I find it easier to break down the roster into forwards and
defensemen. So, including our new acquisitions (Bombadir and
Zholtok) and injured players...

...we have 16 forwards (current lines)...

Steve Sullivan / David Legwand / Scott Walker
Andreas Johansson / Greg Johnson / Jeremy Stevenson
Martin Erat / Denis Arkhipov / Vladimir Orszagh
Jim McKenzie / Adam Hall / Jordin Tootoo

ext: Wyatt Smith (m), Sergei Zholtok
inj: Scott Hartnell, Rem Murray

...and 10 defensemen (alphabetical)...

Jamie Allison, Brad Bombadir, Mark Eaton, Dan Hamhuis, Andrew
Hutchinson (m), Robert Schnabel, Kimmo Timonen, Marek Zidlicky

inj: Stan Neckar, Jason York

I'd personally keep a game roster of four complete forward lines,
three defense pairings, one extra forward and one extra defenseman.
That makes a game roster of 22 with the goalies (one less than the
maximum allowed). (Coach Trotz tends to keep only one extra player
on the game roster. Usually a defenseman, but it depends on who
we're playing.)

That said, we have three forwards and two defensemen too many. With
Hartnell and Murray injured, that leaves Smith (being on recall and
a healthy scratch of late) as the odd man out up front. Now we have
to decide who gets kicked off of a permanent line to make room for
Zholtok.

I suspect we'll see a number of players rotating in and out of the
line-up before we get to the playoffs. Stevenson, McKenzie and
Tootoo come to mind right away, but I wouldn't be surprised to see
Arkhipov or Hall (or even Erat) in there as well. How those players
perform when they are in the line-up will determine who'll be
starting in our first playoff game.

As for the defense, Eaton, Hamhuis, Timonen and Zidlicky are
permanent fixtures. Personally, I'd make Hutchinson one as well. And
though York hasn't really impressed me, he is dependable. That's six
defensemen right there. Stick Bombadir in there and that leaves
Allison, Neckar and Schnabel on the outside looking in.

From what I've read in The Tennessean, it sounds like the team has
given up on Neckar being part of our playoff team. And Allison and
Schnabel have been trading one spot on the team all season. (Though
Allison seems to have taken more control of that spot since mid-
season.)

If the team refuses to give Hutchinson his own stall in the locker
room, I expect the defense going into the playoffs to consist of
Allison, Bombadir, Eaton, Hamhuis, Timonen, York and Zidlicky.
Depending on how quickly Bombadir adjusts to the team, either he or
Allison will probably be considered the extra man (without a regular
partner) on the blueline.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any mention of the goaltending
situation in The Tennessean or on the boards. Does anybody think
that the team might make a deal for a veteran goalie to play backup
in the playoffs? Is Wade Flaherty good enough to fill that role? Is
Chris Mason ready?

Anyhoo...

Christopher "Beautiful" Carlson
Canada's #1 Nashville Predators Fan
"You can never have too many pucks."

P.S. Was anybody else really disappointed that Brad Bombadir was
left out of FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING? He was great in the book! Of all
the stuff Peter Jackson managed to squeeze into the three LORD OF
THE RINGS films, he had to leave that part out.

;-)