Preds since Suter left.
- Thread starter El Nino 22
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ThatGuy22
Registered User
- Oct 11, 2011
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I'd say its more likely due to what offense they had getting old/leaving, and Rinne getting hurt last year.
Josi has been a fine replacement for Suter.
If Rinne is healthy last year, they likely beat out Dallas for the 8th seed.
Al Lagoon
Registered User
- Feb 22, 2012
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Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
It's probably got to do with the fact that the central is the murder division. The Perds would easily be a playoff team in the East. Roman Josi has done a very good job with the Perds, so they aren't a bazillion times worse without Suter. They're still great defensively. Another factor is that the Perds have lost what precious little offense they had (Kostitsyns, Radulov, Erat, etc) and now have traded for a guy in James Neal who is still a question mark, but could be the star forward the Perds are looking for. Don't forget that Rinne missed a ton of last year as well.
If Rinne stays healthy, I think the Perds will be in a dogfight with the Stars for that final playoff spot. I mean, the Perds only finished 3 points out last year.
If Rinne stays healthy, I think the Perds will be in a dogfight with the Stars for that final playoff spot. I mean, the Perds only finished 3 points out last year.
Jaykay
Registered User
Ya, I am sure he has
Josi is a really good player. He's not as good as Suter at this point in his career but he's not a huge dropoff.
- Aug 5, 2011
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I think their "downfall" was a combination of Suter leaving and Rinne's injury. Didn't help that they never addressed their lack of scoring while Trotz was coach.
I think they'll find success again. Weber, Josi, and Jones make their defense solid now and in the future. They're finally realizing that they'll need creative forwards going ahead. The only question marks I see are their coaching and goaltending.
I think they'll find success again. Weber, Josi, and Jones make their defense solid now and in the future. They're finally realizing that they'll need creative forwards going ahead. The only question marks I see are their coaching and goaltending.
llamapalooza
Hockey State Expat
People have mentioned a lot of things in this topic and they're all correct. Suter was undoubtedly the most conspicuous factor, but when you add in offensive struggles, realignment, and injury to Rinne, it was just kind of a perfect storm. I think we all kind of saw them as a team that was already overachieving thanks to a great coach, too, and that's very difficult to sustain.
Victorious Secret
2024 Lottery Winner
DANOZ28
Registered User
maybe last year preds had a chance to beatout stars for last spot but not this year even with a healthy rinne dallas is improving. just my one cent.
Northland Wild Man
Finnesotans?
Nashville just needs more scoring from their forwards and less from their blueline and they'll be fine. I think they'll do pretty good this year. The issue is, outside of Winnipeg the entire Central Division just got a hell of a lot stronger this offseason.
Uncle Scrooge
Hockey Bettor
Cant say i agree with the bolded part. The Preds just arent a very good team at the moment. They're in a very unfortunate situation. Players dont want to be traded there, they want to be competitive every year but end up not making the playoffs without a top 5 pick (Seth Jones being the exception). There's no way they're "easily making the playoffs in east". Boston, Pittsburgh, NY Rangers, Tampa Bay, Montreal, Philly, Washington and Columbus are all better. Toronto can also have a great regular season not to mention the Devils this year are a pretty good team IMO. Not to forget about Detroit either, they're a good team when healthy.
If any team needs to tank its the Preds. No other choice than to build the team from inside the organization. Better FA's just dont want to sign there.
Victorious Secret
2024 Lottery Winner
You're assuming the only way to build a team is through prime FA's. Preds would have only been out of a playoff spot in the East by 2 points if you just transposed their points. Since they'd be in the East, pretty safe to say they'd scratch out enough to make up for those points. Not to mention, if they have Rinne, I'd say he is easily worth those make up points if he played the rest of the 3/4 of the year. If you said they are going to have a tough time transitioning out of Barry Trotz coaching, I could understand. Things aren't looking up for them, but I would contribute that to the possible change in style compared to their failure to lock up FA's. They did sign Roy, Ribeiro, Cullen, and Jokinen. But that's more of over the hill FA's. But nonetheless, free agents.
Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
They were only three points out in the west and that was without Rinne for 2/3rds of the season with an E Coli infection. The Caps aren't better than the Perds, and neither are the Red Wings. The Caps are going to be in a season of transition with a completely different system and have still no forward depth and little in the way of D, and the Red Wings are getting one year older and not one year better, and that along with Nyquist coming back down to earth which will offset the high probability that they will be significantly healthier than they were last season. The Jackets and Perds, I'd put on level footing. The Leafs have a minuscule at best chance of making the playoffs, especially as long as that moron Carlyle is behind the bench, and this is coming from a diehard Leaf fan.
Atlantic will be: Bruins, Lightning, Habs
Metro will be: Pens, Rangers, Flyers
Between the Perds, Jackets, Caps, and Red Wings, I think that the Perds very well could take the first WC spot if they were hypothetically in the east. Hell, if they were in the Atlantic and had a healthy Rinne for the entire season, they could very well take the #3 spot away from Montreal since the Habs got much worse this offseason as well.
Sarge58
Registered User
- Jan 25, 2014
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It's rather fruitless to play the "what if" game. I mean "What if" Harding is healthy all year, maybe we win a few extra games and get home ice in a round or two etc. It seems that if one thing goes right in one area, something bad happens somewhere else. It's nice to have a have a team with skilled depth.
I do agree if Rinne was healthy then yes they could have done some damage. But who knows, I just cant wait for hockey to start! getting antsy!
I do agree if Rinne was healthy then yes they could have done some damage. But who knows, I just cant wait for hockey to start! getting antsy!
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They have one of the best defensive corps, the best goalie, and a legitimate top line wing. They get a second option on offense that is worth a damn and they're a very solid team.
Maybe they get that through their revamped prospect pool, maybe not. But yeah I agree if they can get their offense going they are going to be a threat.
Uncle Scrooge
Hockey Bettor
Trotz is one of the main reasons the Preds have been making the playoffs or close for many years. You win with defense and that has been the only way this team can be succesfull. I really doubt more offensive minded style works with this team. You'd need to score a lot goals to make it work. I know they needed a change, but im not expecting anything untill they get more offensive firepower.
And to the posters above, last season wasnt as simple as '2 pts out in the east (which was 5 btw). Only reason they got that close is they knew they were out of it in the last part of the season and played with no pressure. Thats always very very dangerous for other teams who need every point they can get especially at that time. They had no real shot.
We'll see what happens, in a way west hasnt been that bad for them. They're always good at teasing the best teams with their defensive style but thats going to change now. Rinne will also be more exposed, and even though he's from the same country as i, i think people will realize he's a bit overrated.
All in all, next season in the east they'd be close and in the west no way IMO. Not a playoff team.
And to the posters above, last season wasnt as simple as '2 pts out in the east (which was 5 btw). Only reason they got that close is they knew they were out of it in the last part of the season and played with no pressure. Thats always very very dangerous for other teams who need every point they can get especially at that time. They had no real shot.
We'll see what happens, in a way west hasnt been that bad for them. They're always good at teasing the best teams with their defensive style but thats going to change now. Rinne will also be more exposed, and even though he's from the same country as i, i think people will realize he's a bit overrated.
All in all, next season in the east they'd be close and in the west no way IMO. Not a playoff team.
