MINI BTP: Vision For The Division (Nashville Predators)

Brandon Mileski & Pat Micheletti continue their "Vision For The Division" Series on MINI BTP! In this episode, they preview the Nashville Predators.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey, welcome to another episode ofMini BTP Brandon Moleski and Pat mcletty.
When we do Mini BTP, it'sjust a shortened version and beyond the pod,
we only talk about one topic.And we're continuing our vision for the
division series as we lead up tothe twenty twenty twenty twenty four NHL season,
and we're going through the Central Division. We've already talked about the Chicago
Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes, and theSaint Louis Blues and Pats. Today,

(00:24):
the team we're talking about is theteam that took fifth in the Central Division
last season with ninety two points,just missed the playoffs by three points.
That would be your Nashville Predators.We previously talked about the Blues and kind
of being a team in transition,losing some of those guys that you think
of when you think of Blues hockeyand Nashville a little bit as well.
They have a new GM and BarryTrot their longtime head CO which is now
their general manager. Ryan Johansson wastraded to the Colorado Avalanche. Matt Duchane

(00:48):
bought out. He's now in Dallas, so they still have kind of that
defensive corps and the goalie corps,but movements and pieces around it forward.
Also, you know last season NinoNita Writer and macau Brandlin, both of
the Minnesota Wild players, were tradedbefore the trade deadline, so they've really
made a lot of changes to theirforward position. Yep. And a new
coach, our good friend, AndrewBurnett takes over in Nashville, formerly of

(01:12):
Florida, an associate head coach ofNew Jersey for the previous two years or
last year. I should say,you know another team in transition. You
mentioned the guys that they get ridof and they add Ryan O'Reilly. He's
their number one center. Is hea number one sentah anymore? I don't

(01:33):
know. They still have Philip Forsbergup for un who can score goals,
but uh, you know, definitelyyou look up the middle, Ryan O'Reilly,
Thomas Novak, former Gopher who emergedout of nowhere from Milwaukee where he
was and had a terrific year.Can he have the same type of year
or follow that up with what hedid a year ago? Cody Glass,

(01:59):
former number one pick of of theVegas Golden Knights who who didn't pan out
well there he has struggled in theNational Hockey League's He's going to be their
third line center. So you know, they're they're one of those teams.
You know, yes, a veterandcort, a good goaltender, They're they're

(02:19):
in the mix. They're they're kindof they're right there. But you know,
I still think in transition a littlebit. They got rid of a
lot of money and they kept alot of money. They're paying half of
Ryan Johansson's salary this year, SoI think they're a team on trying to
change a little bit. And soyou know, it's it's it's hard to

(02:43):
hard to put a gauge on onwhere they're gonna be. Let's talk about
maybe the pleasant surprise that Tommy Nobakwas. Yeah, because this is a
team that had a lot of injuriesup front, and yet had I kept
going throughout the season, I'm goingthey just don't have enough at the forward
position, like this team is goingto go away, and they just kind
of kept hanging around and playing well. And I think Novak was kind of

(03:04):
the biggest reason for it. Hekind of carried the team on his back
offensively seventeen goals and forty three pointsand fifty one games. I kept waiting
for that to end at some pointthat yeah, he can't keep going on
this pace, and he kept doingit. So maybe he's legitimate for real.
Brandon when when he was at theUniversity of Minnesota and you saw him
the way he handled the puck andthe and the patience that he had with

(03:27):
the puck, and he never gotflustered. Uh you know, when a
defender came on him, he wasbut but there was something like, okay,
continue it show us a little bitmore. And I think it took
him time in Milwaukee to learn howgood he could be. And uh,

(03:49):
you know, he's he's a reallyreally skilled player, really really smart player,
and you know, it was itwas nice to see him come to
Fruition last year, and you know, I'm sure Nashville certainly hopes that continues
this year. They did spend abunch of money and free agency this year.
He already mentioned. They signed RyanO'Reilly, got Gustaf ny Quest,

(04:12):
who we saw with Minnesota prior tothe trade deadline, and I thought he
was a pretty solid player, thoughnot necessarily maybe in the role he should
have been. But he'll get amuch bigger role there. He'll be a
top top six forward in Nashville,so he's gonna get every opportunity. And
then uh, Luke Schen a defensethem in the Minnesota. While they've always
been kind of rumored to be interestedin so three quality editions. Now they

(04:32):
lost some quality players as well,Pat, but bringing in three quality guys
there, well you look at youlook at their decort. You have the
best in the league. Well,one of the best. Roman you'll see,
Uh, you know, he's phenomenal. It's just a treat for all
of us to watch Luke Schen,big body. Ryan McDonough veteran, knows

(04:55):
how to play the game playoffs.They get Tyson Barry from Edmonton and you
never know with him the talent there, I said, you never know what's
him. You don't know because thetalent. Yeah, and he'll probably run
their power play or second power playwith with yoc there also so but but
he's got some good players to workwith around him though, right, Yeah,

(05:15):
it does a lot of time inEdmonton, he was kind of thought
to be, Hey, he's yournumber one defenseman. I feel like with
Yo C and mcdonnah and Shan likehe can get a little more freedom and
if he makes people to back themup now to be that guy, right,
yeah, and and and their goaltender, their goaltender is is is terrific.
So defensively, I think they'll befine. Although you know the way

(05:40):
Barry Trouts talks, he wants bequiet, he wants their team to be
more offensive. So you know,they certainly have it on the back end
with Barry and yo see uh andand so it'll come down to, you
know, will therefore ways be ableto produce and that they'll be the key
for them. Are they going tohave enough at the forward position to be
able to play that? That's agreat question, you know that. You

(06:02):
know, I mean, you've gotsome guys that are unproven. They get
the Garyanov kid, who you know, I remember Kyle Row telling me when
when when Garyanov was in the minors, he said, this kid's the best
player in the league. Uh,you know, in the American League by
far. He faltered in Dallas,he faltered in Montreal, and now he's

(06:23):
in Nashville and he's getting a chance. The guy can really skate, and
you know he's very very skilled,but he just hasn't done it at this
level, and so if they're goingto make the playoffs, it's guys like
that that are going to have tohave a good year. You know.
I think with their decor and theirgoaltending path, that they're not going to

(06:44):
be bad where they bottom out,right, Like, I think they'll be
in the mix in the Central Division. I kind of figure they'll be in
that four to six range in thedivision, and how their offense does might
make them closer to three four andif they can't score, they might be
closer to five to six in thedivision. Do you kind of evaluate the
National Predators where will they finish inthe Central Division this year? I agree,
I think they're going to be inthe mix with Minnesota, Winnipeg,

(07:06):
Uh, you know, Arizona aployment, you know who we talked about,
uh, and so you know they'llbe right there. I think, you
know, well, and we're goingto get to these teams. But you
know, I think Colorado and Dallasare certainly one two and then and then
you've got those other teams that arethat are fighting for a playoff spot.

(07:27):
That's right, We'll get to thosenext we get the Winnipeg Jets and maybe
we'll also do a Minnesota Wild versioncoming up here next week. Pat,
thank you as always for joining mefor a mini BTP. Have a great
date. Thanks all right. He'sPat mclety and Brandon Moleski. This has
been another mini BTP as we continueour vision for the Division series. We
will continue it next week with theWinnipeg Jets in the Minnesota Whild. If

(07:48):
you've missed any of our previous episodeswith Arizona, Chicago and Saint Louis,
you can listen to those right nowon the iHeart Radio app or wherever you
get your podcast. You can alsowatch them on the kf and YouTube channel.
Thanks for listening or watching. We'lltalk to you next week. Bye

(08:09):
m H.