Predators lose NHL hits leader after week-to-week diagnosis

The Nashville Predators continue to surge in the back half of 2023-24, but they’ll have to spend the next few weeks without the league’s most prolific hitter after Jeremy Lauzon was deemed week-to-week on Tuesday, per NHL.com.

Lauzon joins fellow defensemen Dante Fabbro and Spencer Stastney on the shelf; both were labelled week-to-week over the last seven days. The 26-year-old is dealing with a lower-body injury.

The NHL hits leader has picked up 13 points this season, but an outrageous 327 hits through 68 games. The next highest is Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway, who has amassed 268 hits.

Clearly, Lauzon is not afraid to throw the body, and his presence will be sorely missed on the blue line for the foreseeable future. It could open up a spot for Tyson Barrie, who figures to jump up with the plethora of injuries.

Predators red hot, but now shorthanded on blue line

The Preds have been one of the league’s best teams since mid-February, losing just twice in 14 tries since Feb. 17 and going from playoff bubble team to legitimate postseason contender in the span of a month.

Now 39-25-4, Smashville occupies the top wildcard berth in the Western Conference, with three points of breathing room on the Vegas Golden Knights and seven on the St. Louis Blues.

They look like a shoo-in to return to the dance in April after most preseason predictions guessed that this club would be on the outside looking in. While that isn’t the case, the loss of Jeremy Lauzon will still loom large over the next few weeks.

“This is a tremendous blow to what was a very consistent Predators defense, with six defensemen playing in 49 or more games. Lauzon has served in one of the more meager roles among that corps, averaging just short of 18-and-a-half minutes of ice time through his 68 games this season,” wrote Pro Hockey Rumors’ Gabriel Foley on Tuesday.

“He’s managed six goals and 13 points in that span – a mark that represents Lauzon’s career-high in scoring, beating out his 12 points in 67 games last season. Lauzon has also managed a career-high 90 penalty minutes this year, far ahead of his previous high of 67 penalty minutes. He’s continuing to establish a day-to-day NHL presence with the Predators, after joining the team via trade at the 2022 Trade Deadline.”

With Lauzon out, it opens the door for Marc Del Gaizo — who has appeared in five NHL games this season — to step up. Even with the youngster in the lineup, the Preds don’t have a seventh defenseman, and could call up Milwaukee Admirals’ captain Kevin Gravel to the big leagues.

The Predators welcome the lowly San Jose Sharks to Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night.