from Michael Traikos at the Toronto Sun,

Halloween is over. Time to get out the Christmas decorations.

Talk to most NHL general managers and the holiday they’re looking forward to next is U.S. Thanksgiving. By Nov. 23, a quarter of the season will be in the books and you will generally have a good idea of whether a team is bound for the playoffs or the draft lottery....

From finding someone other than Connor McDavid to score goals in Edmonton to helping Montreal’s Carey Price get through a nasty slump, here is how five teams can fix their franchises:

NASHVILLE PREDATORS
5-5-2, 12th in West

What’s wrong? The Stanley Cup hangover doesn’t just affect the winners. After coming up short against the Penguins in the final, the Predators have stumbled out of the gate, losing four of their last five games. It’s not hard to see why. The team lost winger James Neal to the expansion draft, is missing defenceman Ryan Ellis and is currently without third-line centre Nick Bonino.

How do they fix it? Patience. Ellis could be out for another month or so and Bonino’s return is uncertain. Until then, the Predators will look to Filip Forsberg (eight goals and 13 points) and goalie Pekka Rinne (.931 save percentage) to carry the load.

more on the Preds and four more teams...