The Nashville Predators were widely expected to miss the playoffs in 2023-24. And in the early going, it looked like fans in Smashville would only be watching hockey until the beginning of April next year. But there's a reason every team plays 82 games, and the Preds went on a tear in the latter half of November, turning an abysmal 5-10 record on Nov. 15 into a very respectable 11-11 one as of Friday.
Although a .500 record isn't ideal, it certainly is not bad considering Nashville's circumstances, and how the season began. This is a club that was expected to quickly fade away in the Central Division in 2023-24, with a significant lack of talent offensively. But that just hasn't been the case; the Preds are just two points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference.
A huge part of the club's recent success has been the top line of longtime Pred Filip Forsberg, along with two great free agents in Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.
Forsberg-O'Reilly-Nyquist emerging into an elite top line
Juuse Saros is one of the best goaltenders in the world, and he's been fantastic over the last few weeks. But besides him (and perennial star defenseman Roman Josi), the top line has been the biggest part of the club's recent hot streak. Ryan O'Reilly was signed to a four-year, $18 million deal over the summer, and has been electric in Tennessee. He's accounted for 10 goals and 19 points in 22 games, good enough for second in team scoring. He looks like a bonafide 1C and has been instrumental to Nashville's recent success.
It's been a similar story with Nyquist, who was inked to a two-year, $6.3 million contact of his own by Barry Trotz on Jul. 1. After a slow start, the 34-year-old has been red-hot with his new linemates, to the tune of 16 points of his own through 22 contests. He's on pace for his best season since putting up 49 in 62 in his final campaign with the Detroit Red Wings in 2018-19.
But, like usual, it has been longtime Predator Filip Forsberg driving the bus. The former No. 11 overall pick, who was limited to just 50 games last season but still scored 42 points, is looking poised to shatter his career-highs across the board. The Swedish phenom is snapping in 2023-24, registering 12 goals and 27 points in 22 games and looking like a true superstar this year.
With Josi leading from the back end and Saros continuing to play great hockey between the pipes, the Forsberg-O'Reilly-Nyquist combination has been the catalyst to a six-game winning streak that saw the Preds down the Blackhawks, Avalanche, Flames, Blues, Jets and Penguins, in that order. Although they were run out of the building by the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night, there is increased belief that this team can hang around the playoff picture all season long.
To do that, Trotz should look to add another scoring forward to a team that is averaging 3.23 goals per game, which is middle of the pack (15th) in the NHL. One intriguing option is San Jose Sharks winger Anthony Duclair.
Anthony Duclair could provide key middle-six scoring
Besides the Preds' top line, there isn't too more more offense to go around. Luke Evangelista has added 13 points in 21 games, Colton Sissons has 10 in 22, and Tommy Novak was looking fantastic — to the tune of 12 points in 14 games — before suffering a disappointing upper-body injury earlier in November that will cost him 4-6 weeks on the shelf.
As currently constructed, Nashville's second line consists of Evangelista, Juuso Parssinen at center, and Kiefer Sherwood on the left wing. That is certainly not up to par for a team that wants to be a playoff contender, and Anthony Duclair could slot in on either one of those wings, or on the third line with Sissons.
“Two years removed from a 31-goal season, Duclair has understandably been slowed by the torn Achilles tendon he had surgically repaired last year in Florida,” wrote The Athletic's Chris Johnston, placing the forward at No. 13 on his first trade board of the season. “Still, he’s playing on an expiring contract carrying a reasonable cap hit and looks like a promising buy-low candidate from a Sharks team that is hungry to add more future assets.”
Duclair provided important secondary scoring for the Florida Panthers in their run to the Stanley Cup Final during the 2023 postseason, and it already looks like he badly needs a change of scenery. The Sharks have basically gotten rid of all of their assets, and Duclair will almost certainly be traded before the NHL Trade Deadline.
With just five points in 20 games, the Canadian is not having a great year. But a big part of that is the team he's playing on, and a change of scenery should do the 28-year-old some good. He would also add speed to a Predators team that could definitely get faster in 2023-24.
Like most teams on the bubble, it's going to take some time to determine whether the Nashville Predators are legitimate playoff contenders, or bound to fade into insignificance as the year goes along. If it ends up being the former, Barry Trotz should at least pick up the phone and inquire about the speedy winger.
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