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After making progress in each succeeding year of their existence -- 63 points to 70 to 80 -- the Predators ran headlong into a brick wall and fell back to 69 last season.
Don't expect coach Barry Trotz's all-work 24/7 team to make a quantum leap back to near .500 again this season. The Predators have a blue-chipper in defenseman Kimmo Timonen, but being located so close to the Grand Ole Opry and Ernest Tubbs' record store, he might as well be on the moon in terms of hockey profile. There is a smattering of other quality players, but not nearly enough to make a stab at the postseason.
The Preds have taken the sensible approach of preaching patience since entering the NHL in '98-99, but you wonder when patience will start to wear thin.
Where is the offense going to come from? The Preds can count only one 20-goal scorer for last year (Denis Arkhipov), and most hockey fans couldn't pick him out of a police lineup. Not one player hit for at least 45 points (Greg Johnson, at 44, was the team's top point producer) and all-time leading franchise scorer Cliff Ronning was dispatched to L.A. last year. So it's up to right winger Scott Hartnell, a mere babe of 20 and entering his third NHL season, to blossom into a 20-goal, 60-point man (he managed 14 and 27 a year ago).
Can the goaltending bounce back? Both Mike Dunham and Tomas Vokoun are capable of carrying and delivering the mail but suffered through off years in 2001-02. With Dunham securing a four-year, $12 million deal, all eyes will be on Predator GM David Poile to see if there's a sizeable market out there for a solid 26-year-old like Vokoun itching to be a No. 1.
Will David Legwand deliver the goods? The time is now for the former second overall pick to establish himself. Sure, it takes some individuals a few years to find their footing in the league but after seasons of 13, 13 and 11 goals, people are starting to whisper, and wonder.
Preseason schedule
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DATE
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OPPONENT
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TIME (ET)
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Thu., Sept. 19
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at Chicago
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8:30 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 21
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St. Louis
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8 p.m.
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Sun., Sept. 22
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at Columbus
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5 p.m.
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Tue., Sept. 24
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at Atlanta
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10:30 p.m.
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Wed., Sept. 25
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at St. Louis
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8 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 28
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vs. Atlanta at Bossier City, La. (CenturyTel Center)
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7 p.m.
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Tue., Oct. 1
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Chicago
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2:30 p.m.
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Sat., Oct. 5
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Columbus
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8 p.m.
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