NHL EDGE stats for Nashville Predators

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Nashville Predators:

1. Steven Stamkos ranked third among NHL forwards in 90-plus mile per hour shots (36) last season behind Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (68) and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres (46).

Stamkos, who signed a four-year contract with the Predators on July 1, ranks third among active NHL players in goals (555) behind Ovechkin (853) and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (592). He's still one of the game's elite in the category after scoring 40 goals last season, his seventh in the League with at least that many.

There is some question regarding his lineup placement considering Nashville's top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist was on the ice for 86 goals last season, the second most in the NHL behind Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (90).

Stamkos is second among active players in power-play goals (214) behind Ovechkin (312), and his hard shot will make the first power-play unit much more dangerous than last season (21.6 percent; 16th in NHL). Though Nashville was tied with the Florida Panthers for ninth in 90-plus mph shots (94) last season, Stamkos no longer has elite forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point and defenseman Victor Hedman as his running mates on the man-advantage. That could lead to an adjustment period in his first NHL season with a team other than the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2. Brady Skjei led NHL defensemen in high-danger goals (seven) with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. Roman Josi was tied for second at the position in the category (five).

The Predators were fifth in high-danger shots on goal (722) and ninth in high-danger goals (141). They're even stronger with the additions of Stamkos, Skjei (seven-year contract) and high-scoring forward Jonathan Marchessault (five years).

Recognized as more of a defensive team in the past, Nashville had the fourth-highest offensive zone time percentage (43.7 percent) last season behind only the Hurricanes (46.6 percent), Panthers (44.9 percent) and Oilers (43.9 percent), and has reopened its Stanley Cup window after a big offseason splash.

3. Goalie Juuse Saros faced the most shots on goal (1,845) in the NHL last season, including the fifth most from high-danger areas (443) and the most from midrange areas (550). He was tied with Alex Nedeljkovic of the Penguins for second in midrange save percentage (.915) behind Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins (.919).

The Predators signed Saros to an eight-year contract, which begins next season, even with elite goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov in their system. Saros has been one of the best workhorse goalies in the NHL for years and except for last season (.906 in 64 games) is usually among League leaders in save percentage. He's tied with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning for the lead (.917) among the 21 goalies who have played 300 games since 2015-16.

With upgrades to Nashville's skater group, especially with Skjei on defense, Saros has renewed upside and a ceiling of winning the Vezina Trophy for the first time. It's worth noting his former teammate and Predators European scout and goalie development coach Pekka Rinne won that trophy voted as top player at the position by NHL general managers in 2018.

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