The Blues added Arnott as an experienced hand on a young team, but he’s also expected to contribute on ice as well as in the locker room. Arnott’s still a good faceoff guy and the Blues will likely plant him on the third line, where he can also extend the team’s ability to score to three lines. If he manages to get significant time on the power play, Arnott could give the Blues a 20-goal scorer, but there’s a list of young guns that figure to get those man-advantage minutes ahead of him.
Arnott's second stint with the Devils may not be as productive as his initial turn with New Jersey that saw the more productive years of his career and a Stanley Cup-winning goal. Arnott's posted 20-plus goals in 10 of the last 11 seasons and should approach those numbers again with New Jersey. Look for 20 goals and close to 50 points as well as power play time for the veteran, but don't expect much more. He could be a solid late-round addition to your roster, especially if he finds some of the chemistry he previously had with Patrik Elias.
Arnott only played in 65 games last season due to injury, but he still managed 33 goals and 57 points. While he's getting up their in years, if he can stay healthy another 30+ goal season should be in the cards making any assists he picks up simply a nice bonus.
Arnott lived up to expectations last season. Despite the depleted surrounding cast, the captain spearheaded the Predators' offense and was able to stay healthy, appearing in 79 games. Arnott returned to the scoring form that he showed in his last season in Dallas with 28 goals and 44 assists. That makes five consecutive seasons with 20 goals or more from the Predators captain. He should have no problem taking on the role of the centerpiece of the offense again in the upcoming season. Arnott will center the first scoring line and likely get tons of ice time on the man advantage. If the soon-to-be 34-year-old center can stay healthy again, there's no reason to expect anything less than this level of production. Another campaign with near 30 goals and 70-plus points should be in order.
The expectations for Arnott will be higher than ever entering this season. He struggled at times last year, both with scoring and some minor injuries. Still, in 68 games Arnott managed to post 27 goals and 27 assists for a robust .794 points per game average. The undermanned Predators will need more from Arnott this season. They will need him to rediscover that 30-goal form that he displayed in his last season with the Dallas Stars. The supporting cast will be weaker this season, but Arnott is up to the challenge of elevating his game. He should have no problem reaching the 70-point plateau assuming he can remain healthy this season.
The new face in the lineup was signed to give the Predators some more physical presence in the middle. Arnott brings much more than just that needed quality. Arnott notched 32 goals and a career-high 76 points last season with Dallas. That makes seven-straight seasons of 20-plus goals for the talented center. Arnott had a great desire to come to Nashville and play with players like Paul Kariya and Steve Sullivan, so Arnott should make a brilliant addition to the Predators' roster. We look for Arnott to keep the solid offensive numbers rolling as he helps Nashville to pursue the Cup.
Took over as Dallas' #1 center with Mike Modano's struggles, but will play second fiddle in 2005-06. He'll likely skate between Bill Guerin and Brenden Morrow, so you can expect the same type of production as before.
