Preds 2023-24 Roster Breakdown: Left Defense

Training Camp is just over a month away, and a new season of Preds hockey is right around the corner.

As General Manager Barry Trotz enters his first season at the helm and Head Coach Andrew Brunette enters his first behind the bench, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2023-24 Nashville Predators.

The 2023 NHL trade deadline in March created a domino effect for the Preds, setting off a series of roster moves that spilled into the offseason. The result? A team that looks very different than it did this time last year. This year's training camp will serve as a clean slate of sorts for Trotz and the coaching staff, as well as for the players competing for the substantial number of roster spots that are still very much up for grabs.

Roster construction can be like a game of Tetris, maddeningly complex with a seemingly infinite number of potential moves. Add in the details of contracts and waivers, and the process becomes infinitely more complicated. While no one - no, not even the Predators front office - knows for certain what the rosters for the Predators and their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee will look like on Opening Night, we can begin to break the roster down and examine the options at each position on the ice.

We're breaking down the Predators roster from the crease out, so let's move now to the blueline. Here's a look at the left side of Nashville's defensive core in 2023-24:

DEFENSEMEN WHO SKATED IN NHL GAMES IN 2022-23 (LEFT SIDE)

Roman Josi

It's safe to say the captain is a lock to anchor the top defensive pair, as well as the top power-play unit. While traditionally a left-side defenseman, Josi spent much of last season playing on the right side - though his dynamic play is rarely confined to a singular side of the ice, anyway. One of the top offensive defensemen in the League, Josi recorded 59 points (18g-41a) in 67 games before an injury sidelined him for the latter part of the 2022-23 season.

Ryan McDonagh

When the Preds lost Josi to injury after trading some of their key veterans at the 2023 trade deadline, McDonagh's experience on the blueline and in the locker room became even more valuable for the suddenly-young team. With McDonagh's shutdown ability stabilizing the defense, he has proven to be a tremendous complement to a more offensive-minded blueliner like Josi or Tyson Barrie who can spark the offensive attack on the back end.

Jeremy Lauzon

Lauzon is a right-shot defenseman who may see time on the left side of the Predators' blueline this season. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound defenseman brings tremendous physical force, as well as an offensive upside that we saw flashes of in 2022-23. He dished out 250 hits in 2022-23, good for ninth in the NHL, making him a logical candidate to replace Mark Borowiecki as Nashville's most physical defenseman on the third pairing.

Kevin Gravel

Gravel appeared in 23 games with Nashville last season, registering an assist on Feb. 19 at Minnesota while adding 36 blocked shots and 23 hits. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound blueliner also played in 49 regular-season games for the Admirals in 2022-23, recording 13 points (2g-11a) and a +7 rating. He has significant NHL experience but is not exempt from waivers.

Roland McKeown

McKeown appeared in six games for the Predators last season, averaging 12:59 of ice time with six blocked shots and four hits. He also had 22 points (6g-16a) in 60 games with Milwaukee, as well as a +9 rating. Like Gravel, McKeown is entering the second and final year of his two-way contract with Nashville and is not waivers exempt.

DEFENSIVE PROSPECTS (LEFT SIDE)

Marc Del Gaizo

Del Gaizo has spent the last two seasons in Milwaukee and is entering the third and final year of the entry level contract he signed with Nashville in 2021. The 23-year-old placed second among the Admirals' lineup in points (12) and shots (36) during his second trip to the Calder Cup Playoffs last season. He has yet to make his NHL debut, but 2023-24 could be his year if Trotz and company want to see him play in Preds gold while he is still waivers exempt.

Adam Wilsby

Wilsby is entering the second and final year of his contract with the Predators. Like Del Gaizo, he will be waivers exempt for one more season before reaching restricted free agent status. In his second taste of postseason action, Wilsby had tallied eight points (2g-6a) and placed third among the Ads' lineup with a +4 rating in the 2022-23 Calder Cup Playoffs.

SEE ALSO

Preds 2023-24 Roster Breakdown: Goaltenders