10 NHL Teams To Watch This Season
5. Nashville Predators
An incredible season for the Predators fell just short in losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Final, but Nashville still have the pieces to challenge for another great year. The legions of fans who hopped aboard the Predators’ playoff bandwagon could be well-rewarded by sticking around.
Immediate thoughts are of the Predators’ dynamic and lucrative star defenseman PK Subban, but he’s not the only blue-liner worth mentioning here. Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis also provide top-notch scoring threats as shown by last season’s playoff campaign, and Matthias Ekholm is a rock at the back. In all, the Predators possess arguably the top defence in the entire league.
The coaching of Peter Laviolette provides the team with the structure and discipline to avoid the proverbial 'Cup Final hangover'. With veteran giant Pekka Rinne remaining in net, the Predators look set to ensure that the NFL's Titans aren’t the only team to watch in Tennessee.