Why Predators' defensive depth will help them survive in Ellis' absence

It was not the news the Nashville Predators wanted to hear with the beginning of the regular season just a month away.

The team announced on Thursday that defenseman Ryan Ellis will be out several months as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.

General manager David Poile noted the team is hopeful he will be able to rejoin the Predators around Christmas. A return at Christmas would mean Ellis misses the Predators' first 35 games of the season, or just under half the season.

At first glance, there is no question that filling in Ellis' spot will not be easy. On the other hand, it's become common knowledge around the league that the Predators boast the best defense corps in the NHL. And while Ellis is a big part of that, the Predators have enough depth to handle his absence.

Others veterans on guard

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One of the biggest reasons why the Predators will be able to withstand the storm is that they have some veteran defenders at the ready.

Matt Irwin is waiting on deck, the club acquired Alexei Emelin to further bolster the blueline this offseason, and Anthony Bitetto also remains an option.

Now that is certainly not to say that these players live up to Ellis' talent level, especially offensively, but Emelin and Irwin are everyday NHLers, and Bitetto is no stranger to the Predators lineup.

Last season Irwin suited up for 74 games with the Predators, Emelin dressed in 76 games for the Montreal Canadiens, and Bitetto - while spending some time in the American Hockey League - played in 29 games with the Predators.

As mentioned, these three will not provide the same kind of offense that Ellis can. The three combined for five goals and 31 points in 179 games, while Ellis tallied 16 goals and 38 points in on his own.

Then there is the other side of the puck. Last season Ellis paced the Predators with 137 blocked shots. However, Irwin finished second in that category with 121, while Emelin blocked 127 shots of his own in Montreal.

They won't be able to replicate his offense, but if they can remain sound in their own end while Ellis is out, the team should be able to find goals elsewhere.

Then there's the other three

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On the other hand, it's important not to forget who is still there.

Ellis being out hurts, but the Predators still have Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, and Mattias Ekholm who will still be there doing their thing.

Last season Josi and Subban finished first and second in scoring among Predators defenders, with 49 and 40 points respectively, and averaged 25:04 and 24:24 of ice-time per game each, leading the Predators in that category.

Then there is Ekholm. While he might not get as much attention as the other two, he has proved to be a rock on the back end. Ekholm logged the fourth-most ice-time during the regular season for the Predators - including the third-most on the penalty kill. He also logged the third-most during the playoffs - even more than Ellis.

In the end, Ellis' lengthened recovery time just means that Josi, Subban, and Ekholm have to step up a little more, and they are certainly capable of doing that. Heck, they did as much during their playoff run this past spring.

So sure missing Ellis hurts - especially as the 26-year-old appears to be entering his prime - but the fact is the Predators depth on the blue line is precisely the reason the club was able to snag a playoff berth and reach the Cup Final last season. Are the Predators worse off without Ellis? Of course. Are they doomed? No way.