1st Round preview: Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche

Players to Watch

Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg – 26 goals, 38 assists, 64 points

Forsberg led the Predators this year in scoring with a total of 64 points. Although he played in just 67 games due to injury and a suspension, he still tied his career high in points.

Forsberg finished the year on a tear, putting up 18 points in the last 15 games, including eight goals. Forsberg also pulled off a hat trick in the Predators final game of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Forsberg was on a tear against the Avalanche this year as he scored three goals against them. The Avalanche need to keep an eye out for Forsberg throughout the series, as Forsberg is a series scoring threat.

Pekka Rinne – 59 GS, 42 W, 13 L, 4 OTL, .927 SV%

Pekka Rinne will play a huge part in the Predators success this postseason. Rinne had a very successful regular season, playing lights out at times, and was able to shut out opponents eight times. Rinne will also have a great chance to win the Vezina Trophy. Both Rinne and Vasilevskiy have been considered favorites to win the award for most of the year.

If the Predators want to win the Stanley Cup after coming up short last year, Rinne will have to be great in goal like he was for much of the season.

Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon – 39 goals, 58 assists, 97 points

MacKinnon has tore up the NHL this year, bursting out for a total of 97 points. He led the Avalanche in scoring with 97 points and 39 goals. MacKinnon has been a huge reason for the Avalance’s success this season, and will need to show out if the Avalanche want to win in the postseason.

The Predators will need to keep an eye on him at all times, and like Forsberg, is a scoring threat anytime he is on the ice.

Jonathan Bernier – 37 GP, 19 W, 13 L, 3 OTL, .913 SV%

I wouldn’t usually put a backup goalie on this list, but Bernier will be the starting goalie for the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Starting goaltender Semyon Varlamov suffered a season ending leg injury against the Chicago Blackhawks a few weeks ago.

Now, Bernier will have to step up huge for the Avalanche if they want to advance past the first round. Although Bernier was a backup, he has a ton of experience, as he has been with four teams during a 10 year career in the NHL.