It wasn't supposed to end this way for the Nashville Predators. Not with a second straight five-game, first-round playoff loss to the San Jose Sharks.

Not after the Predators set a club record with 110 points and fought for the top overall spot in the NHL for most of the season. Not after the team set club records with 51 wins, 272 goals, six 20-goal scorers and tallied five goals or more 16 times in the 2006-07 season. And not after General Manager David Poile and coach Barry Trotz expected that the blockbuster trade for two-time Stanley Cup champion center Peter Forsberg would be enough to take the Predators further into the playoffs.

With Forsberg and off-season acquisition Jason Arnott at center, the Preds were tougher up the middle against San Jose's tandem of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. But it wasn't enough. The Predators' offense was a no-show in the playoffs ... when it counted.

After losing 5-4 in double overtime to the Sharks in Game 1 and winning 5-2 in Game 2, the Preds' fast and furious offense accounted for just five goals in the three-straight losses to finish out the first round. And three of the aforementioned 20-goal scorers in the regular season -- Paul Kariya, David Legwand and Steve Sullivan, who was injured -- failed to get a single goal.

In the aftermath of this disappointing first-round elimination, there were far more fingers being pointed than was necessary. This wasn't about Forsberg failing, Trotz not being able to keep his players out of the penalty box, still being too small to beat the Sharks. And on and on.

"The Predators are tough to play against," Thornton told me early in the series. "They are fast and explosive. For us to beat them, we have to lean on them ... a lot. Against that team, if you blink their speed will beat you."

And Thornton wasn't just talking about one Nashville player.

During the course of the 2006-07 season, the Predators had nine players with 15-or-more goals, eight players with at least 50 points and four skaters with 60-or-more points.

Small and quick got the Buffalo Sabres to the Eastern Conference finals a year ago and to the best record in the NHL this season. There's no line drawn in the sand that says the Predators can't be better ... with a tweek here and a tweek there.

Regardless of their first-round playoff setback, the Preds are quick, explosive, young and on the rise.

Under Trotz, they are a team that has continued to improve.

"It's very hard to get 110 points in this league," Trotz said, trying to figure out the reasons for the early playoff exit. "Bottom line: Our youngsters are getting better. The team is getting better.

"Think about this: There are a couple of Original Six teams that have been around 80 years that haven't had 110 points. I think that underscores our accomplishment."

Nine players had career-years, including Legwand, Erat, Shea Weber, Dumont, Ryan Suter, Vern Fiddler, Chris Mason, Kimmo Timonen and Tomas Vokoun. And Alexander Radulov set club records for goals and points by a rookie.

The questions aren't as insurmontable as some might lead you to believe:

Is the Peter Forsberg era over? -- GM David Poile indicated in the aftermath of the playoffs that, while he'd like to have Forsberg back next season, he thought Peter was finished with the NHL. Too many injuries in recent seasons for this proud man who wouldn't keep playing without a guarantee that he could play up to his own high standards. But before you rip into Poile for surrendering young forward Scottie Upshall, defensive prospect Ryan Parent, plus first- and third-round draft choices for Forsberg, remember he did led the Predators to a 10-4-3 record and had 15 points in the 17 games he played in after being acquired from Philadelphia. He also had two goals and two assists in five playoff games. The deal was a calculated risk. But worth the chance to help the team win.

Free agency -- This time around, Poile isn't just looking around the NHL to add players like Arnott and Dumont -- like he did last season. Oh, one productive center would be nice. But, this summer, Poile has internal decisions, other than Forsberg to dwell on. In addition to Forsberg, Poile has to decide whether he should re-sign Paul Kariya, Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. There are pluses to re-signing each one of them. Consider this: The Predators were first overall before Forsberg came on board.

Aches and strains -- For the second-straight year, the Preds had injury problems down the stretch and in the playoffs. Martin Erat played in three playoff games, but was never healthy. And Steve Sullivan never did get a chance to play, after he suffered a back injury on Feb. 22 and missed the remainder of the season and the playoffs. He led the team with 22 goals when he was injured. You rarely achieve big-time without all of the weapons in your arsenal. Don't be surprised if adding size will again be on Poile's wish list this offseason.

Points of contention -- Stars do help sell Music City on hockey. It should be pointed out that one of the prime free-agent centers might be worth a look-see for the Predators this summer. After all, the Predators paid attendance for the nine home games they played after acquiring Forsberg in mid-February, including the playoffs was 15,657. That's almost 2,000 more than before the trade. The team averaged 16,906 in paid attendance for the three home playoff games against San Jose, more than 3,000 more in paid attendance for regular season home games this season.

Generation Next -- While nine players had career-years, there are others who got a cup of coffee this season and are expected to make more of an impact next season.

* Rich Peverley, center, had 30 goals and 38 assists in 66 games to lead Milwaukee (American Hockey League) in scoring. Had an assist and was plus-2 in his first NHL game against Anaheim on March 4. Slick with the puck. Good playmaker.

* Kevin Klein, defense, ready for the step to the NHL after leading Milwaukee defensemen in scoring with five goals and 15 assists in 70 games. Averaged more than 18 minutes a game in the three games he played at Nashville and scored his first career NHL goal.

* Cody Franson, defense, is the best prospect for the Predators not already in the NHL. This third-round pick in 2005 was reportedly the first junior prospect Philadelphia asked for in the Forsberg deal. But the Preds said no. After getting 15 goals for Vancouver of the Western Hockey League on 2005-06, Cody had 17 goals and 34 assists in just 59 games this season.

It should be pointed out that this was the second straight year the Predators traded their first-round pick at the deadline. A year ago, they dealt a No. 1 to Washington for defenseman Brendan Witt. Still, it's clear that the team's scouting staff has been able to replenish the cupboard with prospects, when you speak of defensemen Teemu Laakso and Alexander Sulzer. Up front, the best prospect is Patric Hornqvist, who this season broke Forsberg's rookie record for goals in the Swedish Elite League. He was a seventh-round pick in 2005, the same draft in which the Preds selected Parent, Laakso and Franson.