Pluses, minuses for Blues-Rangers, Predators-Kraken

NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will offer his pluses and minuses for big games each week throughout the season.

The St. Louis Blues (32-14-6) visit the New York Rangers (33-15-5) at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, NHL LIVE).
Then, the Nashville Predators (30-19-4) visit the Seattle Kraken (16-34-5) at Climate Pledge Arena (10 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS, SN, SN360, NHL LIVE).
Here's my breakdown of the games.

Blues

Pluses: The Blues been clicking with four straight wins. Goalie Ville Husso has played well all season (13-3-2, 2.03 goals-against average, .935 save percentage, two shutouts) and Jordan Binnington, who has struggled, has allowed one goal in his past two games. Pavel Buchnevich is having a great season and is a point per game player (46 points in 46 games). Let's see how he does against his former team. Vladimir Tarasenko (46 points in 47 games) has played great in his return from shoulder surgery. St. Louis ranks in the top 10 in goals per game (3.58, fifth), goals against per game (2.67, tied with the Boston Bruins for fifth), power-play percentage (27.0 percent, second) and penalty-killing percentage (85.0 percent, fourth).
Minuses:There's not really anything wrong with them right now. They play good at home and on the road, are balanced offensively and defensively, and have two goalies capable of starting. They're also great on special teams.

Rangers

Pluses:Igor Shesterkin is having a season worthy of the Vezina Trophy, given to the top goalie in the NHL. He's 25-6-3 with a 1.95 GAA, .941 save percentage and three shutouts. The defense has also been good. Jacob Trouba has been solid on a pair with K'Andre Miller. We already know about Adam Fox, who's scored 50 points in 50 games. Chris Kreider (34 goals), Artemi Panarin (56 points) and Mika Zibanejad (54 points) lead the way offensively. Overall, they've been one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference this season and have looked like a Stanley Cup contender.
Minuses:They have lost two straight in regulation, including 5-2 to the Vancouver Canucks at home Feb. 27. Defense and goaltending have kept them in games because they rank 20th in goals per game (2.89).

Predators

Pluses: Juuse Saros is a top-flight goalie in the NHL, and it's been a smooth transition from Pekka Rinne. He's proven he can handle the heavy workload and is second in the NHL in starts (44), one behind Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Roman Josi has scored 53 points in 51 games, more than he had last season (33 in 48 games) and is on pace to break his NHL high of 65 set in 2019-20, when he won the Norris Trophy given to the top defenseman in the NHL. Tanner Jeannot hasn't gotten much love in the Calder Trophy race for NHL rookie of the year, but he is second among first-year players with 18 goals (one behind Michael Bunting of the Toronto Maple Leafs) and has scored 32 points while providing a physical presence for the Predators (94 penalty minutes).
Minuses:Let's see how they respond after coming off an emotional 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 26. And what happens with Filip Forsberg? Will they move the pending unrestricted free agent forward prior to the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline on March 21?

Kraken

Pluses:They are still trying to establish who they are, but forwards Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann have been their most consistent players. Eberle, who played in the 2022 Honda All-Star Game, has scored 15 goals and 31 points, second to McCann in each category (21 goals, 33 points). It wasn't likely that they were going to have the same inaugural season as the Vegas Golden Knights, but as a young team, they've shown signs of progress.
Minuses:Seattle has lost seven straight (0-6-1) and it doesn't get any easier with its next four games against the Predators, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes and Maple Leafs. Captain Mark Giordano, who has provided invaluable leadership this season, could be traded. It will be interesting to see what they do before the deadline with a lot of pieces teams contending for the Stanley Cup Playoffs likely would be interested in acquiring.