Monday morning quarterbacks…
Armchair GM’s……
One of my favorite things to do, especially in the off season, is to speculate about my teams and the direction they are headed. For the Predators, it has been an off-season that to many has looked similar to the fire sale of 2007. Many fans are left wondering, questioning, and “gnash”ing their teeth about what plans the Predators have with improving the team from where we were last season; a season that saw immeasurable progress in the face of adversity (injuries, weak powerplay, rookie call-ups). The Predators enjoyed the best post-season to date by advancing to the second round of the playoffs and playing a hard fought series against the eventual Western Conference Champions.
But what happens now?
The reasoning behind the title of this article is that throughout the blogs and media surrounding the Nashville Predators, I have come across two separate camps regarding the off-season and what Poile has and hasn’t done. The first camp is the “wait and see” or the “In Poile We Trust” contingent.
In their eyes, which tend to veer towards the objectivity of the situation, they appreciate the time and effort Poile puts forward, his lack of knee-jerk reactions and his “patience is a virtue” approach that has landed him the GM of the year nomination since the inception of the award. They have seen Poile pull diamonds out of the rough and catch lightning in a bottle on numerous occasions. One need look no further than the additions of Paul Kariya, Joel Ward, Shane O’Brien, J.P.Dumont, Marcel Goc, and Sergei Kostitsyn, the only sad part being only one of these players still holds a roster spot on the Predators. Poile has been in charge of managing teams for a long time and his building process of doing the most with what little resources the Predators have is a testament to his work ethic, scouting abilities, and staff. (Sounds similar to a certain Jack Adams nominated coach that dons the blue and yellow)
Now, the other camp tends to be on the subjective side and have a keen, but sometimes myopic view of Poile and Co. and what they have done with the Predators since season’s end. This crowd tends to view things in the negative, and I hate to call it, come off as the “Chicken Little” approach to looking at the situation. Not always is it doom and gloom, but this side does tend to lean towards a Pace Picante commercial (“Get a Rope”) They will admit to themselves and most everyone they talk to that they are being realistic, and that is fine. Most times, I can see their point of view after I doff my Pred-colored glasses and look back at our summer from a realistic viewpoint.
But…isn’t it possible to be both? Isn’t it possible to hope for the best and prepare for the worst? Is it possible to be silly within reason? (I know…quite the oxymoron) So, for my discussion with the class, I would like to post my top five free agents available that I wouldn’t mind seeing Poile go after. I have come to grips that not much will be available from teams walking away from RFA’s, so this is strictly the “lightning in a bottle” and “needle in a haystack” that Poile and Co. have to delve through to maybe add some insurance for injury or veteran presence to help mold the many rookies that will be gracing our roster this year…
#5 Sergei Samsonov LW: 2010-2011 - 13G, 27A, 40P, +/- -2
Not bad in the numbers department. Looks like the kind of player that would embody “Predators Hockey” but might have too many guys on the team just like him, i.e. Spaling, Legwand, Bergfors. The Predators need something more, but Samsonov is worth looking into.
#4 Anton Stralman D: 2010-2011 – 1G, 17A, 18P, +/- -11
As I’ve stated previously, the +/- does stick out like a sore thumb, but he was playing on a defensively anemic Blue Jacket team and didn’t get much help. I think he would be the perfect compliment for Klein now that O’Brien has left. Plus, he’s a righty and that’s a rare thing to have on the blueline. Needless to say, he could keep the puck in the offensive zone covering the point, and from what I’ve seen, he has a nasty slapshot.
#3 Chris Campoli D: 2010-2011 – 4G, 17A, 21P, +/- 0
Probably had easier minutes in Chicago, but his numbers between the Senators (who lack defense in the worst way) and the Blackhawks are decent. Plus, since Chicago backed out on him, he could probably be picked up for cheap. He’s still young and probably looking to prove himself for a bigger payday. Not a bad chance to take.
#2 Bryan McCabe D: 2010-2011 – 7G, 21A, 28P, +/- +2
A leader of veterans, a man amongst boys. Personally, I wouldn’t want his leadership to interfere with Weber’s but McCabe is a consummate professional. His numbers speak clearly and he could be a great second PP unit D-man molding either Blum or eventually Ryan Ellis into a dangerous tandem on the man advantage. McCabe shouldn’t get the huge contract that he attained in the past. I would try to lock him in for 2yrs at $2M per since his age may be a factor against him.
#1 Nikolay Zherdev RW: 2010-2011 – 16G, 6A, 22P, +/- +5
And finally, the player I’ve been screaming for much to the chagrin of many, Nikolay Zherdev. He is a pure scorer, plain and simple. Downside, he is known to be a head case and a locker room cancer. Heard similar rumblings about Kostitsyn last year and that worked out pretty well. Most have stated in derision to Zherdev that he plays zero defense, but his Corsi ratings and +/- tell a different story (BTW, he also played primarily on the 3rd and 4th lines and still put up these numbers). Bottom line, it would be a cost effective move to bring him in with a ton of upside. The only question is whether or not Trotz can corral his shenanigans and off-ice demeanor into a pure scoring threat for the Nashville Predators.
There you have it. Speculate away. I am interested in seeing your top 5 free agents that could move the Predators into a more advantageous position for the start of training camp and the 2011-2012 season.
You’re not biased at all are you?
Personally, I think myopia can go both ways. The “In Poile We Trust” contingent whom I like to refer to as Predators Pollyannas, sometimes refuse to see what’s right in front of their noses. Poile doesn’t always do what’s best for the team, as evidenced by the fact that he didn’t acquire any help at the trade deadline a few years ago despite his team captain asking for it. We missed the playoffs that year. The waiver wire that year had names like Miroslav Satan and Jussi Jokinen on it. Think either of them could have helped? The funny thing is, Preds fans were pleading for the Jokinen acquisition. All he did was become a catalyst for the Hurricanes once he was picked up by them. We missed out and it wasn’t necessary.
I also believe that a large group on both sides of the aisle are in “wait and see” mode, not just the IPWT contingent. I personally am underwhelmed by Poile’s offseason, but I have to feel that he has something more planned than just putting a bunch of rookies on the ice. However, I’ve seen this act before.
He had a similar summer a few years ago. I posted my discontent and was roundly criticized for it despite the fact that I was using quotes from Poile and Trotz to support my position that Poile was done with his offseason moves. I was proven to be absolutely correct that year and didn’t mind linking to that preseason post once we hit dead last place in the conference that December. It wasn’t until the new year that the Preds turned things around and we made the playoffs on the last day of the season.
We had vets filling the holes back then. If we have rookies filling them this time then I don’t have a lot of hope for a second half resurrection. That is IF Poile continues on the path that he seems content to navigate at this point. He’s absolutely giddy about the kids in the system. That’s all good and well, but the timing couldn’t be worse.
The Preds have a real opportunity to make some serious inroads in the Nashville market and I’d hate to see them blow it by forcing a bunch of newbies on the ice that will have a hard time adjusting to the league and each other.
Is that being a Chicken Little or is it being realistic and noting an existing and very real history behind this club?
Whatever others decide, I don’t mind calling a spade a spade and have no problems with others doing so. I have more of a problem with those who reside in some sort of Predators Hockey Shangri-la where Poile is never wrong, Trotz is the best coach on the planet and everything is peaches and cream in Smashville.
Certainly it may become peaches and cream, and I have a feeling Poile’s going to do something good for this team before the season starts, but I will never be a card carrying member of the In Poile We Trust club. The sky’s not falling for me, but it is still blue in my world.
Your last line sums it up quite nicely. I’m more or less in the middle. I am excited at the proposition of our rookies stepping up and realizing their full potential. At some point all Datsyuk’s, Kesler’s and Stamkos’ have to be forced into some sort of production, and I would be happy to eat crow if Poile’s plan to go fully with the newbies turns out to be the best thing for Predators hockey. But, the flip side is like you have stated…what if they fall on their face and we lose all that momentum we had from last season? It’s a risky call and I keep hoping for Poile to lock up some insurance like Stralman or Samsonov just in case we get hit by the injury bug that finds it’s way to Smashville all too often (maybe more so since we don’t have anybody to police the other team and keep them from cheap shots against our top offensive lines…looking at you Brouwer) Especially now with the news of Bouillon, the what ifs are multiplied. What if Klein goes down to injury? Or God forbid Weber or Suter? Then you have 4 rookies on defense and as good as Pekka is, he can’t win them all without at least a moderate defense in front of him. It’s a case of too much, too soon and a risky gamble. Fingers crossed Poile still has something up his sleeves cause other than Detroit, the rest of our division is looking better and better where we may have taken a half-step backwards. Thanks for reading, D, and expressing your concerns.
BTW, who that is available would you like Poile to go after or possibly trade for?
I honestly don’t know. I don’t think we need a superstar, but I do think we need a proven talent. I still think letting Sully go was a HUGE mistake.
Btw, I was critical of Poile after the trade deadline, but I immediately owned up to the fact that I was wrong after seeing how Geoffrion and Blum basically put the team on their backs for a few critical games and helped get them into the playoffs. So I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong either.
That being said, the Datsyuk’s, Kesler’s and Stamkos’ haven’t been forced into lineups featuring several rookies. There is a team that has a ton of young talent and decided to put them all on the ice together though. Edmonton.
Point taken. Edmonton…yikes….but in a year or so will be a tough competitor if they can get some goaltending….and defense
I see what you’re saying & I understand. Yes im more of a doom & gloom kind of guy if you will, but I still hold the Hope that we can pull it off,cause i am a true preds fan. But I think that as long as we have been a team here & all that the team has done we should not be a team that says in poile we truest, or I hope we dont suck this year. No we should feel confident that we are gonna kick some ass & make it far in the playoffs. But thats not the case…not for any of us. THAT my friend is what ticks me off more than anything. We are or should be a mature team,why can’t we act like it.It’s fun to be the underdog for a time, but that time was over last season. We got a taste at what it was like to be taken as a serious team in the NHL, & you know what? It felt good. As you know I’m a Blackhawks fan, Preds fans have no idea what it feels like to win that cup, or to have a team that you feel JUST that confident in. Once again, it feels good, & I want that for my Preds! Its past our time. Poile needs to just spend the money we STILL have in the cap on an amazing scoring machine.
Truer words were never spoken. The only time I was ever close to being confident in the Preds was the season before the fire sale. We were kicking ass and no one could stop us except for the Turquoise and Black in the playoffs. The move to get a player like Kariya was the impetus for us being that confident team. That’s the kind of move Poile needs to make. Sure, give the young guys some playing time, but we need a top tier scorer and a decent vet defenseman right about now, especially before training camp so they can gel with our team. I’m not the biggest fan of trade deadline acquisitions (i.e. Forsberg). Rental players take too long to build chemistry and we end up losing more than what we gained.
You hit the nail on the head. WE NEED CONFIDENCE. And what Poile has done or more to the point not done over the summer is slowing eating away that confidence from the team, the staff, and the fans. We have been clamoring for a scorer for years and it still hasn’t been addressed and once again the Preds are in need of serious scoring help.
Make the move, Poile, and make it one that I can look back on as a game changer for the Preds, but in a good way.
I’m still crossing my fingers that Radulov returns! I’ve been crossing my fingers for three years now, but I still hold out hope.
Think of the forwards on the roster and ask yourself if they’ll be better, worse, or the same this year.
I think there’s still more upside to: Wilson, Koistitsyn, Geoffrion, Bergfors, O’Reilly, Spaling, and Halischuck. I think we can expect more of the same from Fisher, Legwand, Erat, Hornqvist, Tootoo, and Smithson.
It’s gonna be okay. We’ll score by committee just like the last two seasons. I’d prefer a top scoring threat too, but this is still a playoff bound team.
By the way, I’m a bit giddy myself over Ellis, Josi, Beck, Latta, Budish, and Borque.
If we did go the route of picking up a free agent or two, I’d agree with Zherdev and Stralman. McCabe would be nice, but I don’t see Poile doing it.
There are actually a ton of UFA defensemen still out there: Staios, Rivet, Eminger, Boynton, Mara, Sopel, Hannan, and more.
I looked over the other UFA defensemen and wasn’t as impressed with their numbers. I’m giddy about the rookie defensemen we have, but not throwing them to the lions quite yet.
I am, however, ecstatic about the odds of Craig Smith coming onto the roster at some point this year. They are talking him up something fierce, and maybe he will be our Jeff Skinner and come out of the gates like a wild bull. Time will tell. If you haven’t figured out yet, I’m kinda the “wait and see” guy. I don’t think Poile’s done yet, and I’m interested to see what happens. Drop the puck already, can’t wait til training camp so I can see them all for myself.
I think that Predaceous makes a good point that its not only those who “trust in Poile” are willing to wait. As I see it, there are probably more than two groups, here. There are some fans who do completely trust Poile’s judgment overall, or who believe that if the coaches and management are willing to rely on a younger player, that they must have a good reason to do so. There are others at the opposite end of the spectrum who think not only that Poile screwed up royally this year, but also that his patient and defense-first philosophies have run their course in Nashville and that he and Trotz can’t take this team to a higher level. I think that these two camps are in the minority among Preds fans.
Most people are in the middle, “wait and see” category. These are people who see a need that hasn’t been addressed publicly and are either hoping Poile can bring someone in later this summer or very early next season or are skeptical that Poile can/will pull this off but are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Either way, they are less panicked at the lack of news than the “Get a Rope” crowd but still a bit worried about the upcoming season.
I’d like to point out that everyone of these views can look back at Preds history to boost their case. None of them have to be irrational or silly. That has more to do with personality than anything else.