2019 Nashville Predators Odds to win Stanley Cup with Expert Predictions

Last year's season for the Nashville Predators was a weirdly anonymous one. They won the tough Central Division, and they did a lot of things well. But they were underwhelming offensively, they didn't grab a lot of attention despite their success, and they fell to the Stars in the first round of the playoffs without much of a fight. It was a long way from a lousy season, but it still became clear that the team needed to do something to shake things up a little. And they certainly did. They made one of the biggest trades of the summer and one of the biggest free agent deals. They haven't made a whole lot of changes, but the ones they have made will be relied upon to make a big difference. There is not much room for them to climb - they were already in first place last year. But they certainly can be a better team. So, are they?

Nashville Predators Offseason Moves

The team wanted to make a big splash in free agency, and they set their sights on center Matt Duchene early on. It was a big fight for them, as Montreal was very active in pursuit of him, and other teams were interested, too. But in the end Nashville came out on top with their seven-year deal at $8 million per. He adds to some solid center depth with the team, joining Ryan Johansen and Kyle Turris. It's also hoped that he can provide an injection of needed offense. Last year, Johansen led the team with just 64 points. Filip Forsberg, probably the team's most effective offensive player, missed 18 games, but even his 50 points leaves plenty of upside. Duchene had just short of a point per game last year while playing for two teams and was particularly good offensively when he was with the Senators where he was stable and established. If he can settle in and find chemistry here, he could have a big impact.

To make room for Duchene, the team had to open some serious cap space. And to do so they made an eye-opening move. They traded defenseman P.K. Subban, and his $9 million contract, to the Devils . More accurately, they gave him away - dumping his contract for little return. They got two second-round picks, a fringe NHL defender, and a college defender who was a seventh-round pick in 2016. That's clearly well below market value for a legitimate top four defender. Subban is a big personality, and his offense had fallen off last year, but he will still be very missed. The team is taking a gamble with his replacement. Dante Fabbro was the team's first-round pick in 2016 and is coming off a strong career at Boston University. He's a legitimate talent, and he looked solid playing for the Americans at the World Championship last year, and in four regular-season games at the end of the year with the Predators last year. But asking a rookie to step into the top four for a team that relies very heavily on defense is a big ask, and it is almost certainly going to be a step back from Subban - at least early on.

The team's first-round draft pick, taken 24th overall, was center Philip Tomasino, who had more than a point per game in the OHL last year. He's a talent, but it will take time for him to develop.

Nashville Predators NHL Outlook

The team has largely stood pat from last year, so where the team winds up is going to come down to how well they can handle the changes they have made. Can Duchene get comfortable, find chemistry, and contribute at a level worthy of his contract? Can Fabbro step up and perform as a legitimate defender, allowing the top four to maintain their high level of play? Can they do something about that horrifying power play which ranked dead last in the league last year? The team is heading to the playoffs no matter what unless something goes horribly wrong, but how well they can answer those questions will determine whether anyone notices them this year once they get there.

Nashville Predators Schedule

Nashville opens with four games at home, and the first two - against Minnesota and Detroit - are really quite soft. It's a chance for the team to jump out to a strong start, and for the new faces to make an early impact.

Nashville Predators NHL Futures Odds

At +2000, the Predators are one of six teams tied as the ninth choice to win the Stanley Cup . They are tied with Dallas and San Jose as the fifth choice to win the Western Conference at +900 and are tied with Winnipeg as the fourth choice to win the Central Division at +450 - though Colorado leads at just +300, so it is a wide-open race. The season point total sits at 96.5, with the "over" solidly favored at -135. They are at -220 to make the playoffs and +180 to miss them.

2019-20 Nashville Predators Predictions

I am a little skeptical about the Duchene deal. He is a talented guy. But Colorado wasn't as sad to see him go as you would have expected him to be given his talent, he never made enough real difference in Ottawa to come close to justifying the massive price they paid for him, and he didn't exactly overwhelm while he was with Columbus after the trade deadline. He has the look of a guy who doesn't contribute up to the level of his talent. He doesn't feel like a difference-maker, and they need to make a difference to make the move from a good team to a scary one. I respect them for the most part, but I'm not buying them as a true threat.

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