Meet your Stanley Cup finalists: Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg has 15 points in 16 games during the Predators postseason run so far. He was traded from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Martin Erat, who is no longer in the NHL. If the Predators win the Stanley Cup, he will be one of the biggest reasons why. 

James Neal was traded to the Predators from their current opponents, the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014. He was traded for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling. The trade has worked out well for both teams, with Neal adding much-needed scoring to the Predators offense and Hornqvist being instrumental to the Penguins' 2016 Stanley Cup win. 

Team captain Mike Fisher suffered an injury in the Western Conference Final, but he is hoping he can return for at least some of the Cup Final. Prior to his injury, he had not registered a point or an assist and was a minus-1 for the playoffs, but his team is managing fine without him. 

Viktor Arvidsson has had to step in to provide scoring depth to the Predators' playoff run, and the left wing has definitely delivered, with 10 points in 16 games. 

Calle Jarnkrok, in addition to having a name that's fun to say, plays more of a defensive role among Nashville's forwards. You'll see him play on special teams and provide the occasional scoring chance. 

Cody McLeod is one player you're likely going to see in the penalty box a lot, owing to his bruising style of play. 

Colton Sissons has 10 points in his 26-game NHL playoff career, three of which came in Game 6 of the Western Conference final, in which the Predators eliminated the Anaheim Ducks. The team has been making use of contributions up and down the lineup, which is probably the best recipe for winning a championship. 

Pontus Aberg has 15 NHL games in his NHL career, all of which have been during this Nashville postseason run. The injuries the team has suffered have provided opportunities for other players to draw into the lineup and earn their spots on the team. Aberg has stepped up and grabbed that opportunity with both hands. 

Austin Watson has played 16 playoff games in his NHL career (so basically, these playoffs) and has thus far contributed four goals and six points total. Not too shabby. 

Vernon Fiddler first dressed for the Nashville Predators in 2002. Since then, he has made his way around the league, playing for the Phoenix Coyotes, the Dallas Stars, and the New Jersey Devils. Earlier this season, Nashville traded for him to add depth to their team, and Fiddler couldn't be happier to have his shot at a Cup now. 

Frederick Gaudreau is another player that has had to step into the lineup due to the injuries to Nashville's forward corps. The 24-year-old has a total of nine NHL games to his name, but he probably has no complaints about that right now. 

Ryan Johansen is the kind of center you win championships with, the kind any team with designs on the Stanley Cup needs to have. Unfortunately, after Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, it was announced he had suffered an acute compartment syndrome in his left thigh, which he was successfully treated for but would sideline him until next season. You'll likely still see him cheering his teammates on as the Final goes on. 

Kevin Fiala was injured early in the Predators' postseason, and his loss was a fairly significant one. However, his team has managed to remain dominant, and you will no doubt see him in the stands, cheering on his team, at some point during the Final. 

Ryan Ellis has received somewhat understated praise for his work throughout the playoffs. He has quietly been one of the most important players on the team. You'll recognize him by his playoff beard, which by Game 7 (if there is a Game 7) will be sweeping the ice. 

Along with Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, and P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekhom is one of the "four Erik Karlssons" the Penguins keep talking about, known to the rest of us as the best defense in the NHL. 

Yannick Weber is "the other guy" on the Predators defense. After playing in Montreal and Vancouver, Weber landed in Nashville this season and is likely counting his lucky stars at this moment. 

P.K. Subban needs absolutely no introduction to anybody with even a passing knowledge of the NHL. He is one of the most entertaining and compelling personalities in the league, and an extremely talented defenseman to boot. He is unfairly criticized for almost everything he does by stuffy members of the media and certain narrow-minded fans, but most fans absolutely love him and his style. 

Move over, Pittsburgh Penguin Ron Hainsey. There's another Hollywood-actor-looking defenseman in town in Roman Josi. However, where Hainsey is a depth defenseman in the waning years of his career, Roman Josi is currently very much the anchor on the Predators already-solid defensive corps. His postseason has play has been exactly what a Cup contender needs. 

Pekka Rinne had had a mediocre couple of seasons leading up to this campaign. However, he has played absolutely phenomenally throughout the playoffs, reminding Predators fans and hockey observers why they all thought he was the real deal a couple of short years ago. 

You likely won't see much of Juuse Saros unless a catastrophic injury or catastrophic goaltending befalls Pekka Rinne. Instead you'll see pictures of him on the bench cheering on his teammates and providing them with moral support. 

Head coach Peter Laviolette has previously led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup win in 2006 and the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. When asked what it meant to him to reach the Final with a third team, he said it "probably means I've been fired a lot." You can expect plenty of soundbites like that during the Final. 

David Poile is often described as a patient and conservative General Manager. However, a number of the moves he has made to get to this point have been fairly bold, including trading for Filip Forsberg, for James Neal, and for P.K. Subban. In two weeks or less, we'll find out if that patience and boldness has paid off.