Three games left. That’s it. Last week of the regular season and we still have no idea who this Nashville Predators team is. It’s kind of impressive, really. The Predators have played 79 out of 82 games and we honestly have no idea what to expect out of them night in and night out. They can come out and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins one night 3-1 and look pretty good while doing it and then follow that up the very next night and fall flat on their face and lose 5-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
There’s a lot at stake over the last three games. Winnipeg and St. Louis have finally caught up to the Preds both in games played and in points. Yep, there’s a three way tie atop the Central. The Preds, Jets, and Blues all have 94 points with 79 games played. Nashville could end up winning the division or falling to third place and losing home ice advantage in the first round. These next three games are huge. The Preds better be ready to play.
ARVIDSSON SETTING RECORDS
Viktor Arvidsson is a one man scoring machine right now. In just 55 games played, he has 33 goals, tying a franchise record for goals scored in a season. I want to say it’s a safe bet he’ll get at least one goal before the season ends, but I don’t want to jinx it. I said this the other night, but if Arvidsson had not been injured and missed the amount of games that he did, I believe he had a legit shot at scoring 50 this year. It would have been tough, but he’d be right on the edge. Here’s hoping we see a franchise record set this week.
WATSON RETURNING
Nashville will be getting a boost to their lineup for the playoffs with the return of Austin Watson. He is done with his conditioning stint in Milwaukee and is set to return to the Preds’ lineup. There’s a lot going on with Watson and I’ve talked plenty about it on the Talking Preds podcast, but for now, it’s good just to see him healthy and getting his life back on track. He made some pretty big mistakes and hopefully he’s put all of those behind him. Hopefully he can inject some life into the Predators.
TWO NHL DEBUTS THIS PAST WEEK
The Predators also have two prospects make their long-awaited debuts this week. Rem Pitlick signed his entry level deal and cracked the lineup against Minnesota on Monday night. I thought he looked OK out there. I noticed a few really nice passes, but he also made a rookie mistake or two. Overall, strong debut for the forward. Not to be outdone, Dante Fabbro made his debut on Saturday night at home against the Blue Jackets. I liked what a saw from Fabbro. He did get his skates crossed up, which led to a Columbus breakaway goal, but that happens. He had a couple shots on goals and a few hits as well. Even if we don’t see either player again this season, it’s nice to get them in the system and at least practicing with the Predators for the remainder of the season.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Three games this week then it’s on to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Predators could really use a strong finish to build some momentum. Tonight, the Preds will head up to Buffalo to face-off with the Sabres. Thursday night it’s back home for a game with the Canucks, and Saturday night we will wrap up the regular season at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. All three winnable games, but can you really say that with the Preds this year? All I know is after this, the real season begins and all bets are off.
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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