Nashville Predators fantasy projections for 2023-24
Nashville Predators fantasy projections for 2023-24
Josi, Saros, Forsberg among elite at positions; Stamkos fringe top 50 option
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As part of NHL.com’s 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff has ranked the top 5 players on the Nashville Predators and identified other preseason draft targets with point and win projections for the 2024-25 season.
1. Roman Josi, D
NHL.com point projection: 82
Josi ranked third among defensemen in points (85) last season, the second-highest total of his NHL career (96 in 2021-22). He leads his position with 28 power-play goals since 2021-22 and only Cale Makar (242) of the Colorado Avalanche has more points (240) among defensemen over that span. The Predators ranked 10th in goals per game (3.24) last season and signed forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault to give more support to Josi, who’s ranked among the top four fantasy defensemen.
CBJ@NSH: Josi fires in laser one-timer on the power play
2. Filip Forsberg, F
NHL.com point projection: 86
Forsberg had NHL career highs in goals (48; sixth in NHL) and points (94; tied for 12th) last season after he was limited to 50 games in 2022-23. It was the second time he scored at least 40 goals over the past three seasons (42 goals in 69 games in 2021-22). Forsberg has only played 70-plus games four times in the League, but when healthy has proven to be a top 25 overall fantasy player.
NSH@VAN R1, Gm2: Forsberg doubles the lead with a beautiful shot
3. Juuse Saros, G
NHL.com win projection: 35
Saros is one of four goalies with at least 30 wins in each of the past three seasons, joining Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers and Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars. He won 35 games last season and has been a workhorse for the Predators, starting more games over the past three seasons (194), and signed an eight-year contract with Nashville on July 1. He’s ranked third among goalies in NHL.com’s rankings after all their upgrades, including defenseman Brady Skjei.
NSH@WPG: Saros does a split to stop a wrap-around chance by Appleton
4. Steven Stamkos, F
NHL.com point projection: 79
Stamkos joined the Predators after playing his first 16 NHL seasons for the Lightning. The 34-year-old hasn’t slowed down and is coming off his seventh 40-goal season. He tied Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov for the third-most power-play goals last season (19) and will be featured on Nashville’s top power-play unit with Josi, Forsberg and likely Ryan O'Reilly and Marchessault, making Stamkos a fringe top 50 overall fantasy player with his new team.
NHL Tonight breakdown Stamkos joining Nashville
5. Jonathan Marchessault, F
NHL.com point projection: 67
Marchessault had 69 points, including an NHL career-high 42 goals, in his final season with the Vegas Golden Knights before signing with the Predators. He will be a part of a stacked top six and could play on a line with Stamkos and/or another past Conn Smythe Trophy winner in O’Reilly. Marchessault has scored at least 20 goals in seven of the past eight seasons except the 56-game 2020-21 season (18 in 55 games). He should be considered a top 75 overall option in redraft leagues with valuable category coverage (107 hits in 82 games last season).
Other NSH players on preseason draft lists:
Potential draft bargain: Ryan O’Reilly, F (NHL.com point projection: 66)
Sleeper candidates: Gustav Nyquist, F (NHL.com point projection: 54); Brady Skjei, D (NHL.com point projection: 46)
Deep sleepers: Tommy Novak, F (NHL.com point projection: 49); Luke Evangelista, F (NHL.com point projection: 48)
Rookie to watch: Yaroslav Askarov, G (NHL.com win projection: N/A)
