Small Market NHL Teams: Nashville Predators

     With the Predators just having signed Chet Pickard and currently having Dan Ellis, the music city is set in goal.

     The Predators seem to be building for the now, because they keep making the playoffs, but not doing anything in them. They have some good young talent but not good enough. I also think that Barry Trotz needs to go. A lot of people will disagree with that statement but if the Preds are going to do good in the playoffs than they need a new face behind the bench. Barry Trotz is the only head coach that they have ever known.

     With Jason Arnott as their captain, he will lead and teach all of the newly drafted and Preds rookie's to be a good leader, and how to be a good player.

     Everyone knows that the Predators are ow market NHL team. They don't always sell out, and don't have a lot of hardcore fans. Nashville looks to be built for the now, not the future, as I look at their roster right nt the majority is 30+ years old, and just four players under the age of 25. That means that their is a lot of veterans, and the names I read seem to be good leaders, which mean a lot of good leaders for little rookies.

     There is an up-side for all of this though, their prospects. Rich Peverly, Drew MacIntyre, Chet Pickard, Cody Franson, Ryan Maki, and Colin Wilson. They have a lot of good young talent with a lot of good veteran talent, if they can mix that together not only should they win often, but draw in bigger crowds.

Here are my Low Market NHL Teams rankings (based on projected preformance) so far.

1. ----------

2. Columbus

3. Nashville

4. Phoenix

5. ------

6. --------

*Next time I will publish part four of six: The Tampa Bay Lightning.