Around the NHL in 30 Days – Nashville Predators

Here we go again with FanSided’s Around the NHL in 30 Days. Today we are taking a look at the Nashville Predators at the Predlines blog. I’ll be honest here, I have a soft spot for the Preds. Why? Well first off there is Barry Trotz. He is the only head coach that this franchise has ever had. I remember seeing a piece about him on SportCentre here in Canada and thinking “He is a really nice guy.” Then there is the whole “hockey can’t survive in Nashville” thing that was dominating the headlines a few years back when BlackBerry CEO Dan Balsillie tried to come in and snatch the Preds, but failed… Wow is life interesting or what? Now BlackBerry looks to be the one that needs to be bought out and snatched up.

Anyways, back to hockey. The Predators are coming off their most successful season ever. They have some players that fans can genuinely get excited about. How does Shea Weber, Mike Fisher, and Pekka Rinne sound to you? Sounds pretty darn good to me. A second round appearance last year has served to pump up the players and the fan base in Nashville. Here is a snippet of what lead Predlines writer Dan Bradley has to say:

"With revenue up, and the new ownership possibly about to add another partner which could even further stabilize the team and anchor them permanently at 501 Broadway, it’s within the realm of possibility this could be the last year Nashville hangs around the midpoint."

Sharks-Preds season series last year: 4 games, each team won 2

This was perhaps the closest and most difficult season series the Sharks had all year. All 4 games were decided by just 1 goal. Two of the games went into overtime. The Sharks won two games by the scorelines 2-1 and 3-2. The Preds won their two games by the exact same scorelines.

The Preds showed last year that they can do some damage in the playoffs. I think the Predators will be back in the playoff dance this year. They are hungry for success in Nashville, but they have to remember that Sharks are also predators that are focused on the ultimate prize: The Stanley Cup.

Next up in FanSided’s Around the NHL in 30 Days – The New Jersey Devils.

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