Last week, the NHL announced the first round of players who will participate in the league’s All-Star weekend the first week of February. A player from each of the league’s 32 teams was named. Nashville’s honoree was forward Filip Forsberg. This will be Forsberg’s second All-Star appearance, with his first coming in 2015.
Forsberg has had an outstanding season. Through 40 games, the 29-year-old Swede leads the Predators in goals (21), assists (24) and points (45).
Forsberg’s strong first half of the 2023-24 season can be attributed to a few different factors. His skill and talent are world-class, but he has been beset with injuries over the past few seasons. He’s been healthy this season and Forsberg is one of just six Predators to appear in all 40 of the team’s games to this point.
“We have a lot of good guys that could go, so it’s always cool to represent the organization like that,” Forsberg says.
He has also had the good fortune of playing with the same linemates for the whole season. New general manager Barry Trotz signed free agent forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist in the offseason, and new head coach Andrew Brunette put the three together and they have been stalwarts on the team’s top line thus far. The trio are tops among the Predators forwards in ice time this season. It did not take very long for the three highly skilled players to develop chemistry with one another.
“They’ve been everything,” Brunette says of the line.
Following the announcement of his selection as an All Star, Forsberg was quick to credit his teammates and specifically his linemates with his success.
“Especially those two, but even everyone on the team,” he says. “I think our line has been playing incredible for the most part, and I obviously wouldn’t be going anywhere without those two guys.”
Forsberg’s talents have especially been on display in overtime periods this season. With team’s skating 3-on-3 in the tiebreaker, Forsberg has plenty of open ice to display his speed and skill. He’s scored three overtime game-winners this season, all within one minute of the start of overtime. When he did so in back-to-back games Dec. 12 and 15, he became just the fourth player in NHL history to score an opening-minute OT winner in consecutive contests.
“As for Fil, I’m really happy for him,” Brunette says. “I think he’s had a great year and he’s carried us through all kinds of parts of the season in all kinds of different ways. He’s scored some huge goals and made some big plays, so he’s very deserving of the nomination, so I’m happy for him.”
As good of a season Forsberg has had to this point, the Predators and their fans hope that Forsberg’s traditionally strong performances in the month of February continue this season. Forsberg has been so good in the calendar year’s second month that many refer to it as Filbruary.
Originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round (11th overall) in 2012, Forsberg was traded to the Predators before ever suiting up for Washington. At the 2013 trade deadline, Forsberg was acquired from the Capitals in exchange for veteran Martin Erat and then prospect Michael Latta in a lopsided trade that greatly favored the Predators.