What was the turning point for the Preds?

[vivalavili]

David Poile has done some great work as the Preds GM acquiring great players through drafting and especially trading, not really that many big free agent signings or even high draft picks for that matter. They've had some great players like Paul Kariya, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter but only now they are becoming a real contending team. What moves really made the Preds the contending team they are now? Weber for Subban was a steal for sure as was the Forsberg trade (sorry caps fans ) and Rinne has been an elite goalie for almost a decade now with a few bad years here and there.


So, was there a clear turning point for the franchise since before this season they hadn't even made the western finals? sfmbe

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[These Are The Days]

Game 1 vs the Hawks. The Preds came out hungry and haven't looked back since. They had championship swagger since the moment they hit the ice that night.

 

[NSH615]

David Poile has done some great work as the Preds GM acquiring great players through drafting and especially trading, not really that many big free agent signings or even high draft picks for that matter. They've had some great players like Paul Kariya, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter but only now they are becoming a real contending team. What moves really made the Preds the contending team they are now? Weber for Subban was a steal for sure as was the Forsberg trade (sorry caps fans ) and Rinne has been an elite goalie for almost a decade now with a few bad years here and there.


So, was there a clear turning point for the franchise since before this season they hadn't even made the western finals? sfmbe

1) Not renewing the contract of Barry Trotz and hiring Peter Laviolette.
2) Trades dating back to 2013. Forsberg, Neal, Johansen, and Subban
3) Rinne finally showing up in the playoffs. Rumor also has it that he got new contacts about a month before the playoffs.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Having 4 defenders playing top pair-calibre hockey and Rinnie playing like the best goalie in the world is what.

 

[tnsports472]

Realizing that Barry Trotz's ways were getting the franchise no where but first round exits(with the rare second round appearance), firing him, and bringing in a championship caliber coach in Laviolette. Mentality plays such a huge role in sports, and when a franchise is stuck in such a losing rut/mentality(in regards to championship competition) like the Preds were under Trotz, bringing in a guy like Laviolette who knows what it takes to take a team to a cup and knows what changes need to be made in a locker room.

 

[Cletus Marley]

I agree with what was posted above. We have some depth now. In the past we had to roll with everyone playing to the very top of their ability and even then it was a stretch. We have some depth and breathing room now with so many guys that can contribute.

 

[Soundgarden]

The Forsberg trade started it off by going younger, followed by not offering Trotz a contract and replacing him with Lavy. The Ryan Johansen trade gave us a no.1 center under 35 for the first time in almost 20 years and should be the most important move we've made in recent years.

Smart contracts and trades by Poile and excellent drafting and development are just as important. It's a combination of a lot of things really.

 

[Pred303]

the turning point for the team this year wasn't a clean, easily recognized point. it was sort of gradual beginning about late January.

in my mind, the single biggest thing I think was subban getting hurt and missing about 8 odd games in January. when he came back from that injury, he quit trying to be a risk taking offensive d-man and jumped right into being a stay at home, low risk, great cover guy. don't know if it was the injury or subban or the coaches figuring out that's what this team needed. but from that point on the team began to be better defensively.

coincidently, that was also about the time Forsberg-johansen-arvidsson began to really gel and get and stay hot.

about a month later rinne started playing well and all three came together. good defense, good offense, good goaltending. the same formula we have gotten the first three rounds to get here

 

[Soundgarden]

the turning point for the team this year wasn't a clean, easily recognized point. it was sort of gradual beginning about late January.

in my mind, the single biggest thing I think was subban getting hurt and missing about 8 odd games in January. when he came back from that injury, he quit trying to be a risk taking offensive d-man and jumped right into being a stay at home, low risk, great cover guy. don't know if it was the injury or subban or the coaches figuring out that's what this team needed. but from that point on the team began to be better defensively.

coincidently, that was also about the time Forsberg-johansen-arvidsson began to really gel and get and stay hot.

about a month later rinne started playing well and all three came together. good defense, good offense, good goaltending. the same formula we have gotten the first three rounds to get here

For this year I don't think it's a coincidence that the team turned it around once Riberio was waived and sent down.

 

[braindead]

Bingo on the two posts above. Ribs was waived, PK came off IR and McLeod was acquired in mid to late January and the team jelled.

 

[Fugazy]

The team got fully healthy and started to gel at the right time.

 

[Gnashville]

Games 1 and 2 in Chicago

Game 1 they scored early on a fluky goal laid back and was dominated for 2 1/2 periods and held on for a win.

Game 2 they came out buzzing and once again scored early but then instead of laying back continued to attack and never looked back.

From that point on they have been a completely different team than their normal playoff teams. They are unusually confident on the road and unbelievably good at home.

 

[Brainiac]

1) Not renewing the contract of Barry Trotz and hiring Peter Laviolette.
2) Trades dating back to 2013. Forsberg, Neal, Johansen, and Subban
3) Rinne finally showing up in the playoffs. Rumor also has it that he got new contacts about a month before the playoffs.

Bolded was the key, IMO. 4 key players acquired through very good trading. Who said drafting is everything? You can draft and draft and draft without going anywhere. Recognizing your area of weakness, or simply exploiting a couple of weak trading partners can turn your franchise around in just a few years.

 

[Gnashville]

Bolded was the key, IMO. 4 key players acquired through very good trading. Who said drafting is everything? You can draft and draft and draft without going anywhere. Recognizing your area of weakness, or simply exploiting a couple of weak trading partners can turn your franchise around in just a few years.

Martin Erat dafted 1999
Michael Latta drafted 2009
Traded for Filip Forsberg

Nick Spaling drafted 2007
Patrick Horqvist drafted 2004
Traded for James Neal

Shea Weber drafted 2003
Traded for PK Subban

Seth Jones drafted 2014
Traded for Ryan Johansen

Every player they traded to aquire those players was drafted and developed by the franchise. So yes the draft does matter in addition to shrewd trades.

 

[Brainiac]

Every player they traded to aquire those players was drafted and developed by the franchise. So yes the draft does matter in addition to shrewd trades.

Eh... Thank you, Captain Obvious. I mean, 90% of the players on a team could probably be traced back to players drafted by said team (UFAs, undrafted etc. would account for the rest).

My point is, without the trades, Nashville is not where it is today.

In recent history, some teams won a Cup mostly on drafting alone (PIT 2009 comes to mind, Edmonton in the 80s too), some teams won a Cup with a combination of drafting and trading for key players (BOS 2011, LA) and some other teams won with a combination of drafting and key UFA signing (DET, CHI come to mind).

Drafting is important, but it's not the only factor in building a contender.

 

[Draiskull]

Game 1 vs the Hawks. The Preds came out hungry and haven't looked back since. They had championship swagger since the moment they hit the ice that night.

It started well before that...they were one of the hottest teams coming into playoffs. Trade deadline perhaps was the turning point

 

[Gnashville]

Eh... Thank you, Captain Obvious. I mean, 90% of the players on a team could probably be traced back to players drafted by said team (UFAs, undrafted etc. would account for the rest).

My point is, without the trades, Nashville is not where it is today.

In recent history, some teams won a Cup mostly on drafting alone (PIT 2009 comes to mind, Edmonton in the 80s too), some teams won a Cup with a combination of drafting and trading for key players (BOS 2011, LA) and some other teams won with a combination of drafting and key UFA signing (DET, CHI come to mind).

Drafting is important, but it's not the only factor in building a contender.

my point was without good drafting they would not have had the assets to aquire those players. Plus a few players refused to be traded here (Spezza)

It's not like any free agents are even fielding calls from Poile so he had to make those deals.

This team's future is not too bright after this season since he had to trade picks also and the team has a completely barren prospect pool and a lot of talent could walk in free agency.

 

[Gnashville]

It started well before that...they were one of the hottest teams coming into playoffs. Trade deadline perhaps was the turning point

Which is funny since they only got Fiddler and McCloud in in-season trades

 

[oconnor9sean]

Rinne & the rest of the team got hot at the right time and they've reaped the rewards. Still 4 to go, but just getting to the SCF is a success for any team.

That being said, I don't believe this is the start of a dynasty, or even an extended run of dominance, by Nashville. With how competitive the Central is, and a few teams making improvements behind them, it'll be a dogfight just to get back into the playoffs next year. Gotta capitalize on a chance to win the Cup now, be there's no guarantees it'll come next year.

Hopefully the SCF is a good one. Should be exciting, fast paced hockey.

 

[lawrence]

winning game 3 vs the Hawks. Unbelievable.

 

[SilasAdams]

Aside from everything already mentioned having Saros up here behind Rinne instead of Hutton was pretty big. Don't think Rinne would be on this kind of form without him.

 

[Smeagoal]

1) Not renewing the contract of Barry Trotz and hiring Peter Laviolette.
2) Trades dating back to 2013. Forsberg, Neal, Johansen, and Subban
3) Rinne finally showing up in the playoffs. Rumor also has it that he got new contacts about a month before the playoffs.

s'why

 

[c9777666]

I think game 3 vs. Chicago was the turning point.

When the Hawks went up 2-0 going into the third, you thought Same old Preds vs. the Hawks.

But no- tie game. Goes to OT. A game that if they lost could have wrecked their confidence given OT vs. Chicago in 2010/2015 had not gone kindly.

They pull it out and pretty much took the Hawks' sail out of any wind they thought they had going into the third.

 

[golffuul]

The Subban trade. It gave the team its own identity again, away from Shea Webber. It allowed guys like Forsberg, Johansen, Josi, and Fisher to move the team forward.

I think Poile realized that his team was going no further with Webber, when they had so many young players. By getting younger (and better) with Subban, it allowed everyone to not have to be the best player on the team, nor have to rely on one or two people to get the job done.

Everyone eventually settled into more natural positions as the season went along, and they peaked at the right time.

 

[Brainiac]

my point was without good drafting they would not have had the assets to aquire those players. Plus a few players refused to be traded here (Spezza)

In a lot of cases, obviously good drafting is the key.

But when you can transform an Erat into a Forsberg... I'd say the GM's trading acumen is much more important than the drafting.

Just look at Edmonton. They wasted years going nowhere and stockpiling on talented forwards. Heck, they could have used a Jeff Petry during their recent PO run, but no, dumb GM traded him for picks. And Hall for Larsson was a pretty underwhelming return. Oilers will most probably still win a couple of Cups with McDavid, but the point is, with better trading, they could have been truly dominant for more than a decade.