Nashville Predators: Subban Injury a Big Question Mark

The flashy Nashville Predators defenseman has missed some time, and there may be more.

When the Nashville Predators made the blockbuster trade for P.K. Subban, expectations of the 2016-2017 season were at an all-time high. Faster than the blink of an eye, the captain of the Predators was out and Subban was in. It didn’t take long for Subban to embrace his new home bringing his energy to Smashville.

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Subban sure has been fun to watch on the ice not just because of his fluid skating or the thundering hits he delivers, but his offensive contributions have been solid as well. Already surpassing his goal totals from the previous season in Montreal, the only ding on his résumé right now is the career-low -11.

Sitting at fifth on the team in goals scored, seventh in assists, and number one in average time on ice, Subban’s contributions have fallen to the wayside with a Predators team trying to find their identity. Amidst trying to climb up the rankings, the Preds will be without Subban for the near future.

Subban’s injury has kept him out of action for five games, up to seven as he has been ruled out for the back-to-back matchups against the Blackhawks and Blues. The scary part about this injury is that it has been rumored to be a herniated disc and the words “season-ending” have been thrown around here and there.

It’s possible the Predators could survive a temporary loss of Subban, although it would be tough, but what would a season-ending injury mean for the Predators? First, the obvious – the team loses their superstar defenseman that they traded for in the off-season. The second, who takes the open spot left by Subban’s absence?

Dec 17, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Petter Granberg (8) skates with the puck as he is pressured by New York Rangers left wing Marek Hrivik (46) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Seeing his fair share of games with the team last year, Anthony Bitetto has been out since the beginning of December with a broken hand but his return could be soon as it has been reported by Thomas Willis that he is skating.  Bitetto aside, two other options for the Predators could be Petter Granberg and Adam Pardy.

Pardy is the veteran of the two logging 52 total points in 342 games. This leaves the Preds in an interesting spot having to choose between aged experience and quicker youth. In the short-term, Granberg is getting the nod but pending on his success it wouldn’t be surprising to see Pardy and his experience later in the season.

There’s no doubt that P.K. Subban represents a sparkplug for the Nashville Predators. A long-term injury to Subban would require under-the-radar players to step up and fill the void while the Preds creep back towards a playoff position. Fingers crossed that we find out it is only a short-term problem.