Help bring me back as Nashville Predator fan

[FEARoN]

Boring background: I have been a Preds fan since 1999, played in Memphis, then the Nashville area (MTSU) and was a member of HFBoards for several years under a different name (goalscorer26, I think). Life started happening to me (moved to Kentucky, job change, having a kid, etc.) and DirectTV for whatever reason stopped showing Preds games in my area. The last game I watched was when we had the traitor who went to MN and the player I refuse to say by name. During that offseason, I finally said enough. Weber handcuffs the team financially, the traitor left and it seemed GMDP was again content to do nothing exciting for me as a fan. As a player, I respect the "build from the goal out" mentality, but as a fan, I want goals. Scoring by committe has its place, but I always wanted that superstar forward who is not on the backside of his career. It may be an impossible task in NSH, who knows, but other than possibly aquiring Kessel a few years ago, I never felt like we were even trying to get a big time forward.

I started watching again and noticed a lot has changed. No more Trotz, No Erat, Legwand, etc. and thought WOW, maybe things are better now. I've watched the first three games of the playoffs and feel like other than a few new faces it's still the same team. Not necessarily a bad thing. Solid goaltenders, strong two D-pairings and then ffffffttttttt. Wilson has played well, still not an elite forward or gamechanger IMO and other than Forsberg who is there to really get excited about?

So my question is this: What has the organization done (since losing Suter) to signficantly better the team and where do you see the team in the next three seasons? Is there hope of coming back to support the Preds or will it be the same team it's always been (both good and bad)?

Keep in mind I have been totally off the radar and can/will appreciate even the smallest of details I may have missed. Catch me up to date if you will.

Click to read more...

 

[JamestheSame]

Losing Suter was probably one of the best things to happen to this organization. Think about it, if Suter had stayed we would be locked up in insane contracts with two defenseman.

Instead, Suter leaves which opens the door for Josi. We pay Josi less, and an argument can be made that Josi is a better player than Suter.

Nashville has good young forwards (Forsberg, Fiala, and Jarnkrok). Yes, Jarnkrok has had a bad year but I believe he rebounds.

Nashville plays a more offensive style of hockey now which is what you wanted. So the games will be more fun to watch either way.

We have a solid goalkeeper, defense, and young forwards. If only we could find that 1C and one more proven top 6 forward I think we would be a great team.

 

[RaiderDoug]

I think you're nuts if you watch this team and think it's the same old same old Preds from much of the past decade. If you want to find reasons for being positive, both short and long term- there's plenty of them, and they're easily found.

Yeah, the playoffs aren't going well - but that's what happens when your all-world goaltender starts playing like an AHLer with no confidence. We're not the only one who's playoff series isn't going as planned - go check out the Blues board.

 

[Drake744]

I think you're nuts if you watch this team and think it's the same old same old Preds from much of the past decade. If you want to find reasons for being positive, both short and long term- there's plenty of them, and they're easily found.

Yeah, the playoffs aren't going well - but that's what happens when your all-world goaltender starts playing like an AHLer with no confidence. We're not the only one who's playoff series isn't going as planned - go check out the Blues board.

That's not how a Blues series is supposed to go?

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Hooray for more fair-weather fans!

 

[AintLifeGrand]

The Blues can have you if you are in Paducah. Don't need any carpetbagging band wagon fans.

 

[Adz]

The Blues can have you if you are in Paducah. Don't need any carpetbagging band wagon fans.

Nah, he spent time in Nashville before that. Negates the carpetbagging aspect.

 

[Drake744]

You can have The Blues if you are in Paducah.

Fixed.

 

[jstreet]

Geez, tough crowd. I had the same initial thought but kept it to myself.

The best thing I can say is to tune in to the game tonight. If you like what you see, pull up a seat. If you don't, there are an endless supply of seats on the Chicago bandwagon.


In all seriousness though, I think we are a tired and injured squad. We will pick up a true 1 center, Rinne can rebound, and we will be set for next season. Enjoy the playoffs and tune in when Fall rolls around. You are trying to catch a moving train at this point.

 

[Montross]

Geez, tough crowd. I had the same initial thought but kept it to myself.

The best thing I can say is to tune in to the game tonight. If you like what you see, pull up a seat. If you don't, there are an endless supply of seats on the Chicago bandwagon.


In all seriousness though, I think we are a tired and injured squad. We will pick up a true 1 center, Rinne can rebound, and we will be set for next season. Enjoy the playoffs and tune in when Fall rolls around. You are trying to catch a moving train at this point.

Really? Who is this true #1 center out there that will be available? I look around and don't see it. And since they are down their 1st round pick and prospect already, who does Poile give up to bring in that true #1 center that doesn't hamstring the team for next season?

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Really? Who is this true #1 center out there that will be available? I look around and don't see it. And since they are down their 1st round pick and prospect already, who does Poile give up to bring in that true #1 center that doesn't hamstring the team for next season?

Top 15 NHL Free Agents - 2015

Take a look at who is #1.

 

[gopreds19]

Losing Suter was probably one of the best things to happen to this organization. Think about it, if Suter had stayed we would be locked up in insane contracts with two defenseman.

Instead, Suter leaves which opens the door for Josi. We pay Josi less, and an argument can be made that Josi is a better player than Suter.

Sounds good, except there are more possibilities than "we get locked up in a contract with Suter" or "Suter leaves."

Suter owned Poile that spring and played the entire organization and fans. We should have traded his ass before the deadline, plain and simple.

 

[JamestheSame]

Sounds good, except there are more possibilities than "we get locked up in a contract with Suter" or "Suter leaves."

Suter owned Poile that spring and played the entire organization and fans. We should have traded his ass before the deadline, plain and simple.

Why all the Suter hate? Yeah I was upset for a couple years too, but it's time to move on. Suter leaving helped this organization IMO.

Yeah, we could have traded him at the deadline but whose fault is that? Poile's fault. We had a good team that year, and Poile rolled the dice. He even brought back Radulov.

 

[Masta Class]

We should have traded his ass before the deadline, plain and simple.

LMAO.. we had a decent year heading into the playoffs as a #4 seed and got past Detroit in the 1st round. This board and fanbase would of erupted (even more) if we broke up our top D pairing heading into the playoffs. It sucks we lost Suter for nothing, but at the time Poile made the right choice. Poile wanted the team to go on a run, and the team wanted to drink in Arizona. Most playoff teams are buyers at the deadline, not sellers.

 

[Predarat]

To be honest don't come back. For your own sanity do not come back. Stay away. Stay far away. Stay. Very. Far. Away.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

Boring background: I have been a Preds fan since 1999, played in Memphis, then the Nashville area (MTSU) and was a member of HFBoards for several years under a different name (goalscorer26, I think). Life started happening to me (moved to Kentucky, job change, having a kid, etc.) and DirectTV for whatever reason stopped showing Preds games in my area. The last game I watched was when we had the traitor who went to MN and the player I refuse to say by name. During that offseason, I finally said enough. Weber handcuffs the team financially, the traitor left and it seemed GMDP was again content to do nothing exciting for me as a fan. As a player, I respect the "build from the goal out" mentality, but as a fan, I want goals. Scoring by committe has its place, but I always wanted that superstar forward who is not on the backside of his career. It may be an impossible task in NSH, who knows, but other than possibly aquiring Kessel a few years ago, I never felt like we were even trying to get a big time forward.

I started watching again and noticed a lot has changed. No more Trotz, No Erat, Legwand, etc. and thought WOW, maybe things are better now. I've watched the first three games of the playoffs and feel like other than a few new faces it's still the same team. Not necessarily a bad thing. Solid goaltenders, strong two D-pairings and then ffffffttttttt. Wilson has played well, still not an elite forward or gamechanger IMO and other than Forsberg who is there to really get excited about?

So my question is this: What has the organization done (since losing Suter) to signficantly better the team and where do you see the team in the next three seasons? Is there hope of coming back to support the Preds or will it be the same team it's always been (both good and bad)?

Keep in mind I have been totally off the radar and can/will appreciate even the smallest of details I may have missed. Catch me up to date if you will.

What's your alternative, Dude? Binge-watching Netflix? UK basketball? (so much for sure things) Made the playoffs 8 out of the last 11 seasons. Check your pro sports teams during the last 11 years. Not too many hit that bar. Yeah, no Cups, but most teams don't win a Cup. So bottom line, if you want the pleasure of a rooting interest in and NHL hockey team, you take the good with the bad. There's been a spit-load more good than bad from an organization you can be proud of.

If that isn't enough for you, you'll have to wait until you reach Heaven for the sure thing.

 

[gopreds19]

LMAO.. we had a decent year heading into the playoffs as a #4 seed and got past Detroit in the 1st round. This board and fanbase would of erupted (even more) if we broke up our top D pairing heading into the playoffs. It sucks we lost Suter for nothing, but at the time Poile made the right choice. Poile wanted the team to go on a run, and the team wanted to drink in Arizona. Most playoff teams are buyers at the deadline, not sellers.

I love how people call "1 and done" a "run".

You don't just sell a Suter, he was a Norris finalist for Christ's sake. You don't think a contending team out east wouldn't have traded their best prospect and highest pick for that? Even just for a playoff run?

 

[Drake744]

LMAO.. we had a decent year heading into the playoffs as a #4 seed and got past Detroit in the 1st round. This board and fanbase would of erupted (even more) if we broke up our top D pairing heading into the playoffs. It sucks we lost Suter for nothing, but at the time Poile made the right choice. Poile wanted the team to go on a run, and the team wanted to drink in Arizona. Most playoff teams are buyers at the deadline, not sellers.

I love how people call "1 and done" a "run".

You don't just sell a Suter, he was a Norris finalist for Christ's sake. You don't think a contending team out east wouldn't have traded their best prospect and highest pick for that? Even just for a playoff run?

In his defense, the only time in his post he mentioned "going on a run" was what he said Poile wanted to do. Doubtful Poile was aiming for a one-and-done. And maybe you have a different definition of "one-and-done" because when we make the second round, which we obviously did, I don't consider that to apply. If we lose this series that would be a one-and-done IMO. Also, **** Mike Smith.

 

[AEM6729]

All I know is that last year, I left many games genuinely pissed that I had spent my time and money going to them. A lot of the games were straight-up boring; forget winning and losing, the product on the ice just wasn't entertaining. Going to games 3 times a week turned into a grind instead of a fun activity.

That has not been the case this year. A few new players and a new style of play has resulted in a truly entertaining product; I feel like I really got my money's worth this year as a season ticket holder, even when we lost.

Whether that'll translate into playoff success remains to be seen though...

 

[FEARoN]

All I know is that last year, I left many games genuinely pissed that I had spent my time and money going to them. A lot of the games were straight-up boring; forget winning and losing, the product on the ice just wasn't entertaining. Going to games 3 times a week turned into a grind instead of a fun activity.

That has not been the case this year. A few new players and a new style of play has resulted in a truly entertaining product; I feel like I really got my money's worth this year as a season ticket holder, even when we lost.

Whether that'll translate into playoff success remains to be seen though...

Thank you. For so long we played defense first, dump and chase, hope one of the grinders on our second line pot a goal. Winning isn't everything, but if I am giving you my hard earned cash, driving two hours to games and buying your products convince me it's worth it. I don't expect Polie to sign Stamkos or anything, but for so long we were stuck hoping AR47 would come back, SK74 would find his game or Spalling would turn into something special.

What's your alternative, Dude? Binge-watching Netflix? UK basketball? (so much for sure things) Made the playoffs 8 out of the last 11 seasons. Check your pro sports teams during the last 11 years. Not too many hit that bar. Yeah, no Cups, but most teams don't win a Cup. So bottom line, if you want the pleasure of a rooting interest in and NHL hockey team, you take the good with the bad. There's been a spit-load more good than bad from an organization you can be proud of.

If that isn't enough for you, you'll have to wait until you reach Heaven for the sure thing.

I agree with 100% of this. I wasn't trying to imply that the Preds haven't had SC success, so they're losing me as a fan. I was more asking about what has transpired since Suter left. Has DP made a lot of aggressive moves to aquire help, has he drafted all defensemen and goalies, have the you guys in the farm been producing, etc. It's all new to me again (coaches, some players, etc.). If the concensous from those of you in the know, was "same old same old", I'd simply not get back into obsessing about the Preds. I could casually watch or find other things to occupy my time. Yes to UK and yes they ruined a sure thing. Prior to my exodus, we would come to about 15 games or more a year, those funds can be spent elsewhere if I desire, lol. I have liked what I've seen so far, but don't get the impression too much has changed.

I think you're nuts if you watch this team and think it's the same old same old Preds from much of the past decade. If you want to find reasons for being positive, both short and long term- there's plenty of them, and they're easily found.

Yeah, the playoffs aren't going well - but that's what happens when your all-world goaltender starts playing like an AHLer with no confidence. We're not the only one who's playoff series isn't going as planned - go check out the Blues board.

I thought the Preds played very well in Games 1 and 2. The amount of hustle and puck possession I saw was remarkably better than the team of a couple years ago. Wilson looks like he has developed well and according to our stats it looks like we made out like bandits with Forsberg.

 

[FEARoN]

Hooray for more fair-weather fans!

The Blues can have you if you are in Paducah. Don't need any carpetbagging band wagon fans.

To be honest don't come back. For your own sanity do not come back. Stay away. Stay far away. Stay. Very. Far. Away.

Thanks for the creative and well thought out responses. I hope you all stub your toes in the middle of the night. While it's dark, you're thirsty and it causes you trouble walking efficiently to get some water.

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Thanks for the creative and well thought out responses. I hope you all stub your toes in the middle of the night. While it's dark, you're thirsty and it causes you trouble walking efficiently to get some water.

Sorry, but if you need someone on the internet to convince you to be a fan, I don't really know what else to say.

 

[Drake744]

Sorry, but if you need someone on the internet to convince you to be a fan, I don't really know what else to say.

I don't think he's trying to be convinced, I think he's trying to get on track and figure out what's changed over the last few years.

 

[FEARoN]

I don't think he's trying to be convinced, I think he's trying to get on track and figure out what's changed over the last few years.

Exactly. I'm not always the most articulate when trying to make points in writing, in this case leading to people getting the wrong impression. Nashville has always been my team, but they were frustrating for awhile. and since life got in the way of hockey for me, I lost all touch with my team and the league itself. Hell I was amazed at seeing Kessler (still hate that guy) in a ducks uniform last night. Trying to figure out what has gone on with Preds and decide if it's worth paying for season tix and going all in again or simply enjoy the Predators casually.

 

[jwhouk]

Fearon, I can give you over 3,000 reasons why you should love this team. The first reason was Andrew Brunette. The most recent reason was James Neal giving us a lead - a LEAD! - after two periods.

And - well I like it.
No, I Love it.
And I always WANT SOME MORE OF IT.