How much will having arguably the worst 1C in the Western Conference hurt the Predators?

[predfan24]

It might be an odd time, yes, but it doesn't change the fact that the OP is correct in stating that there are quite a few number one centers ahead of Johansen, and that it does hurt the team. Again, if you prefer to build your team around an elite defense, there's definitely nothing wrong with that. Nashville might have so much though, that they could sacrifice at least one really good defenseman in order to get more scoring. Remember, you only play two defensemen at a time, and if they're always defending eventually even good to great ones will get scored on. Better balance might be achieved by having another elite scoring threat.

Except Joey has 20 points in 22 games the last two playoffs and 34 in 42 over his whole career. That is a pretty good sample size when evaluating playoff performance. Say what you want about Joey during the regular season. The criticism is fair in that aspect but he is a playoff beast. Preds are just fine with him as the #1C.

Also, you are stuck in the past claiming that offense is the Preds problem. They finished seventh in the league in Goals For and they have 28 in 8 games in the playoffs thus far or 3.5 GPG.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

'1C' is another fabricated term perpetuated around here.

Ryan Johansen is a fine centerman who always shows up in the playoffs.

In terms of playoff performance you could argue he's better and more valuable than Stamkos who tends to disappear in April and May despite 'Stamkos >>>> AiNeC1!!!1'

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Here we are and the Preds have been outed yet again by a team with a lesser d core but a deeper center depth. Do the Preds really need 4 "#1 D's" or should they trade 1 or 2 for a center etc? Look at how Scheifele, Stastny, Copp, Little etc totally wrecked the Preds last night, just the the Pens did last year.

Or is Rinne the problem?

 

[Dr Pepper]

Pretty sure it wasn't center depth that was Nashville's undoing.

 

[behemolari]

Here we are and the Preds have been outed yet again by a team with a lesser d core but a deeper center depth. Do the Preds really need 4 "#1 D's" or should they trade 1 or 2 for a center etc? Look at how Scheifele, Stastny, Copp, Little etc totally wrecked the Preds last night, just the the Pens did last year.

Or is Rinne the problem?

Preds are not consistent enough, if they would deliver their basic defending game 2/3 times (not half) they would make it. I blame coaching

Those two times they got it all together Jets had zero changes

 

[Drake1588]

In his 15 years with Washington and his 20 years with Nashville, the only real move I've ever seen Poile make for a top-drawer center was Adam Oates. One in 35 years. He was canned a month and a half later.

Perhaps give him partial credit for gimpy Old Man, One-Legged Peter Forsberg.

It's just not the way he builds his teams out, and his body of work suggests that his teams do more than alright with his approach. Expecting him to suddenly stress center depth is to expect a leopard to change its spots, though.

 

[Gnashville]

Here we are and the Preds have been outed yet again by a team with a lesser d core but a deeper center depth. Do the Preds really need 4 "#1 D's" or should they trade 1 or 2 for a center etc? Look at how Scheifele, Stastny, Copp, Little etc totally wrecked the Preds last night, just the the Pens did last year.

Or is Rinne the problem?

It was a 50/50 game last night if Rinne doesn’t give up 2 early cheepies. For some reason it was Rinne in both series the Predators lost these last 2 years.


Joey had 14 points in 13 games and played a great defensive game. It’s Turris that severely underperformed, and didn’t show up. If he’s even average the series could have been different. He was magnificent last year but invisible in the playoffs this year, maybe he was injured, l don’t know. I was not impressed with Copp and Little myself, so they had very little effect on the series.

Look at who the Predators had at center vs Pittsburgh last year. Colton Sissons was our #1 in the Finals so being wrecked should have happened vs 2 of the greatest of all time. With Johansen that series could have been better.

I don’t get how we can magically acquire a top Center there are a very few of them to go around and teams either have to tank for a decade and win a lottery like Edmonton, Chicago, and Pittsburgh did, or get one in a trade when they are very expensive to get in both the assets given up and the cap hit acquired.

 

[Maukkis]

I'm seeing some bashing of Johansen, and I've got to say this; give your head a damn shake.

In the series against Winnipeg...

Johansen: 3G 6A 9P
Fiala+Turris+Smith+Watson+Bonino+Sissons+Hartman+Hartnell+Fisher+Salomaki+Jarnkrok: 5G 5A 10P
(For reference, Paul Stastny: 5G 5A 10P)

The Preds' depth did not show up at all. Against a four-line team, you cannot win like that.

 

[ChiHawk21]

i absolutley hate ryan johansen but he wasnt even close to an issue in this series. He was a number 1 center. They need to figure out the goalie situation and get more scoring up front. Downgrade on the backend to get a dominant 3rd line.

 

[triggrman]

Anyone that watched the series knows that Joey wasn't the problem, in fact, he was great...

 

[irunthepeg]

Johansen is a beast. It's their 2nd/3rd line C that they need upgrades on. I've never liked Kyle Turris, always thought he was overrated. But you can't give up one of those great D men for a 2nd/3rd line C... unless they're elite at that spot and signed for long term at a reasonable rate... even then. And which of them do you get rid of? Ellis?

 

[triggrman]

I think Turris is fine he was just snake bit this year. He's had a decent playoff history before this season. In fairness, Smith also struggled this series, only Fiala looked decent on that line. Maybe playing Tolvanen on that line next year will give it a boost.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

I'm seeing some bashing of Johansen, and I've got to say this; give your head a damn shake.

In the series against Winnipeg...

Johansen: 3G 6A 9P
Fiala+Turris+Smith+Watson+Bonino+Sissons+Hartman+Hartnell+Fisher+Salomaki+Jarnkrok: 5G 5A 10P
(For reference, Paul Stastny: 5G 5A 10P)

The Preds' depth did not show up at all. Against a four-line team, you cannot win like that.

Thats what I was getting at though. Shouldnt they try to acquire more depth up front and sacrifice one of their D's?

 

[Critical13]

Thats what I was getting at though. Shouldnt they try to acquire more depth up front and sacrifice one of their D's?

Let the Toronto trade rumours commence...

 

[General Disarray]

Statisically, Johansen showed up. I still wouldn't consider him an elite #1C though but he DID do his part. Turris is also a god #2c. Not sure what happened to him.

 

[Deedog99]

Turris is very underrated and does a lot of things well. I think they may not have a true #1 but they have 3 high end #2s. I like Winnipeg’s forward group a lot but Center is not their strong suit either.

Turris plays for Nashville?

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Turris plays for Nashville?

Nope, Avangard Omsk

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Johansen was great against the Jets. A real threat on the ice, great in the face offs. In my mind his line was the only one I worried about. Nashville had no 2nd line that series. Turris was a major dud