Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Posted on 9/30/2017.

Nashville Predators Line 1 Forwards

Nashville Predators Line 2 Forwards

Nashville Predators Line 3 Forwards

Nashville Predators Line 4 Forwards

Nashville Predators Forwards Review: Nashville has an excellent top line with Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Viktor Arvidsson. The thing that kept the Predators from winning the 2017 Stanley Cup was a lack of depth behind that top line. It didn't help that Johansen got injured before game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals as that really gave Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin an unfair advantage against Nashville's forwards.

Kevin Fiala, Nashville's 2014 first round pick is ready to be the break out player. Mike Bonino who is a solid reliable third line player, but a terrible second line player compliments Fiala on the second line giving Fiala a veteran to turn to for advice. Craig Smith can be an asset as well on the second line. This may not be the most talented second line in the NHL, but the chemistry will work with Bonino leading the way giving Fiala guidance while Smith remains in his line 2 right winger role.

Nashville's third line of forwards looks quite promising as well. Nashville lost line 3 center Colin Wilson, who proved he could be an asset on Nashville's top line in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals. Nashville still has Calle Jankrock who is capable of filling Wilson's role plus Nashville brought in line 2 left winger Scott Harnell to compliment Jankrock. You also got Pontus Aberg a 2012 second round pick who I had a first round grade on playing on this third line at right wing.

Austin Watson, Nashville's 2010 first round pick gets to play a full season in the NHL on Nashville's fourth line now. Frederick Gaudreau had both game-winning goals in games 3 and 4 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals in Nashville. Colton Sissons is the veteran player on the Predators' fourth line.

Nashville is a lot deeper on the back 6 then they have been in previous years. Nashville was 11th in goals scored and 16th on the power play in 2016-2017. With this roster at full health they could realistically be a top 10 team in goals scored and a top 15 team on the power play.

Nashville Predators Defensive Lines

Nashville Predators Defensemen Review I love this defense when it is completely healthy. This defense forced Pittsburgh to game 6 with some critical home wins and hard hits in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals.

Roman Josi stepped up without Shea Weber and got named team captain. P.K. Subban compliments Josi well. How that first line plays early in the year will dictate where Nashville ends up?

Line 2 defensemen Ryan Ellis had offseason knee surgery on September 7. Ellis is expected to be out for 4-6 months and doctors have told Nashville to let him rest for the entire six moth period. Ellis will not play until January 2018 at the very earliest and may even be out until March 7, 2018. Ellis will be back for Nashville in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but this team needs to be completely healthy by that time with Ellis if they want to repeat as Western Conference Champions.

Mattias Ekholm anchored the third line two years ago. He got promoted to the second line following the Seth Jones trade to Columbus for Ryan Johhansen and showed a lot of promise. Now Ekholm is going to have to anchor the second line which is a big adjustment for Ekholm.

Alexei Emelin will anchor the third line when Ryan Ellis returns. For now he has to start out on the second line. Matt Irwin will still play on the third line. One player to keep an eye on is 2016 second round pick Samuel Girard who I actually mocked to Nashville in the second round my final 2016 NHL Mock Draft because Girard has impressed the Predators during the 2017 NHL Preseason.

Nashville grabs one of the top offensive defenseman in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Samuel Girard at 47. Girard is a top 40 talent who may fall to as far as 50 due to size while some think Girard has an outside shot at making the first round.

Samuel Girard had 10 goals, 64 assists, and 74 points in 67 games. Girard has 1 goal, 17 assists, and 18 points through 3 rounds of the 2016 QMJHL Playoffs in 16 games. Girard may only be 5-10 161 lbs. He plays with a ton of heart though and deserves to go in the first two rounds. Girard is a guy who could shoot up boards if he continues to impress.

That's the Girard writeup from my 2016 NHL Mock. He had 75 points with Shawinigan in 2016-2017 following the 2016 NHL Draft. He's also 5-10 like Ryan Ellis. Since he's impressing Nashville maybe they give him the first 10 games to show what he can do and if he struggles he gets sent back to Shawinigan where he can develop for one more year. Dante Fabbro, Nashville's 2016 first round pick still hasn't signed his contract and is focused on getting his education from Boston University.

I'm not saying Girard makes Nashville's final roster. I'm saying he is a player that may get called up and that he's someone on the radar.

Nashville ranked 15th in goals allowed and 15th in penalty killing. Nashville maintains these numbers, but doesn't improve defensively. This is mainly due the injury of Ryan Ellis.

Draft Utopia Between The Pipes Goalie Tracker

Starting Goalie

Backup Goalie

Nashville Predators Goaltender Review Pekka Rinne is an MVP caliber goalie when healthy. He turns 35-years-old in November and some believe he peaked. Jusse Saros had a better save percentage and goals against averge when filling in for Rinne. Rinne is 6-4 where Saros is only 5-10 so Saros doesn't have Rinne's frame even if he shows potential down the road.

Nashville Predators Prospect Pool: Nashville has defensemen Dante Fabbro and Samuel Girard from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Their first two draft picks from the 2016 NHL Draft are their top two prospects at the moment. They also drafted Elli Tolvanen at 30 and I had a top 15 grade on Tolvanen in the 2017 NHL Draft so clearly I believe Nashville got a huge steal with Tolvanen.

Nashville Predators 2017-2018 Prediction

Nashville has the talent to return to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals. Ryan Ellis being out until March and Pekka Rinne turning 35 are the two reasons why I think Nashville will ultimately falter. Let's take a look at the Central Division now since it only has 7 teams.

Minnesota seems stacked once again. Their owner has threatened to clean house if this team does not win the Presidents Trophy or reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Bruce Beaudreau is a great regular season coach, but he doesn't deliver in the playoffs. I really like Minnesota's team on paper from a talent standpoint so we'll give them the Presidents Trophy only to watch them choke in April again once the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs start.

The Nashville Predators are my 2 seed. Even without Ellis Nashville still has far more defensive talent then either one of the next two teams I ranked in this Division.

I think the other two playoff teams from this division are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars. Both of these teams are very strong on offense, but have terrible defenses. These teams have coaches who are great with defensive game plans in Joe Quenville and Ken Hitchcock returning to Dallas. I'll give Chicago the 3rd best record in the Central Division with Dallas as my highest ranked wild card team in the Western Conference.

The second wild card is going to go to the Los Angeles Kings of the Pacific Division even though I think both the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets will push the Kings for this wild card. With the Wild winning the Presidents Trophy that means the Kings are thier round one opponent while Dallas heads to Canada to take on the Oilers.

The odd man out unfortunately is the Colorado Avalanche. Despite a strong 2017 NHL Draft, this team is looking at trading Matt Duchene for a defenseman. They didn't hire a head coach like Darryl Sutter or Dan Bylsma and kept their incompetent coach who only won 20 games. This team also lacks depth on the blue line and has goalie issues as well making the Avalanche a bottom five team in the NHL even though this Colorado squad has a very bright future once their front office gets their shit together.

Ok so lets go through my Western Conference Playoff scenario to crown my Western Conference Champion. The Los Angeles Kings upset the Presidents Trophy winner the Minnesota Wild in the opening round because the Kings just have a way better track record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than the Wild. This Minnesota squad has the talent to beat Dallas in a 7 game series with home ice. I don't think they could beat the Kings though. Nashville defeats Chicago again because Nashville and Minnesota are really the two best teams in the Central Division and there is really no need to sugar coat this.

I told you in my Ducks Season Preview that I had Edmonton, Calgary, and Anaheim as my top 3 seeds. Dallas gets the wild card to play a top seeded Edmonton team and nothing changes. Edmonton still comes out on top in this side of the bracket by beating Dallas and Anaheim simply due to having home ice.

This means we get Nashville heading to Edmonton with Edmonton having home ice in the 2018 Western Conference Finals. In this scenario, I like the Oilers in 7 games and that's mainly due to the Oilers having more experience and getting home ice versus the defending Western Conference Champions. Defeating Nashville in 7 games of the 2018 Western Conference Finals with home ice will give the Oilers the jumpstart confidence to challenge the Eastern Conference Champion in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.

Click the link below to get information on Nashville's AHL partner, the Milwaukee Admirals.

Milwaukee Admirals