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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Results needed in year No. 3
By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Special to ESPN.com
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The Predators finished last in the Western Conference with only 28
victories, with goalie Mike Dunham earning 19 of them. It's the same number of
wins from their impressive inaugural year. So, what does it mean? It means
Nashville has its work cut out for it with so much competition in the Western
Conference.
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Wed., Sept. 27
If Kimmo Timonen isn't back, the Predators are going to need someone who can move the puck. The whole game is based on quickness and transition. Without him, they lack both. The Predators are going to have to garner as many points as possible against teams equal or just below them. Mike Dunham is a fabulous, very underrated, goaltender. He was one of the real MVPs of the league last year, and no one talked about him. The Predators will need to get another great year out of him.
And they have to continue to take advantage of their great building; their home fans are awesome. |
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When the club came in the league, the franchise said it had a three-to-five-year plan to build a winning team. This is Year No. 3, and the Predators are setting the bar higher for themselves, hoping this is the time when their
young players jell into winners.
Center David Legwand, heading into his second year, is hoping he can
have a season like second-year Vincent Lecavalier did last year in Tampa Bay. Legwand had a safety net last season when he played with Patric Kjellberg and veteran
Cliff Ronning. But this season, it appears Legwand will be centering a new
line. In training camp, he has been flanked by Scott Walker and former
Gretzky-linemate Vitali Yachmenev.
Last year was a career workload for Dunham, who
played 52 games. The flu kept him out a couple of weeks, and he's planning on
playing more like 60-65 games this year.
Offensively, the Predators will be challenged again. Ronning led the
team with 26 goals last year, and Kjellberg had 23. The club had hoped to get
more production from left wing Ville Peltonen, who started off his career
with Nashville like a rocket with five goals in 14 games his first season
there in 1998-99. But last year, Peltonen was effectively a bust with only
six goals in 79 games.
Center Randy Robitaille, now 24, had only 11 goals in 69 games last year
and was an OK contributor. Robitaille said he plans to be much more than a
bit player in Nashville's success this time around.
One player the Predators miss is defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who is
missing from camp. The unsigned Timonen doesn't appear close to joining his
teammates, which won't help Nashville's cause, three-to-five-year plan or not.
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Bottom Line on the Predators
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Mike Dunham
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Scoring
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Pressure to improve
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Pressure to improve
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SEASON OUTLOOK: In the club's first two years, the Predators excited the fans
to the tune of filling up the stands to 97-percent capacity. They had 20
sellouts last year, and there is plenty of enthusiasm. However, it needs to be
rewarded with success, and that could be a while away. |
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe writes a weekly national NHL column for ESPN.com.
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ALSO SEE
Detroit Red Wings preview
Chicago Blackhawks preview
St. Louis Blues preview
Columbus Blue Jackets preview
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