Predators' Ellis out for several months as he recovers from knee surgery

The Nashville Predators were dealt a serious blow Thursday, as general manager David Poile announced defenseman Ryan Ellis will be sidelined several months as he recovers from offseason knee surgery.

Ellis underwent the procedure in June, and the team was initially optimistic he'd be ready for training camp, which is set to open next week. Now, Poile hopes the star blue-liner can return by the start of the new year.

The 26-year-old was an integral piece to the Preds' endearing run to the Stanley Cup Final in the spring, racking up 13 points in 22 playoff contests to build off a career-best regular season in which he scored 16 goals and added 22 assists.

Thankfully for Nashville, defensive depth is the organization's best asset. The Predators can still roll out a star-studded top three of P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, and Mattias Ekholm to help combat the absence of Ellis, while it appears newcomer Alexei Emelin and fellow defenders will see an increased role to start the season.