Oof. What started out to be a promising week turned out to be a nightmare for the Nashville Predators. Things were looking good after a 7-2 beatdown of the Washington Capitals, but that would be it for the week. Back to back losses where the Preds came out flat and fell behind early has left the team and the fan base wondering – what’s going on right now? The team continues to play down to their competition, the power play is utterly useless right now, and you have to question how they can come out so flat against the Winnipeg Jets. There are two more games before the All-Star break, at Colorado and at Vegas. Hopefully they can get their heads right and pick up four points before the break.
JOHANSEN SUSPENDED
Ryan Johansen served the first of his two-game suspension Saturday night against the Florida Panthers. I still maintain that his high stick against Scheifele was unintentional, but you still have to maintain control of your stick at all times. I thought Joey might have gotten off with just a fine, but the Preds will have to accept the two game suspension. You saw just how valuable Johansen really is on Saturday night, with the offense in total disarray all night. One more game until he’s back.
POWERLESS PLAY
At some point, someone has to be held accountable for the Predators’ power play. Is it coaching? The players? Execution? Whatever it is, someone needs to figure it out quick. Currently, the PP is at 13.7% on the season. The franchise worst for a full season is 12.3%. That was the first year of the team’s existence, so we’re almost at an all-time low here. I noticed against the Panthers that they were not scared of the PP at all. It’s as if the entire league has figured out the Preds’ PP, because Florida was jumping every pass like they knew what was coming. The Preds better make some adjustments over the break.
ARVI STAYS HOT
It wasn’t all bad for the Preds this week. Viktor Arvidsson continues to light up the scoreboard. With four goals this week and a hat trick on Tuesday, he’s now tied with Filip Forsberg with 18 goals for the team lead. Not bad for a guy who has only had one good season.
THREE STARS OF THE WEEK
First Star – Viktor Arvidsson – As I just mentioned, four goals and a hat trick this week. Tied for the team lead in goals and on pace to reach the 40 goal mark. Arvi has been outstanding this week.
Second Star – Nick Bonino – Three goals and an assist for Bones this week. He’s quietly put together a very solid season for the Preds. He seems to have built a lot of chemistry with Watson and it’s paying off now.
Third Star –Rocco Grimaldi – This was a tough call mainly because no one else had a particularly noticeable week. I’m giving it to Rocco because I love him and he had a highlight reel goal against the Caps. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. Spin-O-Rama backhanded goal. It was a thing of beauty.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Only two more games before the NHL takes a break for the All-Star Game. After the week the Preds just had, the break may not be a bad thing. They’ll hit the road for a game against the Colorado Avalanche at a special 2:00 PM puck drop on Monday afternoon. I’ll be streaming the game through my phone while I’m pretending to work most likely. Then it’s off to Vegas on Wednesday night for a game against the Golden Knights. Hopefully the Preds can come out with a bit of fire and pick up four crucial points before the break.
Be sure to check out the Talking Preds Podcast. New episodes almost weekly. Be sure to follow along on Twitter and Facebook for live tweeting during the games along with something new we’re trying out. For certain games, I’ll be jumping on live during intermissions, pre-game, or post-game with thoughts on the game. Love to have some good hockey discussion so follow along and let me know what you guys think.
Herbie Brooks is the Lead Nashville Predators Analyst for SoBros Network. He knows three things: beating Commies, winning Gold Medals, and having great hair. Follow him on Twitter: @SoBroHerbie_B
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