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The Nashville Predators are off to a fiery start for the 2015-16 regular season. With a 6-1-0 record, the team is currently second in the Central Division. For the sake of understanding their success, as well as what they might do in the future, let’s look at the five things we can take away from the Predators’ early season.
5. The Elite Fowards Are Points Machines
Credit: Getty Images5. The Elite Fowards Are Points Machines
James Neal, Filip Forsberg and Craig Smith are absolutely dominating the puck in goals, assists or both. Each of these forwards have put up either high goal totals (Neal has five and Smith has three) or assists (Neal has three and Forsberg has four). As a whole, these guys have been major factors in the high numbers that Nashville has been putting on the board early in the season.
4. Pekka Rinne Is Staying Cool Under Pressure
Credit: Getty Images4. Pekka Rinne Is Staying Cool Under Pressure
Rinne has a save percentage of .933. This is because he has faced, in six games, 165 shots and only let in 11 goals (nearly half of the goals came from the crazy game against the Tampa Bay Lightning). To save such an astronomical amount of shots in just the beginning of the season, and manage to have a high save percentage, shows his ability to not freak out in net when the pressure is on.
3. Each Game Shows Increased Team Aggression
Credit: Getty Images3. Each Game Shows Increased Team Aggression
With each game, the Predators are showing an increasing ability to really put games away when leading in score. Some sports writers have noted that this is an area that Nashville needs to work on, and it seems that they are. This was evident during the recent blowout win against Anaheim, the team showed a willingness to play full throttle until the final buzzer.
2. Austin Watson Has Emerged As A Dominant Force
Credit: Getty Images2. Austin Watson Has Emerged As A Dominant Force
The news recently broke that the Preds had sent Viktor Arvidsson to the AHL. With this, it is now solidified that Austin Watson's play has earned him a more permanent role. He has been showing his two-way forward style in major ways by both controlling the puck and slamming into players that get in his way.
1. The Predators Are Playoff Bound
Credit: Getty Images1. The Predators Are Playoff Bound
If Nashville can keep up this level of play throughout the regular season, they will easily make the playoffs. It is very possible to see them advance deep into the postseason if they really turn on the jets.
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