Welcome to the 2022-23 Nashville Predators Report Card Series. In this series, we are in hockey book Look at each Predators player from last season, detail how their campaign went, and assign a letter score that reflects their overall performance. This version will focus on goalkeeper Juuse Saros.
2022-23 Saros amazing season
Sarrus is one, if not the only, reason the Predators made the playoffs late in the regular season. The injury-plagued roster was teetering in the latter part of the regular season. Timely contributions from the young strikers helped lighten the burden, but Sarros’ play kept them out most nights. During the 2022-23 campaign, he posted a 0.919 save percentage (SV%), 2.69 goals against average (GAA), had 33 wins, and led the NHL in goals saved above expected (GSAx) with 46.7. His GSAx is four higher than the closest goalkeeper.
Sarros has put up big numbers while co-leading all goalkeepers in matches played during the 2022-23 season. He and the Winnipeg Jet goalkeeper played 64 games each. They have taken on an enormous workload in the competitive Western Conference. Saros finished Fourth in the Vezina Cup Vote, get two votes from the first place. He finished behind Hellebuyck, Ilya Sorokin and eventual Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. Despite the talent ahead of him, Sarros being outside the top three is still somewhat surprising.
Having a goalkeeper who can single-handedly put you in contention for a play-off spot makes it difficult to rebuild; However, predators do not see fixing their menu as rebuilding. Down with Barry Trotz Trade rumors surrounding Saros ahead of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He referred to Saros as a “game changer” and wanted to build around him. He mentioned Philip Forsberg and Roman Jozy as other key pieces to build on as the Predators enter their new era (from ‘LeBrun: Rumblings on Johansen, Krug, DeAngelo, Dubois and more as the NHL kicks off draft week. athlete, June. 26, 2023).
Trotz’s actions in the draft only confirmed this statement. He did his best to trade the top five spots, hoping to pick one of the sure-shooting stars the Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens. He was reportedly considering parting ways with prospective goalie Yaroslav Askarov in order to entice one of the two teams to switch to his selection. In the end, nothing comes of it, but it does show Trotz’s commitment to Saros. Sarros will be the starting goaltender for the Predators for at least the next two seasons. He has two years remaining on his contract, which pays him an average annual value (AAV) of $5 million per season. Sarros’ job security means a change in the crease will only happen if Askrov forces him out, which likely won’t happen next season.
Final grade for Juuse Saros: A+
The Predators would have been in the bottom 10 last season if it weren’t for Sarros. His stellar play nearly brought hockey to the city of Nashville. He led the NHL in GSAx and deserved to be a finalist for the Vezina Cup, despite voters thinking otherwise. Keeping predators around him is the right move.
Related: 2022-23 Nashville Predators Player Scores: Jake Livingston
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Goalkeepers like Sarus don’t grow on trees. He is one of the few goalkeepers in the NHL who is always outstanding from season to season. Sarros will look to help the Predators make the playoffs during the 2023-24 season, and betting against them securing a Vezina Cup nomination is not recommended.
Advanced stats were taken from money imp