3 questions facing Nashville Predators

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

1. Will Roman Josi be healthy?

When healthy, Josi, the Predators captain and their all-time leader among defensemen in games (962), goals (190), assists (534) and points (724), is one of the top players at his position. However, he was limited to 53 games and was diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome at the end of last season.

It is a condition where a change in posture from lying down to standing causes an abnormal increase in heart rate. Josi did not play after Feb. 25 and finished the season with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) but said he expects to be ready for training camp.

"Some stuff I'm still dealing with, but it's been really good," Josi said April 18. "I'm feeling better and better and have got a couple of months now to recover. … I think I've got some really good answers, which are really positive.

"Like I said, I'm progressing really well, and we've got a lot of time. I keep getting better and better. I'll definitely be playing when the season starts."

2. Who be the No. 2 center?

Ryan O'Reilly will again be the top-line center, but beyond that, it's anyone's guess.

Last season, Colton Sissons filled that role, but he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 for defenseman Nicolas Hague. Steven Stamkos can play center but spent most of last season at wing. That leaves Fedor Svechkov, who played 52 games as a rookie center with Nashville last season, Michael McCarron and Erik Haula as the likely options. McCarron and Haula most likely will anchor the bottom two lines so it could be on Svechkov, the 22-year-old who had 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) last season.

"If you look at it on paper, it's not a deep, deep center group. There's no question," general manager Barry Trotz said July 1. "… At the center ice position, you're going to have to be reliable and you're going to have to be strong defensively and committed to be on the right side of the pucks. You have to do it with what you have. I can't produce a top-line centerman this year anyway in free agency, so we still have to build this team. We didn't say we were going to build it overnight."

3. Can they bounce back from last season?

Nashville was one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup after signing Stamkos, forward and Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei in free agency last season. However, they began the season with five straight losses and never recovered, going 30-44-8, finishing 14th in the Western Conference.

They scored the second-fewest goals per game (2.59, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks at 2.54) and allowed the sixth most goals per game (3.34) and struggled to jell as a team.

"I think there was a lot of expectation, a lot of excitement, a lot of hope coming into this season and it certainly didn't pan out that way which, I think for everyone, was very disappointing," Stamkos said after the season. "You look at the core group of guys that are here and the seasons that all of us collectively had this year and we're hoping that it's a one-off and we can regroup this summer."