So, Matt Halischuk and Chris Mueller have been sent back to Milwaukee his week, which leaves only Nick Spaling of the 2-way contract holders to be left in Nashville. So, that leaves the Predators in a bit of a pickle. A good pickle, yes, however a pickle nonetheless.
The problem? What in the world are we to do with the left over players we have?
When 100% healthy, The Predators have a total of 7 centers (this includes Nick Spaling), 2 Left Wingers, 8 Right Wingers, and 7 Defenseman. So let’s break it down and take a look at the Predators options as for who to scratch, waive, trade, etc.. Below, I’ll outline our keepers first, and then the questionable ones
We’ll start in the easiest category, Defensemen:
1. Shea Weber
2. Ryan Suter
3. Francis Bouillon
4. Cody Franson
5. Kevin Klein
6. Shane O’Brien
Scratched – Alexander Sulzer
I don’t see Poile trading Sulzer, even though he has a plethora of defensemen at his disposal. Another reason I don’t think Sulzer would be traded…what happens if another defenseman gets hurt down the road? Sulzer at least has 27 games (and counting) of experience so far with the big boys, which is more than any of the prospects can say. It would be a tough climb for any of the Admirals players to adjust themselves to the Stanley Cup Playoff race and the Playoffs themselves
Left/Right Wingers:
1. Patric Hornqvist
2. Martin Erat
3. Steve Sullivan
4. Sergei Kostitsyn
5. Marek Svatos
6. Jerred Smithson
7. Joel Ward
8. Jordin Tootoo
This one was pretty tough. The top 4 were guarantees. Hornqvist, Erat, Sullivan, and Kostitsyn will definitely play, no questions about it. However, there are SIX players left who are wingers that need a spot on this team.
The fairly easy ones to add to my list above were Marek Svatos and Jerred Smithson.
Svatos adds an offensive dimension to this team (when healthy) that is pretty much the same as Kostitsyn. The only reason he wasn’t in the top 4 is that he really hasn’t had a lot of time to break in with the Predators as he was picked up off of waivers mid-season and hurt just a few games later.
Smithson was another easy pick as well. You can’t even begin to speak about the Predators third rank Penalty Kill unit without first talking about the Preds #1 penalty killer, in my opinion. Without Smithson, we’d be hurting, there is no question about that.
Now, there were 4 left: Joel Ward, JP Dumont, Jordin Tootoo, and Wade Belak. I chose Joel and Jordin
Even though Ward has just been a shade of his last season’s self, he still plays hard on the boards and brings all those Nashville Predators intangibles that Barry Trotz asks of all his players. Ward may not be potting the goals he used to, but he’s still a hell of a penalty killer and one of the Predators “heart and soul” kind of guys. It’s really hard to get rid of players like that and NOT take time to recover (see: Scott Nichol, Vern Fiddler)
Jordin Tootoo. He IS, for all intents and purposes, THE Nashville Predator. Regardless of what anyone says about the man, he puts butts in the seats and he NEVER EVER takes a shift off (which is tons more I can say about some players on this team and some EX players like Jason Arnott). Tootoo hits who he feels like hitting, shoots the puck with a ton of force (Shea Weber-esque, but the accuracy is still coming along), and is turning into not only our primary fan favorite, but one hell of a player. Now that his substance abuse problems are becoming a thing of the past, the sky is the limit for him!
So, now, that leaves out JP and Wade.
Wade is the obvious scratch. He’s our “locker-room presence” and our “heavyweight” when we need him to be. So, his services aren’t going to be used often, but he’s there when we need him to be
Now we come to JP. JP is done with this team. He’s an outstanding member of the community and a hell of a good guy. But, the problem with JP is, he hasn’t been the same since Burrows trucked him last year. He may chip in points here and there, but he’s been relegated to the fourth line for nearly the whole season and can’t seem to muster only 17 points over the entire year. He seems to pass it at the wrong time too, which is my BIGGEST pet peeve with him. Case and point: Against the Flames, Dumont received the puck while out on the Powerplay when he was DEAD CENTER 3 feet in front of the goal. What did he do? He passed it to someone that WASN’T behind him. Dumont hasn’t had but 6 points since the start of 2011 and those all came in a stretch of 3 games (5 goals, 1 assist). If I were Poile, I would trade Dumont to a team who needs a forward and some type of veteran leadership.
Centers:
1. Mike Fisher
2. David Legwand
3. Marcel Goc
4. Matt Lombardi/Colin Wilson
This was the most difficult one. We have such an abundance of centerman right now, it’s tough not to think a trade isn’t coming. You have to think Mike Fisher, David Legwand, and Marcel Goc all have guaranteed their spots, however, there are 4 GREAT centers for our team that are fighting for the final centerman spot.
If healthy, this spot goes to Matt Lombardi. Lombardi, even though we only saw him for about 4 periods before he was hurt, still is THE FASTEST SKATER on this team and brings a load of playoff experience with him (40 games, 16 points). If he’s not healthy, the spot goes to Colin Wilson.
Colin Wilson brings everything that Jason Arnott brought to this team, except Wilson actually plays every shift and skates as hard as he can until it’s his turn off the ice (sorry to the Arnott fans out there, can’t help but to take pot shots of one of the LAZIEST players out there).
Now, the difficult part came down to O’Reilly and Spaling.
Unfortunately for Spaling, he’s on a two way contract and can be sent back to Milwaukee with no problems. He’s an AWESOME penalty killer, but when it comes to the last stretch and the playoffs, the Predators need as much offensive punch as they can muster. Without him, the team will do fine on the PK.
O’Reilly…wow…what to do here. He’s REALLY come on his own here this year, but breaking his leg came at the worst possible time for him. Before he broke his leg, he had gone 11 games without scoring a point, and then he went down. As much as I like his game this year, I think we can survive without him. I DON’T know if we’ll see Poile trade O’Reilly, even though he could get something good for him, but I do know that if Poile keeps him around, it definitely wouldn’t hurt.
So, that being said, here are my possible line combos:
WITHOUT LOMBARDI:
1st Line: Sullivan/Fisher/Hornqvist
2nd Line: Kostitsyn/Goc/Erat
3rd Line: Smithson/Wilson/Tootoo
4th Line: Svatos/Legwand/Ward
WITH LOMBARDI:
1st Line: Sullivan/Lombardi/Hornqvist
2nd Line: Kostitsyn/Goc/Erat
3rd Line: Smithson/Legwand/Tootoo
4th Line: Svatos/Fisher/Ward
Tough tough choices…but, who knows what will happen! Just the way I see things going.
Thanks for reading!
~KM
It is a problem if all come back healthy, but that’s a big “if”. We’re not going to see Lombardi this season, so that’s one player not to have to squeeze in.
Not sure if we’ll see Tootoo’s return at this point either, but that’s just wild speculation. No one knows what the deal with him really is and if they did, we’d never hear about it.
As for next season, there will be changes because the jam will be worse. Maybe we see a trade before the 28th?
Don’t forget – roster limits are off after the trade deadline passes, so teams can keep more than 23 if they wish. Still doesn’t change the 18-2 eligible game participants but it does offer a bit more flexibility.
I’ve wanted to do a write up on this as well. Assuming 100% are healthy, and what it looks like is kind of crazy. However I think relegating Fisher to the 4th line (You know how Trotz times the 4th Line) is a bit of a waste. He will pot points still, but not like he would at 2nd line minutes.
Now, that said, we have a huge offensive force out there. Yes, good problem to have. but who is the shut down line?
Seeing as how Lombardi will probably not be back, I’d go with this:
1st Line: Wilson/Fisher/Hornqvist
2nd Line: Kostitsyn/Goc/Erat
3rd Line: Sullivan/Legwand/Svatos
4th Line: Tootoo/Smithson/Ward
If Tootoo’s not back yet, have Spaling center Smithson and Ward.
HardCore approves these lines, as should Trotz
I’m with blueline. These are big ifs and even if some of the ifs actually if we’ll probably be past the deadline so it won’t matter as much.
Lombardi is not coming back.
O’Reilly isn’t expected to be healed back up until well after the deadline. And even if he gets healthy, he’s certainly not going to be in in-game shape so we’re talking a couple of more of weeks of getting ready. If the team is healthy and playing well at that point in the season it would make little sense to disrupt it by sitting somebody else for O’Reilly.
Tootoo is a huge question mark. Even if he comes back he might not come back as an every game player.
Svatos is also a question mark for me. I think the two headed monster looks at him as nothing more than a break glass in case of emergency type of player.
I’m also not a believer in the Dumont will sit thinking. Logically it makes sense and I think everybody expects and many want it, but Dumont has played 55 game this year, missing only one to injury. Trotz has put him on the bottom line and cut his minutes plenty, but despite having several chances to do so, he’s never sat him. I don’t know why but it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to go that far.
I also think we shouldn’t just skip over the defense. Bouillon is still out with his concussion. He could be just as done as Lombardi is. Do we really play down the stretch and into the playoffs with Sulzer in the top 6?
@Blueline: Wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a trade here in the next 2 weeks. Completely forgot about Aaron Johnson in Milwaukee for a D-man, but it would still take him time to get used to our system
@iamageek: Don’t want to put Fish on the 4th…but where else to put him? IF Lombardi comes back, he’s definitely 1st line material when he’s 100% healthy, so where else do you put him? Can’t mess up the other two lines chemistry
@Hardcore: See, I never place anyone on the third line except the grinders, it always seems like the place for them
@Lethargic: I personally agree on Lombardi, but the article is more about IF this team gets back to 100% healthy, and that is a big IF, yes. Cal and Marek will be back soon, no questions on that, but of those two players, I sit Cal and play Marek. Just personal choice. If Toots is cleared by the doctors, he gets a spot on my roster if I were picking the lines. I know Trotz won’t sit Dumont, it’s a shame, but he needs to just be scratched. As for D, I see what you mean. I don’t think Sulzer is a good fit for our top 6, Aaron Johnson may not be either, neither may anyone in Milwaukee…dare I say…move Belak to the blueline? I mean, in all seriousness, what would it hurt? He’s not the best forward, but wouldn’t do too bad on the blueline
he still plays hard on the boards and brings all those Nashville Predators intangibles that Barry Trotz asks of all his players.
*****************************************************************************
It’s interesting that you look at Ward this way. To me this has been one of the areas that he’s fallen off drastically. In fact, I was commenting just a couple of weeks ago that I was sick of seeing Ward bumped against the boards, lose the puck then give up on the play. It was a refreshing change of pace to see Fisher fight through those checks against the boards and continue to go after the puck .
Ward WAS a heart and soul type of guy. This year he’s basically Arnott without the goals.
As for the centers, Wilson hasn’t really played there this year, and he seems to be more effective as a winger. I wouldn’t move him off the wing. I’m also skeptical of taking Spaling out of the lineup, simply because our penalty kill is much better with him than without him.
I wish we could trade Erat and Dumont.
@Predacious: I definitely understand what you are talking about in terms of Ward, but in reality, the man plays hard night in and night out. I DO agree that his game has fallen off drastically, but I think it’s still there for the most part. I disagree when you say he’s “Arnott without the goals”, at least Joel skates up and down the ice every shift.
As for Wilson? He’s better as a center than he is winger. He’s extremely good on faceoffs and if we move him to a winger, that means there is another winger with out a place on the roster, not something I think Trotz wants (even if that means sending Spaling down).
As for Erat/Dumont. If there was an “Agree” button, I would have hit it by now
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Dumont is not going anywhere. He has a no movement clause in his contract, and he and his wife love Nashville. So as much as all of us want to be spared of his massively over-payed contract, we’re stuck with him. And as for scratching him, I just don’t see it happening.
And why do you say Wilson is better as a center? I’d agree that his pedigree is better as a center, but he hasn’t hardly even played center at the NHL level, and when he has, he hasn’t played as well as when he’s been a winger. So I definitely don’t see him going back to center this year, next year, maybe.
Lombardi isn’t coming back. Even if he does, it will be after the trade deadline when our roster size won’t matter. And I certainly wouldn’t demote Fisher to the 4th line just so Lombardi can have his spot back. The guy hasn’t played all year, so would be rusty as hell. Even when healthy, I’m not sure he’s better than Fisher. We’re talking about Lombardi here, not Datsyuk. Lol.
O’Reilly isn’t as close to coming back as you seem to think. He won’t be back until well after the trade deadline, so we really don’t have to worry about him.
@Jose:
Dumont – Nah, I know he has the NMC, however that’s something the may be willing to waive if he is able to get more ice time. Granted, he won’t, because you are right that he and his family absolutely love Nashville. We may be stuck with him yes, but scratching him? Definitely possible…
Wilson – His pedigree is being a center, yes, and I know he hasn’t played it much this year, but when he has, in my opinion, he’s played it well. My problem with Wilson is that if you keep him at winger, another winger that we need will lose his spot. If you move him to center, you at least have the necessary wingers there. But even at center, it’s still one hell of a logjam. All I’m saying is a lot of speculation, we won’t really know until mid-March what the finalities will be on the roster itself
Lombardi – Again, it’s still a big “IF” on Lombardi. The blog I wrote is all about the big “IF”. We all know he most likely won’t be back, but if he miraculously does and he’s at 100%, then where would YOU put Fisher? Because he IS a first line center and I sure as hell don’t want to mess up the chemistry of the KEG line or the Grinding line. That’s just my opinion though
O’Reilly – I still think 2-3 weeks. If I’m wrong, oh well, wouldn’t be the first time. And even if he’s back after the trade deadline, we still have to worry about him. I can see him going to Milwaukee for a conditioning stint, but I don’t know what else to do with him to be honest. But I think he’ll definitely be back by mid-March
O
Kris – we (I) need and want an edit feature on your site! Lol. And how did Lethargic conjure up an avatar? I’ve searched and there aintttttt no linkkkkk!
Blue, I don’t know how to do it either! HAHAHA! I feel so dumb, but I can’t even change it in the admin area…
It makes sense to have grinders on your third and fourth line, but with the glut of offensive (don’t giggle) logjam we would have, it makes sense to me to have Leggy, a defensively responsible center with Svatos, a scorer, and Sullivan a hard-playing and also offensive player. The grinding line then is the Smithson/Spaling/Ward line, therein lies your shutdown line. Fisher is too good to have floundering on the fourth line, and since the Predators especially in post-season are goal starved, Trotz should seriously think about rolling three offensive lines, all of which have defensively sound centers, and a fourth line for shutdown against the other teams top line. If the Preds and Trotz hockey are all about having each player defensively responsible, then prove it by rolling these lines and let these players work to score goals and keep the other team on their heels.
Just my $.02
If Lombardi and Fisher are both healthy we have more than enough talent to roll three offensive lines with one shutdown line. I don’t think Fisher would have to be on the 4th. The problem is that none of this will actually come to be until next season and there’s no telling who will still be here then.
And I don’t think, particularly on a Trotz team, that first center, second center, third center means anything. The lines will be juggled all game long and minutes will be determined by match-ups. David Legwand leads all forwards in ice time, but I doubt anybody would make the argument that he is our #1 center.
Also, I have fully convinced myself that Cal O’Reilly will be switching to wing next season. I have no proof, I just made it up and for some reason I’m trusting the source.
And you have to have a WordPress account for an avatar.
Got it. Guess I’ll keep the wonderfully bland, generic and anonymous WP silhouette. It’s a good likeness.
Lines from practice…
Kostitsyn/Fisher/Erat
Sullivan/Legwand/Hornqvist
Wilson/Goc/Ward
Smithson/Spaling/Dumont
Good thing you made this place. Paul’s blog is useless for us today. haha
Yeah, saw that HB was invaded, good write up by Paul, though, very inciteful.
Like inciting a riot.
“Fire” as HardCore yells into a packed movie theater.
Bear with me and I’ll respond back to you all, but work is kinda getting in the way, lol
@Lethargic, real quick, I’m trying to make it an active site for everyone
Always nice to have a daily hockey fix, eh? I’ll have a new article up later tonight
As for your lines? BOO ON TROTZ FOR MESSING UP THE KEG LINE! That makes me mad
On a side note, Fisher DID play good with Titsy-Rat, but I still would rather have Goc centering them. Put Leggy with Wilson/Ward and Fisher between Sully/Hornqvist
Fisher with Hornqvist? Didn’t we talk about this at the practice? That’s too many people going to stand in front of the net. But, for us, that might be a good thing.
Exactly my point
I’d like to see Wilson/Fisher/Hornqvist. That would have to be the most manliest line we’ve ever had. haha
That’s an “Old Spice” commercial waiting to happen.
The Matterhorn Line
BTW, is your avatar Kung Lao? or Punisher? Or Vampire Hunter D?
We need Wilson/Tootoo/Fisher on a line.
WTF
I’ll be here all week ladies and gentlemen
My avatar is Sinister Avenger. A superhero character I created and used in City of Heroes and Champions Online. I wanted a picture but didn’t want to pay somebody so I did it myself in MSPaint since I am such an artist.
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2637/sabig.jpg
Later on I let somebody else do it but it’s nowhere near as good as mine.
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5353/sinistersketch.jpg