Predators Preview: Francis Bouillon Autographed Card

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This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key Exits: Erik Haula (C), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Tyson Jost (C), Fedor Svechkov (C), Andreas Englund (D), Jordan Oesterle (D), Magnus Chrona (G)

Key Arrivals: Mavrik Bourque (C), Alexander Kerfoot (LW), Jack Drury (C), Ross Colton (C), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), Nils Hoglander (LW), Adam Edstrom (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (LW)

Top prospects: Brady Martin (C, 19), Wyatt Cullen (LW, 18), Yegor Surin (C, 20), Ryker Lee (RW, 19), Cameron Reid (D, 20), Joakim Kemell (RW, 22), Tanner Melendyk (D, 21)

It's been a freefall for the Nashville Predators since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17, between first round exits and not qualifying for the postseason, losing star defensemen like P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm over the years, watching stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg age, and surrounding them with more experience in the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but little youthful vigor. New GM Chris MacFarland seems to want to rectify the situation.

What makes their odds look good:
Forsberg and Stamkos scored 40 goals apiece last season and are usually a lock for 30+, so the top-line wing position is under good hands; Rosi is not as quick as he used to be but can still produce at nearly a point per game from the back end; Juuse Saros might no longer be among the five best at his position in the world, but as a solid #1 goalie who is around top-15, top-20, he's good enough if the rest of the team around him doesn't require him to steal every game.

Question marks:
xxx

Outlook:
This team, like its yellow jersey, is just underwhelming enough - not quite awful enough to peter out at the bottom of the standings, but not strong enough to make an honest push for the playoffs, despite employing former star players at every position. They feel more like deadline sellers than playoff contenders.

Prediction:
7th in the Central Division.

Fourteen NHL seasons, two teams: three stints with the Montréal Canadiens, two stints with the Preds: that's the steadiness of Francis Bouillon. A dependable, tough defenseman who played much bigger than his 5'8" (though he did play at 198 pounds, which tells you how solid he was on his feet and along the boards to some extent).

Here he is wearing one of the worst uniforms of the modern era, the Preds'white-and-grey Rbk Edge atrocity with yellow piping (wearing the alternate captain's "A"), on card #267 of Upper Deck's 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee collection:

It's signed in blue sharpie; I think I got it off of Ebay because I wanted a signed card of this jersey.

He's currently a big part of the Habs' player development team, and he helped take one of the youngest teams of the NHL last season (youngest at season's beginning, second to the Chicago Blackhawks after the deadline) to the Eastern Conference Final.