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Predators' Matt Irwin: Watching from press box
Irwin did not dress for Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Panthers, the third consecutive game he has served as a healthy scratch.
Earlier in January, the seldom-used blueliner had previously been seeing regular minutes as an injury sub for Yannick Weber, but now finds himself watching from the press box once again. As the Preds' seventh defenseman, Irwin has played in just 24 games this season with five points to show for it, giving him zero fantasy value in most standard leagues.
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Predators' Craig Smith: Demoted to third line
Smith fired three shots on goal but came away empty in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Panthers, marking the sixth consecutive game he has failed to crack the scoresheet. Futhermore, he spent most of the game skating on the third line with Colton Sissons and rookie Colin Blackwell.
Now with just 25 points in 50 games, Smith is currently on pace for a 40-point season -- a pretty significant step back from last year's 51-point effort. Normally one of the NHL's streakier players, his recent bout of inconsistency has now landed him in a checking-line role, which further devalues him from a fantasy perspective. Bottom line, Smith is simply not worthy of a roster spot in most standard formats right now.
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Predators' Juuse Saros: Snaps three-game winning streak
Saros allowed four goals on 30 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Panthers on Saturday.
This performance ends a nice little hot streak for Saros, as he came into the night 4-0-1 with a .966 save percentage in the last six games. Prior to this run, Saros held a .500 record, but even after Saturday's loss, he is now 15-12-5. He's elevated his other numbers as well, but he could still use some improvement in both his 2.67 GAA and .908 save percentage.
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Predators' Juuse Saros: Starting against Panthers
Saros will start Saturday's home meeting with the Panthers, Robby Stanley of NHL.com reports.
With Pekka Rinne struggling recently, the Predators will turn to their talented backup, who sports a 2.58 GAA and .910 save percentage this season. Opposing Saros is a Panthers team that could be without star center Aleksander Barkov, who injured his hand Friday against the Maple Leafs. Should Barkov sit, Saros would gain even more appeal in daily formats.
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Predators' Colin Blackwell: Ascends to big stage
Blackwell was added to Nashville's roster ahead of Saturday's game against the Panthers.
Blackwell's call-up was necessitated by Ryan Johansen's suspension and an undisclosed issue that sent Zac Rinaldo to injured reserve. The Harvard University product has moved up from AHL Milwaukee, with whom he's provided seven goals over 14 games.
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Predators' Ryan Johansen: Handed two-game ban
Johansen will be suspended two games for his actions against Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele on Thursday against the Jets, per NHL Player Safety.
Johansen will thus miss two of the team's final three games before the All-Star break -- Saturday versus the Panthers and Monday against the Avalanche. With no healthy forwards available to replace him, the Predators will be forced to either recall one from the AHL or to run with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Johansen can return next Wednesday to face the Golden Knights in Las Vegas.
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Predators' Zac Rinaldo: Placed on IR
The Predators placed Rinaldo (undisclosed) on injured reserve Friday.
The nature of Rinaldo's injury is a mystery, but his absence won't impact any fantasy lineups, as he's frequently been a healthy scratch this season and has otherwise only totaled three points in 23 appearances. Another update on the gritty forward's status should surface once he's activated off IR.
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Predators' Ryan Johansen: NHL taking closer look at penalty
Johansen will have a hearing from the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Friday for high-sticking Mark Scheifele in Thursday's game against the Jets.
Johansen was hit with a minor penalty at the 16:31 mark of the first period, but supplemental discipline may be warranted in this case. According to Spotrac.com, a web site that tracks fines and suspensions, he has maintained a squeaky clean record so far.
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Predators' Viktor Arvidsson: Scores in lopsided loss
Arvidsson scored a goal in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Jets.
It's Arvidsson's 10th goal over the last 10 games and brings the Swedish winger up to 18 goals and 25 points in 25 games, putting him on pace to score 42 goals despite missing more than a quarter of the season. The goal-scoring prowess has been made possible by his astronomical shooting percentage, which currently sits at 21.4 percent (nine points above his career average).
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Predators' Pekka Rinne: Blown away by Jets in loss
Rinne gave up five goals on 34 shots in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Jets.
For a second straight game, Rinne had five pucks evade him, and the Preds' starter now has lost his last three starts, allowing 13 over a 0-2-1 stretch. His record will fall to 17-12-3 with a 2.51 GAA and .913 save percentage, but since Dec. 1, Rinne has posted a 7-7-2 record with a 3.05 GAA and .894 save percentage in 17 appearances. With the Panthers in town Saturday, Nashville could give Rinne a rest and start Juuse Saros.
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Predators' Pekka Rinne: Starting in goal Thursday
Rinne will start in the home net Thursday against the Jets, Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press reports.
Chased early from his last start after allowing five goals on 20 shots, Rinne has struggled between the pipes in the last month. Since Dec. 22, Rinne has allowed at least four goals in five of his nine starts, posting just a 3.41 GAA and an .884 save percentage. It will be no walk in the park Thursday either, against a Jets club averaging 3.71 goals per game in January.
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Predators' Miikka Salomaki: Will return after bye week
Salomaki (upper body) should be back in the lineup following Nashville's bye week, Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site reports.
The Preds have four more games to play before an eight-day break. According to GM David Poile, Salomaki will return when the team reconvenes after the bye week, putting the winger on track to play Feb. 1 at the earliest. The 25-year-old has been out since Jan. 5.
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Predators' Kyle Turris: Out through All-Star break
Turris' (lower body) expected return date has been pushed back to early February, Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site reports.
Turris was being evaluated on a regular basis before the team decided to place him on IR on New Year's Day. A perennial power-play contributor, Turris will miss at least the next four games ahead of the All-Star break. Of course, he could be held out even longer given that GM David Poile is only "hopeful" that Turris and Miikka Salomaki (upper body) will return at the beginning of February.
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Predators' Yannick Weber: Earns plus-2 rating
Weber -- who was playing for the first time in 10 games due to an undisclosed injury -- recorded a plus-2 rating and one hit in 14:29 of ice time against Washington on Tuesday.
Despite his stint on the sidelines, Weber is on pace to crack the 10-point mark for the first time since the 2-14-15 campaign when he was with Vancouver. Considering the Swiss blueliner has managed to break the 20-point threshold just once in his career, he is unlikely to offer significant fantasy value the rest of the way.
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