Tonight Nashville visits Denver Colorado for the first of four meetings this season. The Predators, the Avalanche, and several other teams in the Western Conference are very evenly matched, which is the cause of the impervious log jam that everyone has been watching in the standings for weeks. Nashville has a record of 25-15-6 with 56 points, and Colorado has 54 points at 24-16-6.
Nashville has several things going for them in tonight's game. Pekka Rinne keeps getting hotter, and he is a sure bet for the start in goal against Colorado. Avalanche Center and headliner Matt Duchene is in a bit of a slump with only three points in his last five games. Goal tenders Peter Budaj and Craig Anderson have been far from perfect for Colorado and hopefully Nashville can cash in on their unpredictable nature.
The status of Francis Bouillon and Marek Svatos is unknown for Nashville. Bouillon missed Tuesday's game against Phoenix with an upper body injury, and Svatos is listed as day to day. For the Avalanche, Ryan O'Reilly will be out. Tonight's game will start at 8:00PM, and you can catch it on FS-TN.
On another note, the trade deadline is only 39 days away, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. I cannot make predictions on what Nashville will do; I'm by no means in deep enough to know what is going to happen, nor have I talked to anyone who does actually know. I will pass on what information I have, and as always this information is subject to change at a moment's notice. These possibilities are what they are, and I just enjoy dreaming of what might happen.
Nashville's Salary Cap is exactly $59,400,000, and the team has room to play. Currently the Predators are spending $50,531,855, they have $8,868,145 in cap space, and they can take a max cap hit of $20,618,437. What does all this mean? Nashville can spend, in salaries, a total of $59,400,000. With the confusing nature of trades, draft picks, and contract term lengths, the actual amount that Nashville will be able to spend can never be determined by me. The numbers do mean that Nashville can, if they so desire, pick up some people before the deadline.
To over simplify the situation, I offer this explanation. A team that is more than likely NOT going to make the playoffs at the trade deadline may elect to trade one or more of their high priced players. If a team is slumping through an off year, they can save some money by dumping high priced contracts, and gain draft picks for the following year(s). A team that is going to make the playoffs, or a team that is in the running may elect to spend money to give them an advantage.
My Pre Preview to the Trade Deadline would not be complete without an example, and I'm sure your going to like this one. The New Jersey Devils are at the bottom of the league with 29 points, and a record of 13-29-3. They are spending $65,002,142, and need to dump a large portion of their payroll. New Jersey may want to trade someone...like...Jason Arnott to free up a $4,500,000 salary. Now, I do understand that Arnott has a no trade clause in his contract, but rumor is that he is willing to wave that.
The deal is - Nashville can spend, but I have no idea whether they will want to or not. Fans also have to take into account that the Predators have players listed on Injured Reserve. If Steve Sullivan and/or Matthew Lombardi pop back into the lineup, the management has to re figure everything.
In the end, don't worry about it, enjoy watching the trades, catch the game tonight, and I'll see you at the Bridge on February 1.
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