Let's face it, the Nashville Predators have had a rough offseason, to say the least. The losses of Ryan Suter, Alexander Radulov, Jordin Tootoo, Anders Lindback, and Andrei Kostitsyn are leaving many fans to believe that last year's fourth seed in the West will be cellar-dwellers in 2013.
Yes, Ryan Suter is gone, and Nashville has not signed a defenseman of any kind to replace him. Will Suter's loss hurt them? Of course it will. But will it hurt them as much as some people are saying it will?
No.
Ryan Suter is a great defenseman, probably top 25 in the league. However, I believe that his reputation as an elite defenseman has been skewed because, well, his defense partner was only the best defenseman in hockey: Shea Weber.
Weber, of course, is still on the team and will remain with them for 14 years after Nashville matched an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Any team with Shea Weber is a threat when on the power play. He's the idea power play quarterback, giving Nashville a reputation of being one of the league's top teams with a man advantage.
Not to mention, his size and strength cause him to be one of the ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Adam Rickert
2012-13 NHL Season: Why the Nashville Predators Are Still a Playoff Team
August 7th, 2012 by Adam Rickert Leave a reply »
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