The Nashville Predators made changes during the offseason to try and improve the team. Nashville's biggest changes had to do more with their decision-makers than the roster itself. Longtime general manager David Poile stepped aside and made way for Barry Trotz. And head coach John Hynes was fired in favor of Andrew Brunette.

So far, things could be better. Nashville is 5-10-0 to begin the 2023-24 NHL season. 15 games certainly isn't a major sample size, but at the same time, we aren't far from the first quarter mark of the season. The Predators have to turn things around if they want to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again.

Most of Nashville's usual suspects are leading the team. As are some of their offseason signings, such as Ryan O'Reilly. That said, there are a few Predators players that are playing better than expected. And there are key pieces that aren't holding their own right now. Let's take a look at which Nashville players are surprising and which are disappointing to this point of the season.

Nashville Predators forwards Luke Evangelista and Tommy Novak at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee

Luke Evangelista is playing well

One intriguing player on my radar heading into the season was Luke Evangelista. The 21-year-old Predators forward played well when he came to the NHL last year. He scored 15 points in 24 games for Nashville. Certainly not a bad output for a 20-year-old getting his first taste of big-time hockey.

This year, the Toronto native is picking up where he left off. Evangelista has just one goal so far, but he is near the top of the team's scoring leaders. He has eight assists, putting him in a three-way tie for second place in that regard.

The Predators made the 21-year-old a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The former London Knights star went on to dominate the Ontario Hockey League. He scored 55 goals and 111 points in 62 games as he captained the Knights.

Players have dominated in junior before and fizzled out in the NHL. So far, though, Evangelista has shown he can produce to some extent in the league. Whether this sort of pace is his peak certainly remains to be seen. That said, the Predators and their fans have to feel encouraged to see the young forward play so well early in his career.

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Juuse Saros must step up

Nashville is not the most skilled team in the league. That's not to say they aren't a skilled team, but they lack some of the higher-end skill other teams possess. As a result, they live and die by the players they do have who are rather highly skilled. And that's has shown this year now that goalie Juuse Saros is struggling.

Saros entered the league with some huge shoes to fill. The Predators had Pekka Rinne manning the goal for them before the 28-year-old Finnish puck-stopper stepped up. Rinne is a franchise icon and probably the greatest goalie the team has ever seen.

However, Saros has played incredibly well for a long time. He first got extended game time in 2016-17 and became the starter in 2018-19. His lowest save percentage is the .914 clip he recorded in 2019-20. Saros posted a career-high save percentage a year later with a .927 mark.

Saros has played at an elite level for the Predators. That's why his start to the 2023-24 season is remarkably disappointing. The 28-year-old has an .892 save percentage through his first 13 games this year.

Some of this can certainly be chalked up to defensive struggles in front of him. However, Saros has not helped himself by any means. He has looked shaky in goal, which is the last thing this team needs.

The Predators need Saros to turn things around, and soon. If he does, this team will be in much better shape moving forward as they battle their Western Conference foes for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.