For the old timers... where is your head at?

[PredsV82]

I think what's bothering me most is the nagging worry that we missed our chance at a Cup.

18 years in the making, after 2017 I was (foolishly, in retrospect) envisioning a nice 5 or 6 year stretch where we might win not one but more than one Cup. Winning the PT last year reinforced that feeling, and I was able to shrug off the playoff loss to Winnipeg as random and assumed this year would be another solid run at a Cup.

But now it all looks like a house of cards collapsing.

Rinne is almost done. He has maybe one more playoff run in him, at most. Our amazing top 4 D all look to be retreating. Even Ekholm, who had a great first half of the season, was a big net negative in the Dallas series.

Our top 6 would all probably play a line lower on a real contender.

I'm just not ready to be stuck in an endless loop of 2006-2012, ie just good enough to make the playoffs, never good enough to win the Cup...

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'm just not ready to be stuck in an endless loop of 2006-2012, ie just good enough to make the playoffs, never good enough to win the Cup...

This is my biggest fear. I want to either suck or win. I'm worried that our window is now closed. Too many teams are having young talent start to step up. Dallas, Colorado among others in the west. We just don't have that next generation of players.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I worked in sports. Disappointment is temporary because there is ALWAYS next year. Is it personnel or coaching? Getting meh from the deadline adds sucks like a hoover in a black hole. Getting 0 for 15 on the PP is damning for the coaches. I was pissed about the result. Now jettison Rinaldo, McLeod, resign Grimaldi unless someone is willing to make a offer sheet for him. (which I HIGHLY doubt) I have been rooting for this team since 2002. Am I an old timer?

You are always an old timer, but you're young at heart in my book lol.

 

[BigFatCat999]

You are always an old timer, but you're young at heart in my book lol.

I turn 40 in June, f*** that

 

[Legionnaire11]

It happens. Look at past champs and finalists. Most of the participants even from 2010 on have gone through or are currently rebuilding. It's so hard to get there, and harder to stay there.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

It happens. Look at past champs and finalists. Most of the participants even from 2010 on have gone through or are currently rebuilding. It's so hard to get there, and harder to stay there.

Yep, sports is cyclical. Look at the mighty Redwings or even the Avs until last year. Devils are another example.

What I'm most afraid of is the Preds missing their opportunity without a cup win. That would be the worst feeling in the world.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I turn 40 in June, **** that

It's ok, I'm 30 in September so I hear ya.

 

[Armourboy]

I feel pretty dang frustrated to say the least. I feel like this year was a complete waste of a season, and in the process we've now allowed Colorado, Dallas, and St. Louis to catch up. Chicago will be back soon and it sure as heck ain't going to get easier.

I think the coaches need to go, I think Ellis at a minimum needs to go, and I'd be perfectly fine if Subban is gone as well. Same goes for Turris if we can get a replacement, but I really feel like he and the coaches just don't see eye to eye so if you change them he may be ok.

Poile I think has done a good job, but he's also made some trades that are pretty rough. I think the Fiala trade will hurt long term, and I only think the Hartman trade hurts because of the wasted assets we gave up to get him. Most of the rest have been ok, but I feel like those trades may have made it harder to get some guys we really might have needed more than have gone to other teams.

 

[Gnashville]

Frustrating because the same issues on the PowerPlay lingered the entire season and actually got progressively worse. With an average PP this team is a legitimate Stanley Cup Favorite.
That’s my only issue because looking around the league most of the favorites lost their series also so it’s a fluky year anyway.

 

[BigFatCat999]

It's ok, I'm 30 in September so I hear ya.

30, my body was still working, I had a career, I had savings...yeah y'all aint feeling nothing.

 

[Enoch]

V82, I hear you. I disagree in some ways.

My 2 cents:

This team's identity is messed up. We made it to the Finals without our top 3 centers precisely because we played hard-physical hockey, defensive but aggressive forechecking style. We had to. Our stars were on the backend and in net. Our forward depth was grossly depleted.

We went from that to a more offensive/aggressive-pinching team.

Suddenly, Josi/Ellis looked like garbage last year. Ekholm is taking dumb penalties. Subban is pinching and it leads to odd-man rushes. We can't sustain any zone pressure, etc., etc., etc.

This team is built to be a 1 line heavy offense, with an aggressive but tightly run defense. Yet...We all know this is not what we see on the ice.

We have stars on this team. We have depth. We have talent. This team is not built to be an offensive powerhouse. Don't get me wrong, it can score, and it can score a ton. It is a complete roster, but it is not a run/gun all systems go team (IMO).

If we want to be an aggressive offense first team, invest in that. Go get the star forward instead of bonino, simmonds, boyle, etc.

The second line has been flawed since the Predators became a team. It was not addressed this year, and it needs to be addressed again this off-season.

If we want to be what the current roster dictates, more structure is a necessity. Our defense needs to play quicker, which means we need to be better positioned. Our forwards have to be better in the gaps and around the net. I just didn't see much of any of this, this year.

Obviously, this is a good team. A contender. There is some awesome talent all across the board. In my opinion, the downfall is how we choose to identify ourselves or let others dictate how to play.

Lastly, the powerplay was a joke. There is nothing more to say about this catastrophe. I have never seen a more inept powerplay, in any season, on any team.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

So Enoch does that mean you think it is a straight coaching issue with how the roster is being used?

 

[BigFatCat999]

I think administratively. The season is too long going for regular season banners is a detriment. Everytime the Preds win the division they underwhelm in the playoffs. Words like 'load management' are being tossed around. Ekholm and Subban were constantly falling down. My mind is 'damn, I'm getting old' and 'should I start a 'bang, marry, kill' thread for the UFAs?' I just hope the the coaches are becoming a boy club.

 

[Enoch]

So Enoch does that mean you think it is a straight coaching issue with how the roster is being used?

Yes and no.

The powerplay: absolutely.

The current semi-system we have: I think this is also on the coaches.

The roster build: that is on Poile.

I give Lavy some slack because he got this team to get all of the milestones. Game 7 wins, division wins, SCF, president's trophy.

I am not out on this team. It can rebound with some smart hires to re-focus this defense and powerplay. It can rebound with the correct solution on the second line and some movement of the lower tier forwards.

Honestly, bringing in a guy like Duchenne may just turn the team into what is desired anyways.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Yes and no.

The powerplay: absolutely.

The current semi-system we have: I think this is also on the coaches.

The roster build: that is on Poile.

I give Lavy some slack because he got this team to get all of the milestones. Game 7 wins, division wins, SCF, president's trophy.

I am not out on this team. It can rebound with some smart hires to re-focus this defense and powerplay. It can rebound with the correct solution on the second line and some movement of the lower tier forwards.

Honestly, bringing in a guy like Duchenne may just turn the team into what is desired anyways.

The things I put on the coaches:
Powerplay
Man on man system in the D-zone
Allowing defensemen waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much freedom. They can't ALWAYS be down below the goal line attacking and leaving forwards at the point to defend. The offense has gone from defensemen joining the rush and cycling in and out down low in the offensive zone to almost featuring our d-men up and down the ice.

 

[LCPreds]

I'm usually pretty good at keeping things in perspective but this season has made that a significant challenge for me.

Ignoring the first 5 years here.

Frankly speaking, when the Preds were constantly just making the playoffs I never really thought about it other than thinking how awesome it would be to finally break into the second round. When the Preds had the down season that landed us with the 4th pick and Jones I seem to remember thinking that it was a short season and it got to a point where I was actively rooting for us to lose so we would finally get a good draft pick and likely a franchise center (ha!). For some reason this season just feels like the worst of them all. It's as if getting to the SCF, then the Pres Trophy, were culminating into something special. But now I'm not so sure what to think of this roster.

The positive side of me wants to believe we are a tweak or two away from having a special season in 2019-20.

The negative side makes me wonder if we're about to go through the Preds version of hell which is 5-10 years of complete mediocrity. I'd much rather dip fully into the abyss and get a couple of top 3 picks but I'm also afraid of becoming one of those teams that once in the abyss never finds their way back out.

We have no farm system, especially if Tolvanen isn't what we had hoped. This means our only real assets are those on the roster. Could a simple tweak that doesn't seem to be a net positive be what we need? Could moving a Forsberg or an Arvy for a different type of forward be the key?

TLDR Version:
This was probably the most disappointing/frustrating season I can remember as a Preds fan. I'm torn on how to adjust.

 

[la flama blanca]

But I still go back to something missing. From the team on the ice to the front office, everything has become so serious. I mean, the whole organization doesn't seem to have the same heart/joy/passion that they used to have. And I'm taking about front office, coaches, players, atmosphere in the arena, the city. The heart seems to be missing from some of the more veteran players and they sometimes look like a bunch of entitled snobs out there.

You hit the nail on the head, it wasn't just the team it was the whole organization. It really became evident in the playoffs. Watching the other games and arenas the energy is magnitudes better. This group did not have it and was spoiled. When you finally see some energy in the elimination game it is obvious the team thought it will all work out. The players even as much said that exact thing in some post game interviews during the series. The team was a let down, as was the game ops, front office was just doing the same old thing or worse. Once the front office sold out season tickets they took the foot off the gas.

I was fired up about playoffs even though we backed into with the drop off at the end of the season. Prior to game one ready to go, but as soon as that horrible playoff intro video started (that we must get in the seats for!) well it went down from there. The crowd kept trying to get into it and did at some times but it was pretty much like a regular season game and the preds played like it until game 6, too little too late. But at least we had blinking necklaces.

I hope they get this turned around on the ice and in the game experience, because asking for 3 year commitments at these prices and receiving that product is getting to be a real tough pill to swallow. I hate they lost but it doesn't hurt that bad because they did not earn it.

When the guys who showed the most energy/effort in the playoffs was the oldest player and the other injured with a broken rib, there are problems.

 

[Cashville]

There are some really wonderful posts in here. I tend to avoid the boards after we’ve been eliminated; some folks need to vent, while others prefer a more silent introspective approach. I certainly fall in the latter bucket, but am glad I came here to see this tonight.

I grew up a Whalers fan in CT (/highfives AW) and played hockey through high school. Losing the Whalers was tough and I floated as a casual non-denominational fan for several years after. I ended up going to Vandy for college in 2003 and just fell in love with Nashville. Kind people, great music, and a laid back yet unique vibe that meshed well with my younger self. The Preds actually started as a fun drinking-centric activity akin to Thirsty Thursdays at Sounds games. Tickets were so cheap and you could stroll out of the stadium to the bars as a crew easily in the pre-Uber world.

Sometime around 2006/07 the Preds started to stick. It was largely driven by my firm in Nashville having season tickets and me being one of the only people who were interested. Honestly never thought they’d replace the Whalers for me, but by the late 2000s I was completely hooked on the Preds. Blue collar team with a half stocked toolbox, but just fantastic drive and effort (Kostistsyn exluded). Game 5, 2011 vs ANA with Weber’s late tying goal and Smithers 1.0’s winner was just...something else; never felt like that about any other fan moment in my life.

I’m rambling, but the team filled a void that I honestly didn’t think could be filled. Yes, this was a tumultuous season in many ways, and ultimately disappointing, but that’s sports. I thought drwpreds’ post on perspective really hit the nail on the head. We’ve been in significantly darker places organizationally (i.e Liarpold/Basile) and in terms of on-ice performance, and we have it better than many other teams out there. Some changes need to be made, but we’re not going to sell the farm, nor should we. I’ll be here next season regardless, and the one after that.

Vamos los Perds!

 

[hockey diva]

I agree with folks that have mentioned the game ops needing a refresh. Need to stop the extra videos, pick music that pumps us up like Ready to Go or Run this Town did and drop the celebrity singers/towel wavers. It's gotten stale.

I am glad the cheerleaders visibility has been reduced.

The big question is if Lavy or the assistants are not fired, are they willing to change their philosophy/tactics to maximize the team we have. More zone defense and less pinching by the d. I think Trotz changed his approach after we let him go and he had to deal with Ovy in DC. I think he let the forwards be more creative.

For me, for the first time instead of dying to leave work to get to the game, I sometimes wished I could go home. I love my section and the friends I've made but the team was not enjoyable to watch. I am a committed fan, I traveled to Winnipeg to watch our 5-0 butt kicking. I've renewed my ticket. But my enthusiasm has been tempered by time.

 

[darth5]

OK I will chime in. I started going to games because my brother had comp tickets for ad work he did with the team. I was hockey ignorant then, around 2001. Before long I was hooked, and my son got interested and played rec and high school ice hockey. I have also seen lots of ups and downs.
Turning focus to more recently, in 2017 Lavy had a system that nobody else had. Post season the team was tough to match up to because it played to the strengths of the roster. Obviously there has been turnover and the system has been tweaked as many have mentioned. But what we are seeing with the Stars, Canes, VGK, is a different philosophy. In other words, the strategy evolution has left behind what Nashville was trying to do. I think they either need to retool the roster to match the system to have more balanced scoring, OR play a more tight checking game and be opportunistic and have better shot selection and scouting. I think both require a fast physical team.
There needs to be some more youth and enthusiasm, look what Rocco brought.
And the power(less) play, start from scratch. Too much standing around, repeating the same perimeter passes. Whoever is coaching it has to rethink everything. Screen and put it on net.

I remain a little discouraged, but as many have said from New Year on I never felt like this team had 'it', that undefined intangible that seems to bring success. The whole organization has some soul searching to do. I will still be here.

 

[Viqsi]

I worked in sports. Disappointment is temporary because there is ALWAYS next year. Is it personnel or coaching? Getting meh from the deadline adds sucks like a hoover in a black hole. Getting 0 for 15 on the PP is damning for the coaches. I was pissed about the result. Now jettison Rinaldo, McLeod, resign Grimaldi unless someone is willing to make a offer sheet for him. (which I HIGHLY doubt) I have been rooting for this team since 2002. Am I an old timer?

Moreso than I am, although I just barely pass the ten-year requirement in the OP.

For me, this is very close to same-old same-old. One team disappointing, one team doing well. It's almost old hat at this point - well, except for the part where the roles are reversed this year. Midseason was admittedly hellish because both teams were struggling, but the Jackets at least bounced back and so I've been able to deal with Preds struggles with a little more equanimity.

I still believe in most of this team and in the front office. Special teams needs a serious overhaul, tho, and I wouldn't object to a shuffle of the core. Lavi's definitely on the hot seat IMO, but I'm not calling for his firing yet.

 

[Pred303]

kids, lol. i retire again next week, after retiring once from the Army 25 years ago.

My head is in a good spot. Glad this disappointing season is over. Look forward to the changes that will happen this summer. Look forward to the team (and me) having a new mindset come next season. Which will happen to the players as a result of this year's failure. Look forward to trading a few guys in a locker room that became far too complacent for no reason. Look forward to a new team mentality, that doesn't just believe they can coast thru the season and magically turn on some superpower that they don't have come playoff time. Looking forward to changes in the locker room to more business and less self promotion. Looking forward to the inevitable focus on more offense after this fiasco. Looking forward to having a team that feels they have something to prove everynight. Looking forward to more hustle and less grandstanding and branding. Looking forward to the changes this failing will cause. A return to our real identity.

 

[PredsV82]

Congrats on the retirement Steve!

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Seconded! Congrats on the second retirement.

Does it help anyone else's head space to see the results of the first round?

Tampa,,, Swept??? Most surprising for sure.
Calgary maybe not super surprising but they were the top seed in the conference.
Caps, first round exit after winning the cup!?
Knights, with all their moves and player signings, out after a SCF appearance last year.
Penguins swept!
Toronto out with Matthews, Taveras, and the guy that is considered the best coach around.
Jets out and though that isn't a huge surprise when the playoffs started if you would have said they'd lose to the Blues back in November people would have thought you were nuts.

That's all 8 series that have somewhat of a surprise or unlikely twist to them. And honestly, it helps to see others teams failing too. Rather than all the teams meeting expectation except for the Preds.

 

[Adz]

Does it help anyone else's head space to see the results of the first round?

That's all 8 series that have somewhat of a surprise or unlikely twist to them. And honestly, it helps to see others teams failing too. Rather than all the teams meeting expectation except for the Preds.

It's like we're trendy or something. Part of the old guard that got eliminated. LOL


@Pred303 Congrats on the second retirement! I know you'll make good use of it.