Predators at a glance
	Camp schedule: Sept. 11: Centennial Sportsplex (Nashville, Tenn.) Coach: Barry Trotz (4th season, 90-130-23-10) General manager: David Poile (4th season)

They're singing the same plaintive, hurtin' tune in Music City again: Where's the offense gonna come from?

It's becoming as much a staple in the local repertoire as "Your Cheatin' Heart."

On sheer effort and tenacity, the Nashville Predators are a hard act to top. But given that lineup, progress can only be made in small increments. Very small increments. Once more in 2000-2001, Nashville toyed with the idea of a .500 season and that elusive postseason spot, only to be disappointed. One of these years, the plucky Preds will turn into the lucky Preds and reward those rabid Tennessee fans with a playoff game.

Don't expect it this season, however.

Give the man his due: It's about time the general hockey public began to appreciate what a stellar job Barry Trotz has done in Nashville. The man was a legitimate Jack Adams Trophy candidate for the the first three-quarters of last season, yet very few people even mentioned his name. You can only hope sanity prevails and the Predators' ownership gives him the chance to be there, behind the bench, for the first playoff game in Nashville -- whenever that may be.

No knockout punch: The Preds can count only one 20-goal scorer (Scott Walker, with 25) and one 60-point man (Cliff Ronning, with 62) among them. That just ain't gonna get it done, no matter how tight defensively they're able to play. Kimmo Timonen's 12 goals equaled the total of the rest of the Nashville defense, meaning there's not much help coming in from behind the rush. Nashville finished 28th in goal production, bettering only the expansion Minnesota Wild and the N.Y. Islanders. There's no reason to believe they'll place much higher this go-around.

Time for Legwand: The second overall pick at the 1998 entry draft, David Legwand improved in poise (he was a plus-one, second-best among regular Nashville forwards) and points (from 28 his rookie year to 41). The lack of polished offensive players to work with hurts him, but if the Preds are to make yet another step forward in their development, another significant jump from Legwand is required.

Predators 2001-02 preseason schedule
Date	Opponent	Time
Sat., Sept. 15	at Atlanta (split squad)	Canceled*
Sat., Sept. 15	Chicago (split squad)	Canceled^
Sun., Sept. 16	at Columbus	Canceled#
Mon., Sept. 17	at Atlanta	7:30 p.m.
Tue., Sept. 18	at Columbus	7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 21	vs. Columbus at Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala.	8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 22	St. Louis	8 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 23	Chicago	5 p.m.
Tue., Sept. 25	Atlanta	11:30 a.m.
Fri., Sept. 28	at St. Louis	8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 29	at Chicago	8 p.m.
*Rescheduled for Sept. 17 ^Rescheduled for Sept. 23 #Rescheduled for Sept. 18