The Nashville Predators Are Struggling Again This Year, So Who Will Be on the Hot Seat First?
It’s been a real struggle for the Nashville Predators, but they did earn a split in their two games in Sweden. And Kimmel of Locked on Predators is here to talk about the future of this team, who’s staying and who’s going, and what it’ll take to turn things around. All that and more on today’s Locked On NHL podcast. [Music] You’re Locked on NHL, your daily podcast on the National Hockey League, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Gil Martin here. Welcome everybody to the Monday edition of the Locked On NHL podcast. We are part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. I want to thank everyone who makes Locked on NHL your first listen every day. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Also, a big thank you to everyone out there for making Locked On the number one sports podcasting network. It is my great pleasure to welcome back to the show the host of Locked on Predators or should I say co-host of Locked on Predators, Anne Kimmel. And uh an a win in two games in Sweden, at least one win now in their last six games. How important was it to at least get a split overseas? I think the way that the Predators won is almost as important as the fact that they won. It really was a storybook win for the Predators. Of course, Philip Forsber back in his home country. He ties the game up late and then you get Steven Stamos winning it in overtime. And Predators fans have been waiting to see the Steven Stamos we thought we were getting when he joined the team in free agency. And so I think for Predators fans, the way that the Predators got that win, the way that they really dominated that first game was really reassuring. But then there was a second game and things did not go according to plan. No, the second game was almost the inverse of the first game where really Pittsburgh came out, they punched Nashville in the mouth. Nashville really couldn’t recover. They went down by three goals early. And one of the things that we are seeing with this Predators team is that they are not able to put a lot of goals up on the board. So, when you see this team go down three nothing, that is a huge hole. That feels like more than a three-goal hole for a Nashville Predators team that is struggling for offense. And while they did play a little bit better in the second and third periods, they just never really got to their game. Pittsburgh really dominated and dictated that game. And so Nashville now is leaving Sweden with a much more bitter taste in their mouth and I think a bit more of a reality check about what this team really is and what’s going to happen moving forward. Can this trip overseas and now that they’re, you know, they have a big break in between now and their next game, can that be a bonding thing for this team that could help them pull together a little bit? Absolutely. And I think we saw that while they were over there. Of course, Adam Wilsby, one of the young defenseman, is a Stockholm native, so he was the cruise director, and he took the team out to dinners, and they had some different experiences with some of the youth hockey clubs in the area. And so I think for the Predators it definitely was a bonding experience. It also was a chance for rest because the Predators have had such a tight compacted schedule. Um they’ve only had two days off backto back once since their season began. And so they really came into the global series very very tired. And I think not only was it nice for them to spend time together without the pressure of the next game and fix the mistakes, but also to experience something like Stockholm and to meet, you know, Philip Forsberg’s extended family, Adam Wilsby’s extended family. So there definitely is an upside to being a part of something like the Global Series, but it’s not going to fix everything that’s broken in Nashville. 610 and four to start this season. Whose seat is getting hot right now? I mean, is it on the coach? Is it on Barry Trotz as general manager? Are there certain players who may be moved on from right now as this team continues to struggle? I think that there are a number of people that need to feel a little bit uncomfortable. And I think of course when you talk about a team that is struggling, the easiest answer is a coaching change. And so I do think that Andrew brunette is a his seat is a little more warm than most people most people thought he was probably going to be on a hot seat early. He really wasn’t. Andrew Brunette was Barry Trotz’s pick. Barry Trotz does not want to fire Andrew Brunette and I think he is going to try to do whatever he can to keep Andrew Brunette around as long as possible. But I do think when you start the season like they did when you had the season that they had last season and it feels like it’s just more of the same at some point you have to make changes. Now a coaching change may not fix everything. This is a Predator’s roster that’s really not built for a contention. So I do think that you are going to see Barry Trots make some moves probably a little closer to deadline when the market is more favor favorable for the Predators to move on from some of the you know upcoming UFAs maybe some of the veterans that he signed that aren’t that you know isn’t working quite like he thought. So I think we’re going to see definitely roster changes this season at some point we very well may see a coaching change too. I’ve even heard rumors Jussi Soros may be on the trading block. What have you heard about that and would it make sense? This is such an interesting conversation. Jussi Soros, first of all, people have to know he has a no move clause. His contract just kicked in. It has a no move clause. So, it’s a non-starter if Soros isn’t interested in going. So, I think that that’s a big factor. He also is a little over $7 million. And so teams that are looking for a goalender to fix what they need fixed for the postseason, not a lot of them have the wiggle room. More importantly, not a lot of them have what Barry Trotz wants, which is going to be young, talented prospects or high quality draft picks in the upcoming drafts. And so the teams that we hear are kind of thinking about UC SOS may not have anything Barry Trotz really wants. And again, it all comes down to if Jussi Saros doesn’t want to go, he’s not going. What will it take for this team to get, let’s even just say, closer to 500 respectability. What do they need to do better? It’s no short list. No short list, Gil. Like, I’m going to unfurl the scroll and then I’m going to cut it way down for you. Um I do think that this is a team that is struggling to get and hold on to momentum. It’s one step forward, two steps back. So there is some sort of a disconnect whether that is uh the responsibility of the head coach, whether that is the combination of players in the locker room, but there is a disconnect from being able to continue to build on on positive steps forward. They’re really stuck in the same place. And I think to get unstuck, it’s going to take some moves. It’s going to take those roster changes. It may take a coaching change. Um, I do think that they need more offense, but you would think when you look at the roster on paper, how is offense a problem? It’s a problem. And and what a lot of it comes down to is there’s not a lot of center depth. You don’t have those playmaking centers here for the Nashville Predators. And that’s what you need. You need those playmaking centers. And so that’s something that Nashville is going to be wanting, but probably they’re going to have to draft and develop that. What about Barry Trotz? Is his seat hot? I know it’s been just a little more than a year, but you know, everything he’s done seems to have backfired so far or at least not worked out the way he wanted it. So, what are you hearing about his situation? The fan base is definitely questioning Barry Trotz right now because like you said in the time that he has been general manager he’s made some really exciting moves that have not panned out. He’s also done things like put Dante Fabro on waiverss who was now picked up by uh Columbus. He’s now a topline def or a top pairing defenseman for Columbus. So there have been moves that people are like hey now wait a second. Um, so I think that there may be a crisis of confidence among the fan base when it comes to Barry Trotz. The one thing that I will say for Trotz is that in the couple of drafts that he has kind of been the guy pulling the trigger, he has drafted well, but to see that come to fruition, you need several seasons. And it feels like the fan base wants from Barry Trotz a a tear it down and a rebuild. And there’s really not an easy way to do that with the way that the roster is constructed right now. So there is a lot of unrest I would say among the fan base about Barry Trotz. I just don’t know. And this is the part that’s so tricky. We have a new leadership group here and you don’t know how they’re going to weigh in and what their perspective is yet. So it’s definitely something to keep an eye on when it comes to Nashville because something has to change. They just have to figure out what and how much and when. Yeah. And when. Absolutely. Anna, why don’t you tell our viewers and our listeners where they could find the podcast and where they could find you and your co-host on social media. You can find our podcast Locked on Predators, wherever you get your favorite podcasts. We are also on YouTube. You can follow me on social media at L. No, what is it? A an K. I got this. Ank_mama on ice. You can find my co-host, Emma Lingan, at Emma Lingan on social media as well. I got it. You got it. All right, Ann. Thank you so much. Thanks, Gil. Today’s episode is brought to you by your friends at FanDuel. The NBA is back and there’s no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. 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The Nashville Predators continue to find themselves near the bottom of the NHL standings in Barry Trotz’s second season as general manager.
Ann Kimmel of Locked On Predators joins us to determine what changes need to be made and which players may be moved next or will there be a new coach or even a new GM?
All this and more on today’s Locked On NHL Podcast with Gil Martin.
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1 comment
Tennessee gets what it deserves