With Philip Tomasino now having to pass through waivers if the Nashville Predators send him down to the AHL, it seems as sort of a make or break time in his career with this organization.
Tomasino understood that and he said that he is “Really confident in myself. Put a lot of work in this summer. Changed a lot of things. From my point of view I wanted to improve a lot of my game for the last couple of years and hopefully I’ve done a lot of things that have taken me to the next step…I know I’m ready this time around here.”
He has gotten chances in the NHL over the past three seasons, but he hasn’t been able to stick, especially in the previous two seasons. Tomasino impressed in the AHL in 2020-21, recording 32 points in 29 games. This got him a full-time look in the NHL with the Predators in 2021-22 and he played 76 games, scoring 11 goals and 32 points. This was a solid rookie season, but in 2022-23 and 2023-24, Tomasino has played 60 games in the AHL and 72 games in the NHL.
Tomasino’s numbers in the AHL are more than good enough to earn him the promotion, he just had to figure out some other things in his game that he explained he worked on. At the NHL level, the young forward scored 12 goals and 38 points over the past two seasons. The expectation was that he would have trouble finding everyday playing time in 2024-25 and sometimes get in on the fourth line, but he is now earning his place higher up in the lineup, and fast.
Tomasino has been working alongside Colton Sissons and Luke Evangelista on the third line a lot. The 23-year-old describes it as “They’re both two really smart players. Sissons is obviously a really hard-working guy, wins a lot of puck battles. Evangelista is obviously really creative and smart.”
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It is a great sign that a young and dynamic player like Tomasino can find chemistry with this duo because it means he will logically get more playing time if the chemistry and he continues to improve.
Tomsino added that, “I think we mesh really well. We kind of have different parts to our game that kind of complement each other really well. If you take a look at the scrimmages, we’ve been really good together. Definitely love playing with those guys and hopefully we just continue to get better together.”
The coaching staff in Nashville has most definitely noticed the chemistry and been pleased or Tomasino wouldn’t continue to get the opportunity to prove he can stick on that line.
There was always a good chance he would make the team, but if he can produce like he has when he’s played in the NHL over the past three seasons, the Predators are going to have a very formidable third line and 40+ points from a couple of players. Nashville could be a very deep team if players like Tomasino can step up and produce behind the top talent.
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