Martel Mailbag: Are the Predators still one of the NHL's top-10 teams?
Welcome back for another edition of the Martel Mailbag here at FOX Sports Tennessee. This bi-weekly segment answers your questions, sent via email and Twitter, pertaining to the buzz surrounding the Nashville Predators.
If you want to submit your question, please feel free to contact me with your thoughts and maybe you'll see your question posted in the near future. Let's get started:
Do you still think the Predators are a top 10 team in the NHL?
-- Bardley B.
Absolutely I do. They may have had their first slump of the season, but that doesn't change the fact that Nashville is still one of the best teams in the NHL.
Over the course of the last ten games, the Predators are 2-7-1. In that same span, Nashville has allowed just under three goals per game while scoring less than two.
Looking at just those statistics, it seems pretty bad. Yet, you have to pay attention to one of the most important statistics that can't seemingly be quantified: bounces. Nashville has quite possibly been the most unlucky team in the league over the last three weeks.
Earlier in the year when the Predators would break in on an odd-man rush, they would find a way to put the puck in the back of the net. Lately, Nashville has missed the shot entirely or found difficulty in landing the stick-to-stick passes.
Does that factor into how a team performs on the ice and the overall mentality? You bet. When a team is landing all of their chances and everything is going their way, they'll find ways to win. In the case of the Predators, it's exactly the opposite.
How has one trade that looked good on paper screwed up a team so bad?
-- Mike S.
I've been asked this question and variations of it for the last week or so: how has adding Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli hurt Nashville's lineup?
In short, it hasn't. It's just perception and coincidence.
While neither has heavily factored into Nashville's scoring, both have played very well in their respective roles.
Prior to the return of Ryan Ellis, Franson had been slotted with Mattias Ekholm. That pairing wasn't working so well and Franson would later be paired with Seth Jones. While I may not be behind the bench for the Predators, I've been a firm believer that Franson needed to pair with Jones since his addition.
In his 14 games, Franson has posted a team-high among defensemen of 58.9 percent in CorsiFor -- a statistic that measures the percentage of shot attempts Nashville has while said player is on the ice. The only other defenseman close to Franson in that category is Ellis, who has been Nashville's best defenseman for shooting attempts all season.
Santorelli may not have the normal or advanced statistics in his favor, yet he's been one of the more consistent high-energy forwards the team has deployed during their slump. In fact, his play earned him a promotion onto the second line in Nashville's game Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild.
Has adding Franson and Santorelli hurt the Predators? Not a chance. It's just an odd coincidence that the team would slump right after the trade finalized.
If you're Nashville, has Franson proven he's got a spot on the team next year? If not, who's his competition?
-- Catherine S.
I'd think the bigger question is whether or not Nashville can afford to pay Franson what he could want if he hits the open market in July. The recently-acquired defenseman is making $3.3 million this year and could easily garner more than that in his next deal.
The Predators have a little over $18.5 million in cap space tied up between Weber, Josi, Jones, Ellis and Ekholm. Anton Volchenkov is coming off the books and Victor Bartley will still remain as their serviceable seventh defenseman option, but Nashville will have to decide if Franson is worth spending $4 million or more per season.
With over $10 million in available cap space right now plus more clearing at the end of the season, the Predators could find a way to get the deal done. However, I tend to think that Franson may end up back in Toronto after all is said and done.
He's done well with the Predators and he would definitely have a spot with the team come next season if they re-signed him, but I think it may turn out to be too rich of a contract for their liking.
Nashville will have to invest a lot of money in its forward corp at the end of the season to lessen the amount of retention going into the 2015-16 season and Franson will most likely find himself hitting the open market.
What are the chances that any Predators player takes home an individual award at the end of the season?
-- Travis B.
Just a few weeks ago, the odds of Nashville bringing home multiple individual accolades this year was nearly a slam dunk. Right now, it has considerably shrunk.
Both Pekka Rinne and Filip Forsberg were seemingly shoe-ins for the Vezina and Calder trophies, respectively. Now, Rinne will most undoubtedly see that Vezina go to Montreal's Carey Price -- who could also pull in the Hart Trophy as well.
Forsberg -- although still the odds-on favorite to take the Calder -- has seen heavy competition from both Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. In fact, Gaudreau is only one point behind Forsberg for most points by a rookie forward in the NHL.
Shea Weber will still probably be a finalist for the Norris Trophy this season, but Roman Josi is much more deserving. Josi recorded his 50th and 51st points Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, now only five points behind Ottawa's Erik Karlsson for the league lead amongst defensemen.
There's still a chance that Nashville's group of skaters could come away with an award or two, but right now the odds of that are growing slimmer and slimmer.
Who do you consider to be the best and worst matchup for Nashville in the first round?
-- Adam W.
Let's start with Nashville's worst match-up: the Chicago Blackhawks.
Right now, the Predators are on course to battle against the Blackhawks in the divisional semifinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Most would say that Chicago would be a draw that Nashville would desire with the injury to superstar Patrick Kane. After much speculation and an extended eye test, that's far from the case.
Since Kane's injury on February 24th against the Florida Panthers -- a game Chicago won 3-2 in a shootout -- the Blackhawks have continued their torrid pace earning 13 of 16 possible points in eight games.
Goaltender Corey Crawford has allowed two goals or less in each of those eight games while forward Marian Hossa has recorded nine points in the same span.
Five seasons ago, Nashville had Chicago on the ropes in its best-of-seven Western Conference Quarterfinals series before losing three straight and putting an abrupt end to the season.
Would the Predators have better success against the Blackhawks this year? Besides facing off against the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago is the toughest team Nashville would want to see in the first round. My prediction would have the Predators losing in six games.
As for the best match-up: the Winnipeg Jets.
With the odds of Nashville falling far enough to face St. Louis in the first round being extremely slim, facing the Jets in the divisional semifinals would be the next best thing.
Even with Nashville's 3-2 record against Winnipeg this season, the Predators have a better overall lineup going in against the Jets.
Both goaltenders Michael Hutchinson and Ondrej Pavelec have a combined zero games of NHL playoff experience. Excluding the collection of former Blackhawks players on their roster, there is little to no playoff experience among their active skaters either.
The Predators may not have a large amount of experience in the postseason either outside of coaching, but compared to Winnipeg they easily have the advantage. My prediction would see Nashville winning in five games.
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Catch more from Kristopher Martel on his weekly podcast, The Predcast. A weekly hockey show available on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio, hosts Kristopher Martel, Chris Link and Dan Bradley break down the news surrounding the Nashville Predators and around the rest of the NHL.
