Colin Wilson will get a chance to show what he can do on the Predators’ first line in Game 5 on Monday. However, with Nashville facing elimination, he’s on a short leash.
“Colin Wilson will have to be good or he’ll move down the lineup,” Predators coach Barry Trotz said. “That’s the law of the land in the playoffs.”
Sergei Kostitsyn is on the other end of the spectrum. Wilson’s promotion combined with his brother, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Alexander Radulov being inserted back into the lineup, will cause Sergei to start Monday’s game on one of the bottom-two lines.
“All the decisions are based on winning the hockey game,” Trotz said. “So you’ve got to check your ego. If it’s not sitting well with him, I’d be disappointed. In terms of not responding, I expect him to respond and if anybody is not going, he’d be a guy to move up.”
Trotz still thinks Sergei is a “smart” and “useful” player. We’ll see what the Kostitsyn brothers and Radulov can do to redeem themselves on Monday and if it’ll be enough to prolong the Predators’ season.