In his second season as the Predators backup to starting netminder Pekka Rinne, Saros rebounded from a poor start to post some pretty decent numbers by the end of the season. After going 1-3-1 in his first five games, along with a 3.71 GAA and .870 save percentage, Saros was sent down to the AHL a number of times to get in some extra starts with the Milwaukee Admirals. The move seemed to pay off, as Saros went 10-2-6 the rest of the way for the Preds with three shutouts, improving his GAA and save percentage to 2.44 and .925, respectively. Looking ahead, Rinne may have won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best netminder last season, but Saros remains the goalie of the future in Nashville. As Rinne's time with the club winds down – 2018-19 will be the final year of a hefty seven-year contract – Saros is well-positioned to take over the reins. He signed a three-year, $4.5 million contract in July, all but guaranteeing the Preds are readying him to take over as their No. 1 guy.