Eight Players Who Need To Start Contributing For the Nashville Predators

That unbeaten start to the season already seems like a distant memory now that the Nashville Predators have dropped three-straight games in regulation.

Players like Pekka Rinne, Steve Sullivan, and David Legwand have been almost non-existent since that hot start where the Predators got at least one point in the first eight games.

The Predators have become one of the most consistent franchises in the NHL over the past seven seasons, but they still have yet to advance past the first round of the playoffs in five appearances.

Unfortunately injuries have held this team back somewhat this season, but the production has to start coming from somewhere.

In baseball the Texas Rangers made history by winning their first playoff series in franchise history, and here's eight players who have to step up for the Predators to do the same thing this season.

Pekka Rinne

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GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 03: Goaltender Pekka Rinne #35 of the Nashville Predators makes a pad save during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on November 3, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Predators 4-3. (Ph

Most people would agree that the goaltender is the most important position on the rink, and Pekka Rinne was a key reason the Predators went to the playoffs last season.

He hasn't been nearly as effective so far in his second season and the Predators need him to improve if another trip to the playoffs is going to happen.

In seven games Rinne has a 2-3-2 record and a 2.65 goals against average, which is only good for 20th in the NHL.

Those things have to be cleared up soon or the Predators may be forced to lean on rookie goalie Anders Linback.

David Legwand

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DETROIT,MI - OCTOBER 30: David Legwand #11 of the Nashville Predators skates with the puck in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 30,2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit , Michigan. The Wings defeated the Predators 5-2. (Photo by Claus Ande

David Legwand is one of the longest-tenured players on the Predators, but he's been pretty much a non-factor so far this season.

Obviously the Predators struggle at times to put goals on the board and Legwand is a huge piece of this offense.

Usually when the Predators breakout for a lot of goals Legwand has something to do with it.

Legwand hasn't recorded a goal since October 21st against Pittsburgh, and hasn't recorded a single point during the Predators' current three-game skid.

Marcel Goc

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CHICAGO - OCTOBER 13: Marcel Goc #9 of the Nashville Predators chases down the puck in front of Dave Bolland #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on October 13, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Predators defeated the Blackhawks 3-2. (Photo by

Here's another player that the Predators need to be productive on offense for them to be successful this season.

Marcel Goc was usually on the ice when the Predators scored last season as his plus/minus ratio was a plus-10. You need a player like that to step up for you.

Goc played a huge role in the three wins to start the season for the Predators as he had two goals and one assist in those games.

It's important that Goc stays healthy for the season because he usually plays a huge role in their success.

J.P. Dumont

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DETROIT - OCTOBER 30: J.P. Dumont #71 of the Nashville Predators skates in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 30,2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit , Michigan. The Wings defeated the Predators 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

With the exception of Pekka Rinne, J.P. Dumont might be the most important player on this team.

The Predators lean on his ability to move the offense and set up other guys for scoring chances. With that said, Dumont has just one assist and no goals in his last seven games.

That's an alarming statistic that hopefully changes fast. In those seven games the Predators are just 2-3-2.

Dumont has 11 years of experience under his belt and I fully expect him to get things rolling soon. If not then the Predators may end up singing the blues in the Music City.

Steve Sullivan

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DETROIT,MI - OCTOBER 30: Steve Sullivan #26 of the Nashville Predators turns with the puck in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 30,2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit , Michigan. The Wings defeated the Predators 5-2. (Photo by Claus Ande

Something isn't right when your number one scoring threat hasn't scored a goal in the last eight games.

That's currently the problem for Steve Sullivan who got off to such a hot start in the first three games of the season. It's no coincidence that the Predators were 3-0 in those games.

Sullivan provides that veteran leadership that the Predators need. This team is loaded with young talent, but lacks a ton of veteran leadership outside of Sullivan and a few others.

The Predators are 29th out of 30 teams in goals per game right now, and if that ranking is going to improve then Sullivan has to start scoring goals again.

Martin Erat

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DETROIT - OCTOBER 30: Martin Erat #10 of the Nashville Predators waits for a face-off in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 30,2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit , Michigan. The Wings defeated the Predators 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/

Martin Erat is yet another key piece to the Predators success who is being held to very little production right now.

Are you kidding me? A guy who normally scores around 50 points a season has been held to just three assists and zero goals this season.

Yes, Erat has only played seven games of the 11 games this season, but it's still kind of nerve-racking that Erat has only three points in those games.

He's another important veteran on this team that has to stay healthy, and more importantly produce when he's healthy.

Patric Hornqvist

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DETROIT - OCTOBER 30: Patric Hornqvist #27 of the Nashville Predators chases after a loose puck in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 30, 2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit , Michigan. The Wings defeated the Predators 5-2. (Photo by Clau

Patric Hornqvist provided that spark that the Predators needed last season to make the playoffs, and you better believe they'll need that spark from him again this season. He put up 30 goals last season, which is a lot for a Predators player.

He has four goals this season, but like the other scoring threats, he's been held in check the last several games.

With the offense struggling the way it is, Hornqvist may have to do even more than he did last season to pick up the slack. He's definitely talented enough to do that.

Ryan Suter

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NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 09: Defenseman Ryan Suter #20 of the Nashville Predators carries the puck past Luca Sbisa #5 of the Anaheim Ducks on October 9, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

Obviously it's hard to be productive when you've played less than half of the team's games, but Ryan Suter is extremely important to the Predators' success.

He's a big assist guy and and he has three this season. That's not bad for only five games of action, but he really needs to get healthy in a hurry to help the Predators get out of this funk.

He has a leg injury that is currently keeping him from playing.

Here's a telling stat for you: In the games Suter has missed, the Predators have been outshot in every one of them. The Predators need him on the ice to get those scoring chances back up.