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Well… that wasn’t the start to the new year I wanted.
Subban has been out of the lineup for seven games now in what is being termed as an “upper-body injury.” Speculation has swirled around two particular areas, I will not get into that here.
So… what happens to the team now that Subban is on the shelf for at least the next 2-3 weeks? They play with the cards dealt to them. No one player makes or breaks a blueline, especially one as deep as Nashville’s. The news that Anthony Bitetto is skating again is certainly welcome and sending Adam Pardy down to the Admirals sends a message that Bitetto could be very close to a return, bringing a much needed boost of grit to the defense.
Nashville’s defense is less dynamic without Subban in the lineup, but it is just as solid. Let’s face it… any blueline that can sport Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm is in pretty good shape, count in the contributions of a Yannick Weber and a Matt Irwin and the return of Bitetto… the blueline will be just fine. Consistency on offense will be the need to be fulfilled… forwards are the top six point getters on the team thus far, Filip Forsberg is on a scoring tear, Colin Wilson seems to be heating up and James Neal is dangerous every time he touches the puck... and I haven’t even mentioned to contributions of Viktor Arvidsson.
Losing Subban sucks, no question about it… but it is NOT the death knell for this franchise’s playoff hopes in 2017. Over the next three weeks, the Predators have 10 games… 3 at home and seven on the road. Considering that the team is on a three game road winning streak, being on the road may be a good thing, so let’s take a look at January…
The team starts with a game that has been circled on the calendar since the schedule came out, the team opens 2017 against Montreal. A matchup that originally was going to be a showdown between two franchise players traded for each other now becomes the welcome home for Shea Weber… which is exactly what it should be. Weber was an integral part of this team and he will be recognized as such without the distraction of comparison.
After the game against the Habs, Nashville hits the road for their normal back-to-back in Florida against the Lightning and Panthers, then to Chicago for a divisional matchup with the Hawks. Keeping their recent road success going will be a critical observation point during the entire month.
After those three, it’s back home for two against Vancouver and Boston before heading out on the second five game roadie of the Preds season, going to Colorado, western Canada and finishing in Minnesota. The team is home for two, Buffalo and the ridiculously red hot Columbus Blue Jackets right before All-Star weekend, then the Preds hit the road to finish the month in Pittsburgh. February awaits with 13 games, nine of them at home.
Game time tomorrow night is 7pm, very limited tickets remain and the Montreal media crush has already begun.
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Random Notes
- It seems another Chicago writer has his panties in a twist over the Predator’s ticketing policy… seems to happen every time the “GREAT, POWERFUL, BY-GOSH WE HAVE THREE CUPS IN SIX SEASONS AND YOU WILL BOW DOWN TO US AND LET US DO WHATEVER WE WISH OR WE WILL HOLD OUR BREATH UNTIL WE TURN BLUE” Chicago bandwagon comes to town. Sheesh, us poor little Nashville folks seem to have set up shop in these writer’s heads…
- Check out Pete Weber’s outstanding blog on the Predators website on Shea Weber…
- Today’s Winter Classic has a tough act to follow… yesterday’s Centennial Classic was a great game… OK, a great third period and OT
- The Columbus Blue Jackets keep on rolling… 15 straight and counting…
- Three games in the NHL today, all times CST – Noon – CHI @ STL. 6pm – BOS @ NJD. 9pm – COL @ VAN.
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Tweets by @PredPAPaul
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