Another preseason game, another win for the Preds. This time in OT over Carolina at Bridgestone.
The Preds finish the preseason at a relatively stellar 7-1 with 14 points which is most in the NHL so far even though we've played more games than most teams.
How much this really matters is beyond me. A look at the Western Conference "standings" look pretty weird because they're top-heavy with perennial average-at-best teams. After Nashville, the Stars, Blue Jackets and Oilers top the standings.
Not exactly prime company, and you can't convince me that any of the other three teams are going to be worth a shit this season.
Columbus will always suck no matter how hard they try to be relevant and Edmonton may be good in a couple years, but all their good players are just hitting puberty. Dallas may be a decent club, but because they're not in the Leastern Conference, they're not gonna do much.
That's some big-league analysis.
No worries though. Regardless of the validity of preseason games in any sport, the Preds have looked good (on the ice and in the new jerseys) and are, as of now, playing beyond my (and many other fans' personal expectations.
We all know that most of the club's productive players over the last couple seasons are gone so we can save a bunch of money and throw it all at Weber, Suter and Rinne but maybe that doesn't necessarily mean we're gonna suck.
Clearly The Neck and company have their work cut out for them even more so than usual going into this season, which isn't a surprise when your big free-agent forward acquisition is Niclas Bergfors, who was decent in Atlanta (R.I.P.) and traded to Florida, then did nothing and was allowed to walk away freely. Not a good sign when the Panthers have no interest in you.
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