DrewMusings
A serious rejoinder, with some serious spelling issues.

SB Nation United: the big rebrand | Vox Product
A really interesting piece here on the re-branding effort which has begun with new logos being rolled out for OTF and all the other SB Nation sites.

More Predators showing up at pre-training camp workouts: Sunday's notes

With training camp ostensibly set to start in less than two weeks, more and more players are showing up in town for the informal workouts which allow guys to shake off the rust and rebuild their on-ice familiarity. Our weekend hockey notes touch base with two veterans gearing up for the season, and of course much more discussion about the state of the CBA talks...

Best of Nashville 2012 - The Nashville Scene

This year they have a reader poll for "Best Sports Blog". Can you help us defend our title from 2011?

Nashville Predators News

Nashville Predators' Hal Gill prepares to stabilize defense again | The Tennessean
He's now Hal Gill of Green Hills, and it sounds like he'll be ready to go after suffering a fractured tibia late last season.

Nashville Predators' Patric Hornqvist shrugs off contract status | The Tennessean
Hornqvist is entering the final year of his contract, so now would be a good time to bust out with a huge season.

The Lockout Hurts, Part II: Nashville Predators | Overtime
Just think, now that Shea Weber is receiving his $13 million signing bonus, the Preds have all the more reason to hope the season starts on time, just in order to get their money's worth.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Larry Brooks: NHL owners not honoring their collective word - NYPOST.com
The NHLPA's mouthpiece (err... New York Post columnist) portrays the owners as dirty rotten cheats for going after a rollback on all the player contracts they've been signing this summer.

NHL moves to get back control of the league from players, Peter Adler writes | Edmonton Journal
Meanwhile, the owners' sycophant says the NHLPA is overreaching when it tries to have a say in issues like realignment.

NHL Needs A Lockout To Survive - Broad Street Buzz
While it's easy to sympathize with the players, would fans be better off if the owners get their way?

Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself - Second City Hockey
Regime change in Chicago!

Al Montoya's New Winnipeg Jets Mask Revealed! - Arctic Ice Hockey
OK, this is pretty darned cool.

Nation Radio - September 8, 2012 | NHLNumbers.com
Fill your ears with some smart hockey talk.

Lowetide.ca | THE GREAT EXPANSION, VOL 2
Making the case that Montreal's dominance in the 1970's was due in part to rules behind the 1967 expansion that were expressly crafted to protect their development pipeline.

What Will Henrik Lundqvist Do For an Encore? - Blueshirt Banter
Now that he's got a Vezina Trophy on the shelf, can King Henrik keep the good times rolling?

We sure hope Rinne & Weber pay off better than CJ: Monday's notes

While watching the game (and the ensuing reaction on Twitter) as the Tennessee Titans fell to New England 34-13 yesterday, I couldn't help but draw some comparisons between our two local major league sports teams. The Titans, of course, gave Chris Johnson his huge payday about a year ago and haven't exactly gotten their money's worth. Yesterday's 11-yard rushing effort doesn't exactly have the home fans singing his praises:

Chris Johnson, though he did not get much help up front, still looks very indecisive running the ball. There is no question that he just isn't the same guy that he was his first four years in the league. Giving him all of that money last season was a terrible decision.

--- Jimmy Morris, Music City Miracles

This season, the two biggest names on the Nashville Predators are striking it rich - Shea Weber with his 14-year, $110 million deal, and Pekka Rinne with his 7 years and $49 million. It's interesting how little we worry about these two living up to those deals, compared to what we see in football (Albert Haynesworth, anyone?). Yes, I had my objections to the Rinne deal, but that more to do with the length of it as opposed to the dollar figures, considering the way Mitch Korn has been able to develop talent over the years.

How about you, though? Do you worry about these two and their ability to deliver on the combined $21 million they'll make in 2012-2013?

Ponder that question while reading your morning hockey notes...

Best of Nashville 2012 - The Nashville Scene

This year they have a reader poll for "Best Sports Blog". Can you help us defend our title from 2011?

Nashville Predators News

NHL 13 Custom Covers Thread - Page 4 - Operation Sports Forums
For those of you who would prefer a Pekka Rinne cover when EA Sports NHL13 releases on Tuesday, here you go (found via @Cellblock303 tweet).

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Players’ union looks at labour laws to block NHL lockout | canada.com
Now here's a novel approach... the NHLPA is looking to Quebec labor law in a bid to halt, or at least slow down, the owners' drive to a lockout.

NHL labor talks: No meetings scheduled, sides 'a long way apart' on Sunday - Sporting News
Between the pace of talks and now the legal options being used, it looks pretty much impossible for a new CBA to get hammered out this week.

Jets come up with 'contingency' plan - Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Jets have given fans up that their plans will be communicated once a lockout actually commences, so I would expect the Preds to wait on this as well.

Puckarinen " IIHF.com: Rock of Rögle
Can former NHL goalie Martin Gerber help a recently-promoted team succeed in the Swedish Elite League? (expect lots of Euro stuff if we're stuck with a lockout)

Understanding Lindback’s Expectations - The Goalie Guild
With his limited experience, this is a bit of a dice roll for the Lightning.

Book Review: Hamilton's Hockey Tigers | The Hockey Writers
Hmm... maybe the nickname is why Jim Balsillie was so keen on the Predators.

All 2012/13 Scouting Reports Available! - Fantasy Hockey Scouts
If you're looking for a truckload of useful information to help you get ready for your Fantasy Hockey Draft, Cam & the gang have an outstanding selection for you. I highly recommend them!

Who is the Greatest #29 in Nashville Predators history?

We continue with #29 in our Jersey Number Series, which pits our first goalie featured thus far, against a well-schooled defensive forward...

Tomas Vokoun

Vokoun was selected by the Predators in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft, and bounced between the Admirals and the Predators during his first two years with the organization. In the 99-00 season, Vokoun proudly sported a 2.78 GAA with the Predators, serving as the NHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 2, 2000 (3-0-0, 1 shutout, 1.33 GAA, .960 save percentage). He would be the first Predator to ever win this award. The next season, Vokoun recorded a 2.95 GAA in 37 games, the best on the team, becoming the starting goaltender for the Predators. In his first full season as Nashville's number one, Vokoun finished with a 25-31-11 record, a 2.20 GAA, and .918 SV%. However, his success would not falter, as the 03-04 season would be a career year for him. Vokoun ended the season with a 34-29-10 record, a 2.53 GAA, and .909 SV%, earning his first ever NHL All-Star Game appearance in 2004. He was instrumental in leading the Predators to their first playoff appearance in franchise history (against the Detroit Red Wings), posting a 2.02 GAA in 6 games.

The following season, Vokoun would have his last prolific year with the Predators organization. In 61 games, he was 36-18-7(OTL), and had a 2.67 GAA and .919 SV%. His success, however, was cut short: On April 10, 2006, the Predators announced that Vokoun was afflicted by thrombophlebitis of the pelvis, a blood-clotting condition. He missed the team's remaining regular season games and the entire playoffs while he recovered by taking blood-thinning drugs and avoiding physical activity. Back-up goalie Chris Mason took his place as the starter, but the Predators failed to advance in the playoffs, again losing in the quarterfinals, this time to the San Jose Sharks. On July 24, 2006, Vokoun was cleared to resume his career and returned for the 2006-07 NHL season. However, at the beginning of the subsequent season, Vokoun hurt his thumb during a game and had to have surgery. As a result Vokoun played only 44 games, though he recorded a remarkable 27 wins, a 2.40 GAA, and .a .920 SV%. Nevertheless, management decided to finally part with this home-grown legend as part of the effort to shed salary when Craig Leipold moved to sell the team. On the day of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Vokoun was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a first-round selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, a second-round selection in the 2007 draft (no. 58) and a conditional second-round selection in either 2007 or 2008.

On top of the aforementioned honors Vokoun accumulated during his time with the Predators, he has held onto several all-time team records for wins (161), appearances (383), and saves (9,657).

Joel Ward

Though hockey fans around the world may remember Joel Ward for his game-winning, series-clinching goal against the Boston Bruins last summer (and all the media frenzy that accompanied it), Ward's prowess today can be attributed to his time with the Predators.

On July 15, 2008, Ward signed as a free agent to a one-year deal with the Predators. He made the opening night roster out of training camp for the 08-09 season and scored his first NHL goal in his first game as a Predator against the St. Louis Blues on October 10, 2008. Ward emerged as a solid two-way player for the Predators, recording 17 goals and 35 points that season. His success as a defensive forward led him to sign two a two-year contract on July 1, 2009. In the next two seasons, Ward notched 23 goals and 63 points. His most notable contribution to the Predators came in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, amassing a mind-boggling 7 goals and 13 points in 12 games. Ward was undeniably a major factor in the Predators vanquishing the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. He became a free agent after the 2010-11 season and signed a four-year contract worth $12 million with the Washington Capitals.

Poll

Who is the Greatest #29 in Nashville Predators history?

• Tomas Vokoun
• Joel Ward

  217 votes | Results

Nashville Predators rank high in ESPN's "Ultimate Standings" 2012

The Nashville Predators have placed 14th among all 122 North American major league sports teams in ESPN's latest edition of their Ultimate Standings, which ranks franchises based categories such as on-field performance, ownership stability, fan relations, and other factors.

This puts them fourth among NHL teams on the list, trailing Phoenix, Tampa Bay, and New Jersey, and represents a climb up from 18th spot last summer. The Preds' strongest areas was Affordability (7th overall), while their weakest was "Title Track", a measure of championships either recently won or reasonably expected soon (61st). Here's a comparison of this year's vs. last year's rankings:

Year	Rank (of 122)	Bang for the Buck	Fan Relations	Ownership	Affordability	Stadium Experience	Players	Coaching	Title Track
2012	14	22	27	35	7	25	30	17	61
2011	18	33	6	41	7	23	16	14	70

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The interesting bit to me is the drop in the Fan Relations ranking. Has there been a difference in service level that you've seen as a Preds fan, or might this instead mean that other franchises are picking up on what teams like the Predators are doing?

Either way, the continued climb upwards should be considered a validation that Nashville is indeed making progress towards their oft-stated goal of providing the top sports & entertainment venue in the world, centered around a championship hockey team.

At the other end of that spectrum, as has been the laughing stock of the hockey world since being talked about on Puck Daddy yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs came in dead-last at #122.

Locally, the NFL's Tennessee Titans ranked 72nd, a healthy climb from their #98 ranking of 2011.

Remembering Lokomotiv: Friday's notes

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the terrible plane crash which claimed the lives of the KHL's Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team, so our hockey notes focus not only on the latest news regarding the causes of that accident, but on those family members who are still grieving the lost.

Nashville Predators News

Welcome To My Blog - Nashville Predators
Stu Grimson is glad to be back at the rink full-time, as the team's radio color man. And now, he takes up the keyboard and enters the lowly world of blogging, too.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Hockey’s ‘darkest day’ remembered - The Globe and Mail
Eric Duhatschek brings us a look back to that tragic day, through the eyes of Kelly McCrimmon, brother of Lokomotiv head coach Brad.

Pilot documents forged in Russia hockey team crash | Reuters
Now it sounds like the pilot & co-pilot in the Lokomotiv plane crash were flying under false training credentials. Awful, awful stuff.

Spector on KHL: Worth the risk? - sportsnet.ca
The KHL may want to compete with the NHL for the title of world's greatest hockey league, but they have a long ways to go, especially in regards to off-ice matters.

Bettman, Daly and Fehr all plan to decline salary during NHL lockout - The Globe and Mail
A sensible gesture, but somehow I think they'll get by.

Canadian NHL clubs sacrificing revenue - The Globe and Mail
When people complain about some teams showing up on national TV too often, you know you've got some real divisiveness going on.

NHL labour: Ontario government rejects NHL players’ plea for help in talks - thestar.com
Apparently the NHLPA tried to invoke government intervention to help avoid a lockout, but that attempt fizzled.

Shane Doan: Deal in place with Coyotes, waiting on lease agreement to go through | Puck Daddy
Somebody just wake me up when all this is over, m'kay?

Bobby Ryan's Mea Culpa & The Meeting That Never Was - Anaheim Calling
Bobby Ryan has backed off his trade talk from a few months ago, but Jen notes an odd lack of communication between he and Ducks GM Bob Murray.

Lowetide.ca | THE GREAT EXPANSION VOL 1
An ambitious historical project, here, which makes for very interesting reading.