Preds 2023-24 Roster Breakdown: Right Defense

Training Camp is just over a month away, and a new season of Preds hockey is right around the corner.

As General Manager Barry Trotz enters his first season at the helm and Head Coach Andrew Brunette enters his first behind the bench, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2023-24 Nashville Predators.

The 2023 NHL trade deadline in March created a domino effect for the Preds, setting off a series of roster moves that spilled into the offseason. The result? A team that looks very different than it did this time last year. This year's training camp will serve as a clean slate of sorts for Trotz and the coaching staff, as well as for the players competing for the substantial number of roster spots that are still very much up for grabs.

Roster construction can be like a game of Tetris, maddeningly complex with a seemingly infinite number of potential moves. Add in the details of contracts and waivers, and the process becomes infinitely more complicated. While no one - no, not even the Predators front office - knows for certain what the rosters for the Predators and their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee will look like on Opening Night, we can begin to break the roster down and examine the options at each position on the ice.

We're breaking down the Predators roster from the crease out, so let's move now to the blueline. We have already looked at the key pieces on the left side, so let's round things out with the right side of the defensive core in 2023-24:

DEFENSEMEN WHO SKATED IN NHL GAMES IN 2022-23 (RIGHT SIDE)

Luke Schenn

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Schenn signed a three-year, $8.25 million contract with Nashville on the first day of free agency. Schenn is a highly physical player who has experience playing with high-end defensemen, from Quinn Hughes to Morgan Rielly and more. This should help him fit in seamlessly on the Predators blueline this season, and Trotz has already hinted at his potential defensive partner in 2023-24.

"We have one of the greatest defensemen in the National Hockey League right now in Roman Josi," Trotz said. "I don't like sometimes when Roman takes some big hits. Luke will make sure that those big hits won't be coming too often."

Tyson Barrie

Barrie filled a void in more ways than one when he joined the Preds at the trade deadline last season. As key veterans were traded away and injuries plagued those who remained, Barrie quickly stepped into a leadership role both on and off the ice and was even named an alternate captain near the end of the season. Much like Josi, Barrie is a roving offensive defenseman who can provide scoring on the back end. With that in mind, it's unlikely that we will see these two paired together due to the similarities in their game. Barrie and Ryan McDonagh made an effective pair toward the end of last season, so there is reason to believe that we see this veteran pair and their complementary playing styles anchoring the Preds blueline once again.

Alexandre Carrier

Trotz is hopeful that Carrier can return form this year and build upon his successful rookie season. In 2021-22, his first full NHL campaign, Carrier became the first Predators player at his position to be named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team following a 30-point (3g-27a) season. He led NHL rookie defensemen in plus-minus (+26) and was third in assists, points and average TOI (20:59); he posted the most assists and points by a rookie blueliner in franchise history. He has also recorded five assists and 23:43 of average ice time in 10 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Nashville is hoping for a bounce-back season from Carrier, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract as a restricted free agent on July 1. He recorded nine points (2g-7a) in 43 games in 2022-23, but was sidelined for nearly half the season due to injuries.

Dante Fabbro

At just 25 years old, Fabbro already has four seasons under his belt as a full-time NHLer. He has proven his ability to play throughout the lineup and has recorded plenty of top-pairing minutes opposite Josi. Fabbro has yet to post offensive numbers like some of his fellow blueliners, but he can be trusted to play responsibly and put himself into position to make defensive stops. He set a career high in blocks in 2022-23 with 129, which was third on the team behind Josi and McDonagh. The 2023-24 season will be a bit of a "prove-it" year for Fabbro, who, like Carrier, is signed to a one-year contract. Despite a lengthy NHL career relative to his age, Fabbro's offense has never truly taken off - and this is what Trotz and his staff will look to see from him if he hopes to be a full-time starter.

Jordan Gross

Gross scored three goals in 15 games for the Predators in 2022-23. He also put up 38 points (10g-28a) in 53 games for Milwaukee last season, his first with the organization. Having appeared in four NHL seasons since his debut in 2019, Gross will lose his waiver exempt status in 2023-24.

Jake Livingstone

Livingstone, who signed with the Predators in March following a three-year career at Minnesota State University, played in five NHL games for Nashville at the end of the 2022-23 season. The Preds signed him to a two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level on June 27, ensuring the prospect remains with the organization for the next couple of seasons.

Spencer Stastney

Stastney made his NHL debut with the Preds on April 1 and recorded two points (2a) in eight games with Nashville before returning to the Admirals in time for their postseason run. He heated up when the stakes were the highest for Milwaukee, scoring a late third period goal in the winner-take-all Game Five of the Central Division Semifinals and recording back-to-back multipoint nights in Games One and Two of the Western Conference Final. Another waiver exempt player with NHL experience and an AHL postseason under his belt, Stastney will benefit from some more time to develop in Milwaukee before becoming a full-time NHLer.

DEFENSIVE PROSPECTS - RIGHT SIDE

Jack Matier

Following a breakout season with the OHL's Ottawa 67's, Matier was assigned to Milwaukee on April 30. Last season, Matier established OHL highs in goals (13), assists (36) and points (49), leading Ottawa defensemen in all three categories; among all OHL blueliners, he was tied for 13th in goals and 15th in points.

Luke Prokop

After winning back-to-back WHL titles - first, with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2022 and, most recently, with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2023 - Prokop is closer than ever to turning pro. A strong showing at this year's rookie and training camps could earn him a spot on the Admirals blueline at the start of the 2023-24 season.

SEE ALSO

Preds 2023-24 Roster Breakdown: Left Defense
Preds 2023-24 Roster Breakdown: Goaltenders