Nashville Predators Franchise Profile
Founded: 1998
Arena: Gaylord Entertainment Center
Stanley Cups: 0
Nashville Predators Retired Numbers:
0
Nashville Predators Hockey Hall of Fame Members:
0
2009-10 Predators Season Preview:
A summer exodus of free agents leaves the team stripped of depth, putting more pressure than ever on the usual suspects to carry the team.
The trio of Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Dan Hamhuis would give Nashville one of the best blue lines in the NHL, if only they had a little help. But the defence is very thin behind them.
Along with shouldering the load in their own zone, Weber and Suter are counted on to generate scoring because the team is so weak at forward.
When healthy, the Predators have three reliable scorers: Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont and Steve Sullivan. Arnott in particular has been a true stalwart since joining the team. But he and Sullivan are aging and injury prone.
If there’s any playoff hope in Nashville, it rests with the goaltending tandem of Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis.
Rinne was a revelation last season, among the league’s best goalies in the second half. Keeping it up through his sophomore year will be a tall order, especially with too many AHL-caliber players in front of him.
