2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Nashville Predators Strengths

You"ve had the negatives of the eliminated 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs teams. Now, join Puck Prose as we list the strengths of the last four playoff teams, starting with the Nashville Predators.

In the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Nashville Predators have made their way through the top team in the West, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the third seed in the Central, the St. Louis Blues. Now, they prepare for their first franchise Western Conference Final. That leaves the question, how did the eight seed in the West get all the way here?

What are the Nashville Predators doing right? Exactly what do they need to keep doing to make it past Anaheim? Which aspects does Nashville rely upon to win their playoff series?

Defensive Foursome

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) celebrates with defenseman Roman Josi (59) and defenseman Ryan Ellis (4) (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

The Nashville Predators have perhaps the greatest defensive top 4 in hockey this year. That's a group consisting of Roman Josi, PK Subban, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis. It's a group that's one of the very few to make sense for the eight skater protection at the NHL expansion draft. And it's a defensive top 4 that has killed two teams in the Central in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In the first series versus the Chicago Blackhawks, the Preds foursome was instrumental in two shutouts in Chicago. PK Subban was able to get into Jonathan Toews's head through dirty play, and Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis did the rest. In game two, the 5-0 defeat of the Hawks, each of the Preds dangerous foursome scored a point.

Ellis got the game-winning goal, and the rest got an assist. A defensive group that's able to do that is dangerous. Add in the defensive play of each of them as well, this Nashville Predators defensive unit is the driving force. It's an engine that's driven the Predators through two series, maybe more.

Throughout the rest of that first round, that foursome would add six more points. Roman Josi scored two goals in game 4, Ryan Ellis added an assist in game three and two in game four. PK Subban added an assist on the last goal of the series. That's a ridiculous stat, especially against a team that won the Western Conference in the regular season.

Twice in the first round, the defensemen would score or assist on the game-winning goal. The ability to score in clutch situations and to set up plays would contribute a significant role in the series.

Round 2

In round two against the St. Louis Blues, this trend of defensive scoring continued. In the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the St. Louis Blues, the defensive quartet scored a goal (or multiple) in five of six games. Ryan Ellis himself scored a goal in three straight games.

Altogether, the quartet scored seventeen points in the second series. That's insane. There were two moments where a defenseman assisted a goal scored by a defenseman. There were three moments where two defensemen got both assists.

Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) talks with defenseman P.K. Subban (76) (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

This Nashville quartet is deserving of a good nickname. Considering Aces means something different in hockey, the Four Horsemen is cliche, and the A-Team isn't fitting, I propose the Ghostbusters. The original ones. Cause PK's the scene-stealer, Josi's the smart one, Ryan Ellis is obviously Bill Murray, and Mattias Ekholm will eventually have his own liquor and probably believes in aliens.

And again, it's not like the Predators' Ghostbusters were not playing defense. Out of ten playoff games so far, they held the opponents under 2 goals eight times. In ten games, the Busters collected seventy-six blocks and nineteen takeaways. They were bumping people off the puck and getting in the way of shots. Doing their jobs.

And the other two defensemen, Matt Irwin and Yannick Weber, weren't bad either.

Pekka Rinne Regains Form

Behind the Ghostbusters, Irwin, and Weber, Pekka Rinne started holding down the fort. His stats jumped from a .918 SV%% and a 2.42 GAA to a .951 SV and a 1.37 GAA. Both stats are best in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and so is his two shutouts. Rinne has been remarkable all playoffs long, playing behind a dynamic quartet of defensemen.

Rinne has become the goaltender the Predators have needed all season. It's another factor in the fact that Nashville looks like one of the best teams in the playoffs. His decisive increase in ability from the regular season to the playoffs is more than just being a hot goalie – Pekka Rinne looks like he actually wants that Cup.

Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) against the St. Louis Blues (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

And he might be the Conn Smythe winner. Yes, the Ghostbusters are the best unit on the ice whenever they're out there, but Pekka Rinne is on the ice at all times. He's posted the best save percentage and goals-against average in the league. He looks like the best goaltender in the playoffs.

Pekka and the defense have both been huge. Throughout the playoffs, Rinne has posted a save percentage above .950 in individual games six times out of ten. Whereas he ended the regular season in the eight hundred range in individual games, he's only hit in that range once. That was when he allowed three goals versus the Blues. He returned the next game and put up a .957.

As the series went on, Rinne actually got better. In the first series against the Blackhawks, he only had one game below .950, and that was a .944. Rinne is just making save after save in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's no reason that should stop versus Anaheim.

Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson

In ten playoff games, the line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Viktor Arvidsson has scored seventeen points. Seven of those have been goals. Six have come on game-winning goals. This line is not the only clutch, they are fast, beat the opponent consistently, and know how to score.

Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen (92) celebrates with left wing Viktor Arvidsson (38) and left wing Filip Forsberg (9) (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

And that's just one of the many reasons why the Predators are outmuscling other teams offensively. The Predators lock the other teams down defensively. And then they use their speed and skill, and offensively exploit that lockdown ability. The Predators offensively are exemplified by the line of Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson.

The offense of the Predators is mostly run through that quartet of defensemen, but they also have the ability to create great lines. Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson shows this. They're fast because Arvidsson is able to outpace everybody on the ice. Johansen is a number one center, and he's shown that time and time again throughout the playoffs. Forsberg is usually the premier scorer on the Predators – he scored a team-high 31 goals this year – but on this line, he's able to be the third threat, and it works.

Forsberg has scored three goals in the playoffs, including two in one game versus the Blackhawks. Arvidsson has scored two, both against the Hawks. Johansen has scored two, one a game-winning goal in game six against the Blues. The line truly is overwhelming.