Juuse Saros, the Nashville Predators' goaltender, has seen a troubling decline in performance over the past two seasons, posting a career-low save percentage of .895 and leading the league in losses. Despite these struggles, Predators GM Barry Trotz remains unfazed, attributing Saros' performance to the overall team dynamics and defensive issues rather than solely on the goaltender himself. Saros is set to receive a significant pay increase with an eight-year, $61 million contract extension coming into effect this July, raising questions about the team's commitment to him given his recent form.

The Predators experienced challenges on defense, losing key players to injuries and trades, which Trotz believes impacted Saros' numbers. However, statistical evidence suggests that Saros' performance was not up to par even with the defensive struggles, as demonstrated by his records over the last two seasons. The franchise's decision to sign Saros long-term instead of developing other promising goaltenders like Yaroslav Askarov, who was traded, may haunt them as they navigate the upcoming season.