NHL Training Camp Preview: Predators Remain Relevant, Devils Surging Up

The National Hockey League will begin its 106^th season in early October, with a number of clubs looking to unseat the Colorado Avalanche after their Stanley Cup victory earlier this summer, while others are preparing to make a run at getting the best odds to select the presumptive first overall pick, Connor Bedard.

With the NHL salary cap going up only $1 million, many clubs had to make difficult roster decisions. Nearly half the league is currently over the $82.5 million limit. Some clubs will be using the long-term injured reserve to get under the cap ceiling. While budget clubs used their cap space to add draft capital.

In this edition of the NHL Training Camp Preview, we look at one club that snuck into the playoffs in the last week of the regular season before being buried by the Colorado Avalanche. We also look at an Eastern Conference squad that is slowly making its way back into the playoff mix.

NHL Training Camp Preview

Nashville Predators (45-30-7 – 5th place in the Central Division, lost to Colorado in the first round)

Who’s Out – Luke Kunin, Nick Cousins, David Rittich

Who’s In – Nino Niederreiter, Ryan McDonagh, John Leonard

The Predators were able to beat out Vegas for the final Western Conference playoff spot after a regular season that saw defenseman Roman Josi and goalie Juuse Saros nominated for the Norris and Vezina, and forwards Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg have career years. GM David Poile accomplished his biggest off-season task, getting Forsberg re-signed to an eight-year, $68 million extension, but he also added to his existing group by signing Niederreiter as a free agent and upgrading the blueline significantly by trading with Tampa Bay for two-time Cup winner McDonagh.

2022-23 Potential impact prospects

G – Yaroslav Askarov

W – Joakim Kemell

W – Markus Nurmi

The transition in goal with Saros taking over for Pekka Rinne will allow Nashville time to properly develop Askarov, who saw spot duty the last three years and will likely play in Milwaukee this season. Kemell was selected 17^th overall in the 2022 Draft after scoring 15 goals in 39 games as a 17-year-old in the Finnish league. Nurmi was drafted by Ottawa in 2016 and led TPS Turku in scoring during the regular season and playoffs.

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New Jersey Devils (27-46-9 – 7th place in the Metropolitan Division)

Who’s Out –  Pavel Zacha, P.K. Subban, Ty Smith, Jonathan Bernier (On LTIR… Not expected back this season)

Who’s In –  Ondrej Palat, John Marino, Brendan Smith, Vitek Vanecek, Erik Haula

The Devils for the second year in a row dealt with significant issues between the pipes, as Blackwood and backup Jonathan Bernier both struggled with injuries. GM Tom Fitzgerald pulled off a deal to improve the depth on defence swapping youngster Smith to Pittsburgh for veteran Marino and dealing RFA Zacha to Boston for Haula. The most impactful moves were signing Vanecek to split time with Blackwood and adding Cup-winner Palat after striking out on free agent Johnny Gaudreau.

2022-23 Potential impact prospects

D – Simon Nemec

D – Luke Hughes

RW – Alexander Holtz

Nemec played in the 2022 Olympics and was drafted second overall in July, which might mean the 18-year-old gets a chance at making the jump to the NHL right away. Hughes was selected fourth overall in 2021 and opted to stay for his sophomore year at Michigan instead of turning pro. Holtz was the Devils 2020 top pick and played in Sweden in 2021 before scoring 51 points in AHL Utica as a 19-year-old.