3 questions facing Nashville Predators

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Nashville Predators.

1. How will the Predators score more goals this season?

Nashville finished 28th in goals (223) last season, then parted ways with two of its top-six forwards when it traded Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche and bought out the remaining three years of Matt Duchene's contract.

New coach Andrew Brunette, who replaced John Hynes, will bring a more offensive background. Brunette served as the Florida Panthers' interim coach for 75 games during the 2021-22 season, when they led the NHL with 337 goals and had a power-play success rate of 24.4 percent, tied with the Predators for fifth in the League. When Brunette was an associate coach with the New Jersey Devils last season, they finished tied for fourth in the NHL with 289 goals.

Brunette is also likely to bring his touch to the Nashville power play, which finished 27th in the League last season (17.6 percent).

The Predators should get an offensive boost with forward Filip Forsberg and defenseman Roman Josi having recovered from injuries. Forsberg's season ended Feb. 11 (upper body), and Josi's ended March 18 when he suffered a concussion.

Finally, the Predators added some consistent veteran production by signing center Ryan O'Reilly (four years) and forward Gustav Nyquist (two years).

2. Can the young centers continue to develop?

In signing O'Reilly, the Predators assured themselves of a veteran, first-line center. But a key to Nashville's hopes of improved offense is the continued development of centers, including Cody Glass, Tommy Novak and Juuso Parssinen. Each played a key role in helping the Predators remain in contention for a Stanley Cup Playoff berth through 80 games last season despite a roster that was depleted due to injuries.

Glass, 24, who was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round (No. 6) of the 2017 NHL Draft, had an NHL career-high 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 72 games for Nashville last season. Novak, 26, had only played 27 NHL games before last season. But after getting promoted from the AHL last December, he had 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 51 games for the Predators. Parssinen, 22, arrived ahead of schedule in the NHL last November and had 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in 45 games despite missing about six weeks with an upper-body injury.

3. Will the Predators consider trading Juuse Saros?

This was a question raised at times last season, especially when the Predators became sellers leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline. Saros, 28, is considered by many as one of the League's top goalies. He finished fourth last season in voting for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goalie in the NHL, after finishing third in 2021-22 and sixth in 2020-21. Saros is under contract for $5 million in each of the next two seasons.

It would be hard to imagine trading Saros if the Predators are in the playoff mix. Another factor would be the progress of goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, their first-round selection (No. 11) in the 2020 NHL Draft. If there are definitive signs that Askarov looks like the goalie of the future, Nashville might be more inclined to see what assets it could get for Saros.