The Predators Are Out Of Their Minds If They Don’t Trade Jusse Saros
Juuse Saros notched a franchise record 64 saves in the win over Carolina last night. I watched the whole game and it was flat out ridiculous. The Predators had no business winning that game but it’s just hopefully revealed the truth about what Nashville really is. A fraud contender that’s propped up by an unbelievable goalie. Your window is closed. Start over and trade him.
Does that sound harsh? Maybe, but what if it’s also the truth? You and I pondering our thoughts know the truth. We can talk about how the Stanley Cup Playoffs have a randomness to it with the game of hockey. I understand that the best team doesn’t win all the time. It’s hockey and you’re going to get some weird bounces. However, what I do know is that the Nashville Predators will never win the Stanley Cup within the next five years.
Sure, we can keep doing this song and dance about how you’re trying to compete. That’s cool, I guess. What I do know is that sometimes taking the L and waving the white flag in hopes of raising a bigger and brighter future is the correct path. The Predators aren’t bad enough to be at the bottom to land those elite prospects and they’re also not good enough to ever compete. Does the NHL’s version of the Marvin Lewis Cincinnati Bengals ring a bell?
What are we talking about here? Once again, Nashville is skating around that mediocre zone. Nashville is 6th in the Central. They’re too good to ever get in the Coyotes’ territory. Maybe a hot run gets them into the playoffs, but what does it matter? So I can watch Colorado or whoever spank them in the first round again?
This is your Predators core: Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Saros. All three of whom if you start a teardown you could get the house for. The tier below that consists of Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Mikael Granlund, Ryan McDonagh, and Mattias Ekholm. All overpaid and paid their prime. That bubble right there is the reason why they’re not good enough. It’s too late. You have missed your chance and that’s okay. It’s now just your job to tell them why and start the process that needs to begin.
Isn’t the goal here to win a title? Well, you’re trapped. It’s time to admit it. The smart people within your fan base know it too. Even the young players like Tanner Jeannot whom you maybe could have talked yourself into thinking you had a chance regressed. Jeannot has three goals this year as compared to the 24 that he scored the year before. This Preds thing is a dead dog walking and everybody knows it.
My thoughts on goalies might sound outlandish to you and that’s fine. You don’t have to agree with it. In this instance, it shouldn’t even matter. You have Saros on a $5 million cap hit for the next two and a half years. You would be crazy to not shop him. Everybody needs a goalie. What could you get from the Oilers just to swap Saros for Jack Campbell? What could you get from Toronto to do the same with Matt Murray? That’s a pathway to the title for those franchises. Given Saros’s contract, you would only consider the moon for him.
A year ago, I wrote a piece about how I believed that Saros was the best goalie in the NHL. Igor Shesterkin may have passed him but still, I ask you to consider the circumstances Saros has to deal with. Nashville is fourth-worst mark in the league when it comes to shots against (34.16). That’s only ahead of Arizona, Columbus, and Anaheim. The reality is, it’s amazing Nashville even has a shot to make the playoffs.
The opportunity is there. You could get a monster return for Juuse Saros. Waiting any longer only prolongs the inevitable. This team isn’t good enough and never will be as status quo. Get into the Connor Bedard or whoever the next generational prospect race. I’m not saying everyone should tank but it’s time to stop lying to a fan base that deserves the chance to rally around a real winner. Don’t mess up this opportunity.
