Posts About "Craig Smith"
Maple Leafs Can Add Forward Depth In Free Agency
September 12th, 2020 We know the Toronto Maple Leafs top-six forward unit is one of the deepest in the league. They have incredible talent and skill that many teams would like to replicate. While you always look to your top players for offensive production, you still need to have support from the bottom six. The Maple Leafs' bottom-six looked great at...
Nashville Predators Free Agency Preview
April 17th, 2020 The Nashville Predators are at somewhat of a crossroads this upcoming offseason with two of their key players being pending free agents forwards - 28-year old Mikael Granlund, and 30-year-old Craig Smith. There are always high hopes in the Music City with a team full of talent, as the core...
Predators Were Quiet at the Deadline, and That's Okay
February 27th, 2020 What you see is what you have. The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, with general manager David Poile and the Nashville Predators mainly staying quiet. However, there is one name leaving the Music City – Matt Irwin, but his playing time has been largely nonexistent for the past few months – and the return, Korbinian Holzer –...
Calgary Flames' Potential Deadline Deals
January 31st, 2020 Parity throughout the National Hockey League is great for the fans, but it can make things a little more difficult for general managers looking to make changes to their roster prior to the trade deadline on Feb. 24. The Pacific Division is in gridlock, with just five points separating the top five teams. Many teams around the league...
Predators' Trade Deadline Decisions
January 31st, 2020 With less than a month until the NHL trade deadline, most teams already know whether they’re buyers or sellers. Are they going to acquire players for a strong cup run? Or are they going to offload their current assets for picks and prospects in preparation for the future? Well, the decision of whether a team is a buyer or a seller...
A November to Forget for the Predators
December 3rd, 2019 The calendar has flipped to December, and for the Nashville Predators, it couldn’t have come soon enough. After enjoying an October that saw plenty of goals for and a record of 8-3-2, November was nowhere near as joyful for the Predators. Nashville played in 13 games during the second calendar month of the season and finished...
Revisiting David Poile's Drafts - 2009
September 2nd, 2019 Recently, I’ve been diving into David Poile’s draft history as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Since he’s been the franchise’s only GM, he’s been at the helm for every draft since 1998. Beginning with that first draft, I’m working forward to the present, with this installment covering the 2008 Draft. For...
Reviewing Predators' 2018-19 Season: Forwards Edition
May 3rd, 2019 The 2018-19 season has come and gone for the Nashville Predators. An up-and-down regular season may have ended with a Central Division title, but the season ultimately concluded with a first-round exit at the hands of the Dallas Stars. An obvious letdown given the team's roster makeup and success in recent seasons, it's time to review...
Predicting Predators' 2019 Storylines
January 7th, 2019 In a recent article, I covered the top-five storylines for the Nashville Predators from the 2018 calendar year. So now that 2018 is wrapped up and we're a week into 2019, I want to predict what I think will be the team's biggest storylines this year. Related: Predators' 2018-19 Mid-Season Awards That means not only looking at the...
Predators Convert on Capital Opportunity
April 6th, 2018 For as much as I like to stress five on five play, special teams are just as important. Thursday night was a great example as four of the total goals were on the powerplay. The second goal for the Capitals was a bit lucky, but as the old saying goes, you have to be good to be lucky. The Nashville Predators looked tired as they finished...
Predators Dominated but Still Steal Point
March 26th, 2018 Sunday night featured what may have been the game of the season. The Nashville Predators traveled to Winnipeg after a rough loss to the Minnesota Wild for their second game in 24 hours. They would find no solace in the "true North," as the Jets were seeking vengeance. The Jets won by a score of 5-4 in a shootout victory that is sending...
Predators Second Line Continues to Dominate
December 19th, 2017 The Nashville Predators took a step forward when they acquired Ryan Johansen, the true first-line center that they had been missing. Nearly two years later, the Predators landed a highly coveted second-line center, and surprisingly his name was not Matt Duchene. With the presence of Kyle Turris, Nashville went from good to scary good in...
Predators Smith Comes Back to Life
November 15th, 2017 All too often, fans of the Nashville Predators found themselves shrugging their shoulders when Craig Smith had the puck last season. Whether he was wide open for a one-timer, on a breakaway with nobody in sight, or staring down a wide open net - he just couldn't put the puck in the back of the net even when it was almost impossible for...
