What The Puck

The NHL in 366 - Green Men, Yellow Mustard

2012-01-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

At this point, most everyone in the hockey world knows who The Green Men are. And for whatever reason, they seem enjoy taunting the Nashville Predators slightly more often than the rest of the league. I ran across this earlier tonight, courtesy of @22Sedin33's twitter feed; a screen shot taken during a game against the Canucks in December.

via Twitter

I can't decide if I like their jabs at the interesting color choice of Nashville's home jerseys or the look on Jerred Smithson's face better.

Wait...what am I saying?! I definitely love the look on Jerred's face more. I think we can call that "emotion" disdain.

The NHL in 366 - High Jump

2012-01-08T12:10:00.000-06:00

Last night's game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Nashville Predators was not locally televised so I tried to catch some of the "action" by scrolling through some pictures this morning. I ran across this gem, that probably mostly features Jordin Tootoo, but I was drawn to Colin Wilson far more.

Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

Look at that vertical leap! I know moves like this can happen quite often during a game but usually, it's not captured in a picture. The athleticism of NHL players continues to amaze.

Bonus points if you can spot Kristin Cavallari and fiancee, Chicago Bears (and former Vanderbilt) quarterback, Jay Cutler, in the crowd. Unfortunately, neither look like they could care one bit about what's going on in front of them.

The NHL in 366 - Hockey for Royalty

2012-01-07T12:18:00.000-06:00

I often hear the phrase "hockey is for everyone". While that is most likely true, some times the sport is better left to the professionals and/or the kids taking part in the game. This video highlights Prince William's efforts at taking penalty shots during a street hockey game; part of his Canadian tour with new wife Catherine Middleton, in the summer of 2011.

Not that I can guarantee I'd do any better when faced with the same challenge, I'd say it's probably best that Prince William stick to something more in line with whatever it is the royals do.

The NHL in 366 - Soft and Comfy Octopi?

2012-01-04T22:56:00.000-06:00

This year I spent Christmas with family in the southwestern Michigan/Chicago area. It was definitely ripe with merchandise for both the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. I found myself gravitating towards the Blackhawks gear (I can't lie, it was pretty nice, but I promise I didn't buy anything!). The Red Wings stuff...well, as usual, I could barely look at it. However, while strolling through a store looking for after-Christmas sales, I ran across something I couldn't quite believe. There, in a giant bin, was a rather large pile of Red Wing-clad purple octopus pillows.

After the initial WTF moment, I knew I needed to share this strange find with the world. Obviously, someone felt like there was a market for something like this. Though, judging by the amount of pillows I saw in the store, maybe even Red Wings fans think this idea is a little ridiculous.

The NHL in 366

2012-01-03T18:46:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm a little late to the New Year's party; two days to be exact. However, in the spirit of the occasion, I've decided to revive my blog and start a new daily feature I'm calling "The NHL in 366". Inspired by those daily photography projects that so many people start at the beginning of each new year, I will try each day to feature a new photograph, video, or some other media form that I'm feeling from around the NHL or hockey world in general.

Today's picture comes from yesterday's Winter Classic. Courtesy of Buzzfeed's "16 Beautiful Photos From The NHL Winter Classic", this picture makes me feel like I'm in the stands with everyone else at Citizens Bank Park. The black and white exposure (created through an infrared camera) adds a sense of immediate nostalgia, which is what the Winter Classic is all about.

Photo via Getty Images

Add it to the bucket list: See the Winter Classic live. That would be perfection.

Tainted Celebration

2011-06-16T12:49:00.005-05:00

The riots that broke out in Vancouver last night, more than anything, left me feeling sorry for Vancouverites (Vancouverians?). Yes, Canadians love their hockey just as much as rednecks love their NASCAR*. And I am sure there were a few Canucks fans who felt as though the Game 7, 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in their arena was a sure sign of the end of the world. However, there is never a good reason to head up a riot like it’s the Apocalypse. We Americans already have a tainted view of Canada and the events from last night just further fueled that fire. What happened after the buzzer sounded in Rogers Arena definitely made it a whole lot easier for people to generalize Canadians in the “crazy” category. That’s not fair for the thousands of Vancouver residents who had nothing to do with the actions of the ignorant few. Over the next few weeks, if Vancouver is brought up in conversation, the natural reaction for most will be to talk about how everyone in the city goes crazy if the hockey team doesn’t win. It’s like hearing someone is from Nashville and automatically assuming we all walk around barefoot, chewing on a piece of straw, while wearing a cowboy hat and overalls (BTW, we only do this on Saturdays…).

Vancouver is a gorgeous city and its hockey-loving citizens have a lot to be proud of. Their fateful “team of destiny” might not have brought home the ultimate prize but they sure did take everyone on a heck of a ride. I hope that most can take the time to see what an extraordinary year this was for the Vancouver Canucks, whether or not the outcome was favorable. The team, its fans, the city and the country deserves at least that.

And really, it’s just a few short months before the roller coaster begins again.

Hit reset and start over.

*I am fully aware that I generalized rednecks and their love of NASCAR, which might somehow negate the entire sentiment of this post. Just try not to think about it too much, okay?

Playoff Preview - From the Ducks Perspective

2011-04-12T10:30:00.063-05:00

I brought you my take on the Predators Western Conference Quarterfinal series match up against the Ducks last night. Today, I defer to my West Coast friend and Ducks enthusiast, Finny, to bring you her take on the first round showdown between Anaheim and Nashville, before the puck drops tomorrow night at 9:30pm CST. Enjoy!

Before I start crooning about how the Ducks will take the Preds in a hard-fought 6-game series, I wanted to thank my friend Rachel for letting me guestblog today! Of course, our friendship has limitations and playoffs fall within that region of “Um, we’ll be friends again when this is over – after one of us finishes licking our wounds.”

I have no particular reasons for disliking Nashville. Well, outside of Jordin Tootoo, but you know. That’s kind of a long-time brewing and he doesn’t quite register on my list of reasons why Anaheim should win this series in six.

Reasons Why Anaheim Ought to Win This:

1. Firepower. Yeah, I’m gonna say it: the RPG line! Corey Perry has blazed a trail up to this year’s Rocket Richard trophy. Don’t expect it to weigh him down in the playoffs. Known for his tenacity, Perry will still be sniffing around the net waiting for a feed from linemate/”twin” Ryan Getzlaf. But Coach Randy Carlyle isn’t one to stick with a one-trick pony. He’s done it in the past, and there’s no doubt he’ll do it again – Carlyle will mix up the lines to get the match-ups he wants. Don’t expect the Big Line to stick so closely together when there’s guys like Teemu Selanne rounding out the top three scorers for Anaheim.

2. Experience. It might be a weak one to tote, but let’s face it, Anaheim trumps Nashville in playoff experience and series wins. In their 5 post-season appearances, Nashville has yet to win a series. Don’t put it past them yet, however, since Nashville may be long-past due advancing to the second round. Anaheim is running a hot rush to the playoffs, winning 15 of their last 20 games. Trajectory like that often feeds into the players’ mentality and fuels the desire to keep the W’s coming!

Dangers:

1. Pekka Rinne, netminder. The point is to get the puck behind the man, but in order to do that, not only do the Ducks need to blow past the Preds defense, they’re going to need to net a few behind Rinne. The Nashville netminder has a 2.12 GAA and a .930 SV% -- and more consistent play between the pipes than the rotating door that has seemingly been installed in the Anaheim net.

2. The Shut Down Boys. If Shea Weber and Ryan Suter manage to keep the Big Line off the scoreboard, then Anaheim might be in trouble if they can’t cultivate secondary and tertiary scoring. During the season, the Nashville defense managed to keep Getzlaf and [Bobby] Ryan off the scoreboard and conceded only two measly goals to Perry. That being said, Saku Koivu and Selanne combined for a majority of the goals scored against Nashville (7 of a total of 9!). If the second and third lines step up to contribute, the Ducks may be able to circumvent the Shut Down Boys.

Overall, this series will be marked by a battle of styles: offensive vs. defensive.

May the best style… er, team, win!

Go Ducks,

Finny.

It's That Time of Year

2011-04-11T19:12:00.000-05:00

When the last skate was unlaced and all the Zambonis had thoroughly smoothed over the ice at the various arenas across North America yesterday, two things were certain: it was the end of the season for half of the NHL and the start of the next battle for the rest. This year, the Predators again find themselves in the thick of things, finishing their regular season seeded fifth overall in the Western Conference. Had Nashville won its last game of the season, they would have locked up the number four seed and secured home ice advantage heading into the post-season. Settling for fifth place works just as well though. Instead of meeting old foes like the Detroit Red Wings or the San Jose Sharks, this year's team will face off against the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals for the first time in either franchise's history.

Now, I could sit here and tell you that I was even remotely considering the possibility of these two teams facing off against each other in the first round of the playoffs, but I would be lying. I was secretly hoping the Predators would fall to sixth place and stay there; securing another post-season match up between the dreaded Red Wings. Why would I wish this, you ask? The answer is simple: Nashville knows Detroit like the back of their collective hands at this point in the season. The Predators, once intimidated by the likes of Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, et al., have managed to overcome their awestruck-ness (yes, I probably just made that word up) and found a way to decisively win the season series between these two clubs, going 4-1-1. Playing Detroit (yet again) in the first round would have made for an awesome series. But alas, my secret hoping was not meant to be. Anaheim it is.

The Ducks are one of those teams I love to hate, and for no particular reason. Once Chris Pronger left, I held no specific aversion to any one player. The team on a whole plays a more gritty, aggressive, physical style of hockey than the Predators are prone to. That may be the cause of some of my dislike. I've never been a fan of aggressive physicality. Not that I'm opposed to a good, clean check when the time calls for it but...Anaheim consistently finds itself on the top of the leaderboard for penalty minutes each season. When paired against a team like Nashville, one that typically remains disciplined, you could see why Anaheim would not be my cup of tea. They are a good team, however. Closing out their season in fourth place in the Western Conference is no small feat for a team that struggled for their footing for a good portion of the year. Like I said yesterday, this could get interesting.

Heading into Wednesday night, I'd like to point out a few good reasons why the Predators should win this series and also a couple of obstacles they'll need to overcome to get there.

1. Shea Weber and Ryan Suter - I'm sure this is pointing out the obvious but this defensive duo is key to Nashville's success in the playoffs. When healthy, this pair is virtually unstoppable, as one can attest from checking their TOI game after game. It is worth noting that their best work comes when they're together however. Separate the two, and bad things are bound to happen.

2. Pekka Rinne - It's really no secret that Pekka has carried this team on his shoulders for most of the season. The coach knows it, the players know it, the media knows it, the fans know it. I am positive that Pekka knows it too. Basically all the team needs is for Pekka to continue playing like he has been all season. This isn't Rinne's first foray into the playoffs so there's no room for nerves here. Just consistent play and those "how in the H-E-double hockey sticks did he stop that?" kind of saves that we've come to appreciate over the last seven months.

3. Motivation - Not that every team in a playoff position isn't driven to win, but if ever there was a team with the drive and determination to win a round of the playoffs, the Predators are that team. You could go all the way back to the beginning of training camp last September and read quotes from Barry Trotz about the fate of Nashville in the coming season. All along, his goal for this team was not just to make the playoffs, but to win a round. This season was never about just squeaking by and making it to the post-season. It has been emphasized time and again that this year was about going further. There was that sense back in 2007, when the team traded for Peter Forsberg and seemingly positioned itself for a deep playoff run. But the expectation in that year seemed a little forced and somewhat taken for granted. This year, there's an urgency and a hunger. As the fans have long supported this team, there is a sense that this team is ready to give back to its fans, by being successful in their post-season showing for the first time in franchise history.

While the Predators are on the hunt for their first post-season success, there a couple of things to be on guard against concerning the Ducks.

1. Teemu Selanne - for a man who is on the brink of NHL retirement, you'd never know it. Teemu Selanne is a force to be reckoned with. Most would be concerned with Corey Perry, and probably rightly so, taking into account his late season performance that helped propel the team firmly into the playoff position they're in. Selanne, in my opinion, falls into the Silent But Deadly category. He'll come in and steal your thunder so quick, you won't even know what hit you until you're dusting off those golf clubs. The Predators defense needs to keep him in check as much as they would a Sidney Crosby or an Alex Ovechkin. The old man's gots skills.

2. Dan Ellis - Sure, Elly's had some ups and downs this season. But don't for a minute think that this man doesn't know how to bring it when it comes to playing lights out between the pipes. Need I remind you of the stellar performance he put up during the 2008-2009 post-season series against the Red Wings? Don't expect much less from him this time around.

And because I'm all about equal hockey fandom opportunity, I'll be bringing you the Anaheim Duck perspective tomorrow, featuring Finny, formerly of Girl With a Puck.

Off of the sticks of babes, goals are scored

2011-03-20T19:08:00.002-05:00

(Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

With just five minutes or so left in the game, I was preparing for a loss. The Predators were definitely falling behind themselves and letting the Sabres control the play. But what's that saying? It ain't over 'til it's over...and no one believed that more this afternoon than Blake Geoffrion. Not only did he score the game tying goal to force overtime, he scored the other two goals in regulation; giving him his first career hat trick. Martin Erat came up big just 27 seconds into the overtime period and got one behind Buffalo netminder, Ryan Miller, to put the game away. For the second time this season, and the second time in the past three games, the Predators were able to end the game in overtime. 4-on-4 play has not been their strong suit this season but if there was ever a time for that to start clicking, now is that time.

Last night, I, along with plenty of others, emphasized the importance of the young players stepping up their game. Were it not for the late push by Geoffrion, I'm not certain the team would have been able to dig themselves out of the hole they'd found themselves in. So, younger player contribution? Check. Crowd support from the fans? Well, if you count the furious storm of Twitter updates at the end of the game, then I'd say double check. The best way to keep that fan support going? Show up to the game on Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers. While the Oilers are definitely out of the playoff hunt, they still know how to give the Predators a run for their money. Pete and Terry have referred to them on more than one occasion as the "Spoilers". My hope for Tuesday: Spoil the Oil.

Also, the guys of Cellblock303 have a valid question: What do we do to get hats to Geoffrion? As soon as someone figures it out, I'll be happy to throw my hat into the mix.

Predators Clip The Wings

2011-03-19T22:37:00.001-05:00

For the fourth time this season, (you're reading that right, FOURTH time), Nashville defeated Detroit. This is only the second time in the Predators history that they have secured a winning season series against one of their most revered rivals. The only other time that Nashville seemed to have Detroit's number was 2009, which came a season after the Predators gave the Red Wings a run for their money in the 2008 playoffs. The win tonight puts Nashville back in a playoff position, claiming the eighth seed in the ridiculously tight Western Conference. Should the team maintain their steam and keep themselves in the top 8, it is possible they could, yet again, meet the Red Wings in the first round of playoffs. The biggest question this year would be whether or not regular season success against a constant Cup contender like Detroit could translate to the post season.

Putting post-season posturing aside, there are two things that the Predators are using in their last few weeks of the regular season to help get the job done: scoring from the younger players and generating on-ice energy from the support of the home crowd. At the end of Trade Deadline Day, Coach Trotz and GM David Poile both stated that they would be looking to the younger players on the team to step up and fill the roles left open due to injuries. With scoring tonight from rookies Blake Geoffrion and Jonathon Blum, along with goals scored by the pair in recent past, the younger players have begun to prove themselves to the rest of the locker room. Though Colin Wilson found himself with a spot on the roster from the beginning of the season, he is also considered in the younger player category. He managed to get a puck through on Thursday night against Boston, but prior to that his game had been mediocre at best. With elevated play from the likes of Blum and Geoffrion, Wilson should use their performance as a catalyst to up his game as well.

Scoring from the younger players makes for a happy fan base. A happy fan base makes for an electric environment when the Predators are playing at home in the Bridgestone Arena. That electricity has, on more than one occasion, been what helps propel the team to victory at home. With a home-heavy schedule over the next three weeks, the energy level in the arena is almost as important as the performance level of the team on the ice. The coach and the players spoke out about the importance of crowd support, using Thursday night's win against Boston as their most recent point of reference. Some might discount the validity of a team using fan support to help them win a game. I would ask those naysayers to sit in on a game at the Bridgestone and see if they still think the same at the end of 60 minutes of play. There is a marked difference in the team's energy when the crowd is 100% behind them. I have experienced it time and again over the last few seasons. Good energy is infectious, whether you are in the stands or on the bench. Since we can't obviously join in on a rush up ice, it is our duty to make sure we keep the "rush" from our seats going until the bitter end. If the team can be taken to task over playing a "full 60 minutes", the fans can too.

Join the Predators in the Fight Against Cancer

2011-03-11T13:38:00.000-06:00

Most of you probably know that tomorrow night’s game is designated as another Hockey Fights Cancer Night for the Predators. A portion of all tickets sold will go towards a yearly endowment given to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt by the Nashville Predators organization at the end of each season. This money goes to supporting cancer research and other pediatric programs within the hospital.

During Hockey Fights Cancer nights, the Predators also choose a patient ambassador from the hospital. This patient gets to partake in the ceremonial puck drop at the beginning of the game. Tomorrow night’s ambassador is 17-year-old and hockey fan, Marshall Billingsley. You can read his story here.

The optimism of children with cancer is inspiring. When faced with adversity at such a young age, most childhood cancer patients are determined to not let cancer beat them, even in the midst of multiple rounds of chemotherapy, transfusions, surgeries, etc. With the money raised through nights like Hockey Fights Cancer, every dollar is a step closer to finding cures for cancer and hope for a brighter future for kids like Marshall and the other patient ambassadors that came before him.

If you haven’t already planned on attending tomorrow night’s game, click here for tickets (offer code: preds). If you can’t make the game, you can always donate anytime online or by texting the word DREAM to 27722 ($5.00 donation will appear on your mobile bill).

Burned Again

2011-03-06T21:56:00.000-06:00

An eye-opening statistic from the Calgary announcers during the first period: Nashville's two goals scored during the opening 20 minutes matched the total goals scored against Calgary during the two teams' last three meetings. I did not realize the Predators had been shut out by the Flames twice this season. Ouch. Unfortunately, those two goals were yet again, no match for Calgary.

Nashville showed up to play during the first period and headed into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead, thanks to goals from Martin Erat and Ryan Suter. After Jarome Iginla's penalty shot early in the second period, the momentum shifted to the Flames and never really swung back in favor of the Preds. And not that the team played horribly during the last 40 minutes of the game. It's just...I don't know...lacking. Almost isn't did.

The one shining moment of the game, where it seemed like every Predator on the ice was on it came during the second power play of the first period. It was an absolute thing of beauty. My only issue was watching Martin Erat, whom I usually refer to as a puck hog, electing to pass the puck when he had a WIDE OPEN net right in front of him. Tsk, tsk Marty. You could have had a two goal period if you had just taken the shot.

Next up: A rather late night tilt against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. A 9:30pm start is bound to leave a few struggling to stay awake. If the Predators can play a full 60 minutes that mirrors the first period of tonight's game, I think I'll be able to keep my eyes open until the the last buzzer sounds.

Here's hoping I'm happily tired on Wednesday morning.

Your Morning Jed: Underwater Hockey?!

2011-03-02T17:06:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's the afternoon. Just pretend it's tomorrow morning when you read this, okay?

Really, Austria?! REALLY?! This can't possibly be catching on.

I have no words.

Side note: I promise to do my best to start posting more than just these features again soon. I don't wish anyone this sickness that's taken over my body the past week. I'm just spent.

Your Morning Jed: Hockey Love from The Office

2011-02-26T09:00:00.002-06:00

It's no secret that NBC incorporates the NHL into their shows whenever they get the chance. What I found most hilarious though, was Michael Scott's depiction of the NHL All-Star Game (and supposed practices leading up to it) during a recent episode of The Office.

Could you imagine if the NHL did actually let a "civilian amateur" play in the All-Star game? That would be a recipe for disaster for sure. Or at the very least, one person's dream come true/terrifying reality as they faced slap shots from the likes of Shea Weber and Zdeno Chara.

Happy Saturday, everyone! Really hoping for good things out of Dallas today.

Honestly...that was the suck.

2011-02-22T20:59:00.000-06:00

That was just gross. If not already so, it was made clearly apparent after tonight, that this team is missing some significant pieces of the puzzle with so many players sidelined with injuries. Now is not the time for working out the kinks, however. Now is the time to play lights out hockey every time they hit the ice. The team's record has not been the greatest coming back after the All-Star break. At this point, I am pretty certain there have been more losses than wins. That, too, must change.

Seeing as how this day marks the anniversary of the historic 1980 USA vs USSR Olympic match up, I think the boys could use a pep talk from Mr. Herb Brooks:

"You were born to be hockey players; every one of ya...this is your time. Now go out there and take it."

Seriously, do it.

No Stalling Out in The Motor City

2011-02-09T21:27:00.000-06:00

Even with some of their key players back in the lineup, Detroit proved to be no match for the Predators tonight. Overall, the game was pretty well executed. Nashville was rather disciplined, which they sometimes get away from when playing against the Red Wings. Just as Monday's game was the antithesis of how this team should play; tonight's game was about as close to the benchmark of how the rest of the season should play out.

A few post-game thoughts:

How many goals do you think this team would score if Coach Trotz was always riding them to find their place on the scoresheet?

I think you could put anyone on a line with Joel Ward and Jerred Smithson and they would have instant chemistry. While certainly not permanent, putting Colin Wilson out there with Ward and Smithson adds a good injection of offense on a line that plays their hockey a little more defensive-minded.

The upper-body injury that sent Marcel Goc to the locker room in the waning minutes of the first period better be a minor one. If not, could David Legwand withstand the increased ice time over a longer stretch of games?

The team gets a couple of days off (with a little GnashVegas fun thrown in tomorrow night) before they face the Colorado Avalanche at the Bridgestone on Saturday. Can they build some momentum from this win heading into a four game homestand? The best way to find out: be there on Saturday.

A Dose of Crude Oil

2011-02-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

When the highlight of the night was discovering that the guy who played the older brother on "The Wonder Years" was in attendance, it should have been a good indication of how the rest of the evening would play out.

The game was a disappointment on every level. It was the type of game no one wants to dwell on or soon relive. This team needs to re-group, re-focus and move on. And for everyone's benefit, let this game serve as the example of how not to play hockey in the last couple of months down the stretch.

Your Morning Jed: Relive the Shorty

2011-02-07T08:30:00.002-06:00

Saturday night's game against Detroit was just classically amazing hockey. There was so much goodness that I didn't wipe the smile off my face for hours. Part of that goodness came in the form of a short-handed goal, scored in the second period (during a Jerred Smithson roughing penalty, tsk, tsk) by Sergei Kostitsyn.

It was clearly a highlight reel goal and the video made its rounds on Twitter all day yesterday. If you've been hiding under a rock for the past 24 hours or so, here's what you missed:

Happy Monday, everybody! May the thing that gets you through the day be the fact there's a hockey game at Bridgestone Arena tonight.

Let's go, Preds!

Your Morning Jed: Colin Wilson 101

2011-02-05T09:00:00.002-06:00

It seems that there is quite a bit of Colin Wilson love in the air as of late (mine notwithstanding) so I thought I would share a couple of things that you might have overlooked in the past week or so.

If you were at the game on Tuesday night, you might have seen the in-game feature on Colin Wilson. Here's what you missed if you didn't catch it.
And if that's not enough Colin Wilson love to start your day, he is also featured in this month's Nashville Lifestyles magazine as one of Nashville's Most Eligible Personalities.

I have a feeling The Green Hills Mall is going to be frequented by adoring hockey fans far more often now that he's spilled the beans about his favorite hang out. Anything to stimulate the economy, I guess?

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Also: Who's ready for some Red Wings action tonight?!

Philadelphia - City of Not So Brotherly Fatherly Love

2011-02-03T20:53:00.000-06:00

This trip to the City of Brotherly Love was full of a lot more fatherly love as the Predators players got a chance to bring their dads along on the team's annual Father's Trip. During the first intermission, FSTennessee did a feature on the trip, something I love seeing year after year. I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up while watching it. There is something so heartwarming knowing even grown men can appreciate where they came from and are more than grateful for the parents that helped to get them where they are now. This annual event is also a great reminder of how humble and grounded hockey players are in comparison to so many other athletes in professional sports these days. This, of course, just further solidifies my love of the game. However, no amount of love for this annual tradition can help win a game. And unfortunately, the winless streak for the Father's Trip continued tonight. Such a bummer.

I spent the majority of the game thinking about the players that the Predators used to have in Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen. Hartnell, the pesky guy who was always buzzing around the net and Timonen, the quiet, hard-working, solid defenseman. Then I thought about how eerily similar those descriptions are when applied to Patric Hornqvist, the lovable, stay at the net, facewasher-extraordinaire and Shea Weber, the quiet, solid, beast of a defenseman, who also just happens to be the captain, as was Timonen. Losing Hartnell and Timonen to Philadelphia was one of the first big shakeups of the dreaded summer of 2007. Both were key players that left a big void in the lineup; neither was going to be easily replaced.

And yet, here it is, three and a half years later and the Predators have managed to fill both of those roles quite nicely. In some ways, those roles have been met and exceeded. Hornqvist has the scrappy, let-me-bug-the-crap-out-of-the-goalie tendencies of a Scott Hartnell but he also has good offensive-mindedness that gives him more of an edge. I have a harder time finding differences in Weber and Timonen, save for Weber's age. If Kimmo can still play like he does at age 35, I can only imagine what the Predators captain can do with the next 10 years of his career. As long as the history of the organization off the ice does not repeat, the future of the on ice product, anchored by the likes of Shea Weber and Patric Hornqvist, looks really promising.

While I'm thinking about the future for a second, it's time to look ahead to Saturday night's game against the Detroit Red Wings. For a Predators fan (and probably even for the players), every game played against Detroit seems to be just as important as the game before. Now, more than ever though, is the time to get it done.

The fans will bring the noise. Here's hoping the boys will bring their A-game.

Your Morning Jed: Get Inspired

2011-02-01T08:00:00.019-06:00

This is a super cut from the editing geniuses at Screen Junkies, featuring some of the best locker room speeches in the history of film. Though most of the speeches are from the locker room of a football game, you will notice some recognizable hockey locker room soliloquies made the cut as well. If you've ever needed a little dose of inspiration to start your day, this might just do the trick. Note: this is mildly NSFW, due to an f-bomb in the Slap Shot clip (how apropos).

Happy Tuesday, and more importantly, Happy Game Day, you guys!!

Your Morning Jed: Hockey Babies Selling Cars

2011-01-29T09:30:00.007-06:00

I saw this commercial on TV a while back and I couldn't remember for the life of me which car company it was for. Probably not what Subaru's marketing strategists would want to hear but at least I'm honest. While I'm being honest: Subaru?! Really?!

One day, I would love nothing more than to have three boys (my very own hockey babies!) to cart back and forth to hockey games. I can guarantee you, however, that a Subaru would not be my car of choice.

Happy Saturday, everybody!

Coming Out of Hiding

2011-01-28T20:48:00.000-06:00

I honestly can not believe it has been over a month since I last posted something here. What a long and strange time it has been for me. Hockey has long played an important role in my life. To essentially lay it down and walk away for a while has not been easy. Sure, there are times over the off-season that I can go for weeks without much mention of the sport; but that is the off-season. However, to stop following it to the degree I usually would during the regular season? That's an entirely different story. Some of you might be quick to point out that I have still been tweeting during the games, which would negate the whole "I've neglected hockey" sentiment. However, let me assure you that tweeting in no way makes up for the void that has been this blog.

The journey I have been on over the last few months has not been a pleasant one. There have been tears, turmoil and quite a few instances of feeling like I had lost my place in my own life. I will spare you the details but let's just say, I wouldn't wish what I have been/am still going through on anyone. I firmly believe that struggles happen for a reason and it is up to each individual to glean what they can from their experiences and use that to better themselves and their lives in a positive way. What I have learned so far (with a little help from my friends) is that no matter what you are going through in your life, you should not lose yourself in the midst of all else. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. Somewhere in the thick of things, my passions were thrown out the window, stomped on, mucked up and thrown in the garbage. All was not lost; though, I had almost resigned myself to that philosophy. I had to weed through some crap to get to it but my passion for this sport, the game, this blog; it's still there. What's more is that I am resolute in my decision to make sure I take time out for me again. Writing is in my blood. It's my outlet; my comfort. It's about time I get back to it.

Quite The Situation - Nashville at New Jersey: W 3-1

2010-12-17T20:21:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you but every time they said New Jersey, this is all I could hear them saying:

Things I love:

Colin Wilson making Martin Brodeur work hard for the money. Wilson consistently did what he could to work Brodeur's last nerve in net. If only he could have scored.

The penalty killers, killing me with their goodness. I sincerely hope they keep it up.

The sudden success at the face-off dot. Taking the bulk of the face-offs for the team, Jerred Smithson had pretty decent percentage, with 69% on the night. He seems to have finally hit his stride for the season.

JP Dumont has seemingly not aged since Juniors, according to the picture @NHLPredsInsider tweeted, showing him and Steve Begin from their days with Val d'Or.

Anders Lindback. Enough said.

Another win is always good too, right? Streak away, boys. Streak away.

12/08/10 - Nashville at Detroit: W 3-2

2010-12-08T21:02:00.000-06:00

It's Detroit. I couldn't NOT talk about Detroit...especially when I found a little time to sneak in some game-watching while still getting some work done.

First period:

The Predators were surprisingly offensive in the first period. And by surprisingly, I mean, WHO IS THIS TEAM AND WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THE TEAM I'M USED TO SEEING?! Pretty much every shift was working the puck and making the Red Wings look very un-Red Wing-like. The sequence that led up to the late goal by my boy, Colin Wilson, was especially fantastic. If there was a way to give an honorary goal on that play, Cal O'Reilly would be the bearer of that honor. If every period of Predators hockey was as good as the first twenty minutes of this game, I wouldn't get so frustrated all the time.

Second period:

Who knew Kevin Klein could play goalie too?! All those Kevin Klein haters probably had to take a little chill pill after seeing how he helped Anders Lindback out of a potential goal-against scenario. Speaking of, Anders seems to have trouble with puck control on the back end. I hope Mitch Korn helps him fix that soon. David Legwand leaving the game and not returning does not bode well in the grand scheme of things either. As others have pointed out, he seems to be the player that this team needs to hold themselves together.

Third period:

What a goal for JEAN PIERRE! And all the Dumont naysayers were suddenly very glad that Coach Trotz chose to scratch Jordin Tootoo in favor of JP tonight. After Detroit was able to pull within one again, with just 1:33 remaining, I had to hold my breath and hope that this game wasn't going to end the way so many other road games have so far this season. Every man on the ice for the Predators in the last minute and a half of play was working as hard as possible to defend their net. That gritty play paid off. The boys get a much deserved win in the Motor City and get to come home to fans appreciative of their efforts against a divisional rival.

Let's keep it up, boys!

Your Morning Jed: Anders Shops, Calls in Hornqvist for Reinforcements

2010-12-05T15:53:00.001-06:00

This is ridiculous/adorable. Why did it take me so long to see this?!

Patric Hornqvist: always ready with the assist.

Thoughts and things

2010-12-01T19:07:00.001-06:00

So I'm sitting here watching the Predators play at Columbus while also thinking back to last night's game against Phoenix. There are a lot of things I could be saying about the strength of Nashville's game last night. There are probably a lot of things I could be saying about the game I am watching right now (i.e. COLIN WILSON!). BUT with so much crazy going on in my life right now, my brain is at max capacity, with less and less room for hockey. So, what does this mean? Well, basically it just means that I'm not going to push myself to get a blog up for every game anymore. I've already been posting on a less frequent basis this season and now I realize it will have to be even more infrequent. This decision truly pains me because writing is my biggest creative outlet. I love getting my thoughts out there and seeing other people join in on the discussion. However, with bigger responsibilities on my plate, this blog is what will suffer for a while.

How long will this sporadic posting last?! I have absolutely no idea. I will still love my boys and hockey, in general. That, for sure, isn't changing. I guess I'll just have less of an online hockey presence for a few months. I'm not completely going away but it will be more like me, just popping in and out, when I find those (rare) spare moments to get my thoughts out about the team I love the most.

Happy hockey watching, you guys!

Also, I know I never crowned my last "Show Me Your Stache" winner for Movember. I will do my best to get that post out before this week is over.

11/27/10 - New York Rangers at Nashville: L 1-2 SO

2010-11-27T22:37:00.000-06:00

Seeing as how it is more productive to remain positive, I am going to refrain from saying much about tonight. Here's just a couple of things I want to throw out there: I was so happy to see Colin Wilson finally get another goal and step up his game. It's about time. I am also very much enjoying the Ward-Smithson-Tootoo line still. They seem to have the get up and go that some of the other lines are lacking.

And, that's about it. One of these days I'm going to have more to talk about without sounding restless and frustrated. I just don't want to rehash the same problems game in, game out.

11/26/10 - Nashville at Minnesota: L 2-5

2010-11-26T21:18:00.000-06:00

How many times can this team re-focus and get back to the basics before those two things stop being effective? At what point do I stop being frustrated with this team? At what point will this team start playing like the team I know they are more than capable of being? At what point will their shots on net actually start converting themselves into goals? Almost goals (obviously) do not win games. We could all talk at length about the near goals, the just misses that every line seems to get shift after shift. But talk is all there is at this point. All talk and very little action.

Before the game, Coach Trotz had some strong words regarding the lackluster play of the team's forwards as of late. And if he's sharing his disappointments publicly to Pete and Terry, he's saying a lot more to the guys in the locker room. What is it going to take to turn things around? I, for sure, don't have the answer to that burning question. What I do have, like any good long-suffering Predators fan, is hope. That and the recollection of many a seasons past where these same issues have resolved themselves in the long run. These two things are what I will cling to while this team figures out, once and for all, who they are going to be this season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:30:00.001-06:00

You might have noticed that the posting has been a little light around here lately. Well, there are plenty of good reasons for that, among them being the holidays. I promise my posting will resume to a somewhat normal schedule after this week is over. For now, I leave you with a little Thanksgiving treat from the CBS show How I Met Your Mother. If you don't watch this show, you should because it's...(wait for it)...awesome. They also reference Canada and hockey quite often so it's got that going for it too.

Happy Slapsgiving, everyone! May your day be full of only good things and leave you appropriately stuffed.

11/22/10 - Nashville at Columbus: L 0-2

2010-11-22T17:56:00.001-06:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=462f1a132c" &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;11/22/10 - Nashville at Columbus: Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Mo Money Monday: Week 3

2010-11-22T13:01:00.001-06:00

Welllll, things are getting really hairy around here. Movember is definitely taking its toll on the upper lips of men worldwide. This week's winner goes to someone who has been brave enough to go where others fear to tread...er, grow? Congratulations, George Scoville! You are keeping it classic with a nice, normal, albeit slightly pervtastic moustache.

Next week's winner is for all the marbles, boys. Who's going to show me their best Yosemite Sam impersonation?!

On a game day note: I'll be hosting a live chat during the game tonight with Columbus Bluejackets blogger Bethany. The chat will start at 6:00pm CST so stop on by for hockey talk with us both. My only rule is that you play nice with the "enemy".

Your Morning Jed: Grinding the Puck

2010-11-18T11:10:00.000-06:00

There is a popular video series entitled "Will It Blend?", presented by Blendtec, home of what appears to be the greatest blender in the universe. Whatever "it" you can think of has probably been blended by their scientists at some point or another. In my experience, if the question "will it blend?" is raised, more than likely, it will blend. I mean, you don't create a popular video series based on the blending abilities of a blender if said blender will fail to blend its contents.

So when presented with the challenge of blending three hockey pucks, one can only assume that they did, in fact, blend.

Puck smoothie, anyone?

11/16/10 - Nashville at Toronto: L 4-5

2010-11-16T20:44:00.001-06:00

If you've ever wondered whether or not you were capable of going from elation to frustration within a span of forty minutes, please use the first and second periods of tonight's game as your perfect tool for that experiment. I am still shaking my head over the turn of events from the first 20 minutes to the second 20 minutes. The Predators looked as though they were continuing their dominance of the game as Marcel Goc scored a breakaway, shorthanded goal. Then things went terribly wrong and never got better. I tend to jot down observations throughout the game and tonight was no different. However, you will notice the quick descent into Criticismtown that occurred once the second period Toronto free-for-all got started.

Observations/Frustrations:

JP Dumont was sitting at the net, EXACTLY where I feel like the team is absent in most cases, and his perfect positioning is the reason that goal looked so ridiculously easy. I said before that I didn't really understand the pairing of Dumont with David Legwand and Joel Ward but they are really starting to produce some good things.

Okay, David Legwand was instrumental in Jordin Tootoo's goal. He fed him a great pass at center ice. I do have to give props to Toots as well though. He had some great hustle to bust past both Leafs players and took a precise shot to get that goal under Giguere's pad.

I could barely analyze what a great play Tootoo had on the second goal before Martin Erat turned right around and scored just 10 seconds later. The second and third goals of the night set a road record for the fastest goals scored away from the Bridgestone Arena and the second fastest pair scored in franschise history. Seeing Erat get that first goal taken care of, after he'd been out of the lineup for a while, makes me feel even better about his return to the game.

Steve Sullivan missed yet another golden breakaway opportunity late in the first period. Could someone please start a Sullivan Missed Breakaway Counter a la David Legwand's Goal counter? I KNOW the count has to be at least five so far this season.

The Predators managed to give up a goal to Toronto at the end of an otherwise strong first 20 minutes of play. Yeah, they've really got to figure out how to stop doing that. It will continue to be a thorn in their sides if they don't correct the mistakes they are making in the last minutes of each period.

For a while, I wondered if the onslaught of penalties called against the Predators in the second period that gave the Maple Leafs three, almost back-to-back, 5-on-3 opportunities and TWO POWER PLAY GOALS were completely Nashville's fault. I have never seen so many consecutively called penalties against the same team in all my years of hockey-watching. I wondered what Ron Wilson said to the officials to have them throwing up their arm every other second? Then after the fifth call against the Predators within that same period, I realized it was more classic Nashville style to play undisciplined after gaining a big lead rather than being on the receiving end of questionable calls. Four power play goals later, I am quite certain I witnessed one of the worst periods of hockey every played by the Nashville Predators. There is pretty much no excuse for what happened. Even the HockeyCentral commentators were dumbfounded at the lack of discipline shown by Nashville.

This was definitely a game I wish I could have been broadcasted on FSN. It would have been very interesting to see what all three coaches had to say after this ridiculous debacle. I mean, seriously. The Predators handed this game to the Maple Leafs on a silver platter in the second period. They should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of discipline. It was painful to watch how everything unraveled. I am positive the boys will be kicking themselves over this loss, thinking of all the ways they should have had this game in the bag after they went up 4-1 early in the second. The only thing I have left to say is that they better put that aggression and frustration to good use when they take on the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night.

Mo Money Monday: Week 2

2010-11-15T13:50:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was Week Two of Show Me Your Stache Sunday. This time around, there was a clear winner that stood out above all others. I had to give bonus points for this meticulously (or so it would appear) groomed mo. I was also impressed by the fullness of the 'stache even though it has only been two weeks. So, without further ado...congratulations, Paul Nicholson!! You're this week's winner and recipient of a $10 donation from What The Puck. Well done, Paul. You've got quite a fantastic 'stache going on.

Show Me Your Stache Sunday continues next week. After this week, I'm pretty sure the competition is just going to get more fierce. Those Cellblock boys have been cultivating some facial hair of their own and it's only a matter of time before one of their mos becomes a contender.

Happy Monday!

11/11/10 - Nashville at St. Louis: W 3-2 SO

2010-11-11T22:39:00.000-06:00

It is almost inevitable that it happens like this every season. The Predators get stuck in a losing streak and start a panic among their fan base. No player (or coach, for that matter) is safe from the scrutiny heaped upon them by the masses. The defense is slacking here. The goaltender drops too fast there. The offense isn't generating enough chances. The blame game is never ending. However, just as sure as there will be a losing streak each season; there is always a game to end that streak, giving the fans a breather and injecting a little life back into their hearts.

By no means do I think that the Predators were able to completely erase the memory of their previous five games with tonight's win. There were still a lot of things about the game they played tonight that need to be addressed and corrected. It will definitely take more than one win to get this team back on the track they were on in early October. It wouldn't hurt to have Martin Erat, Ryan Suter and Matthew Lombardi back in the lineup either. I can't minimize the victory though. A win is a win is an it's-about-freaking-time win. The team needed this heading into Saturday's game (and at home!!) against Chicago. Having the crowd behind you and not frustrated will serve them well.

So if you need something to do Saturday night, might I suggest heading down to the Bridgestone Arena to watch the Predators take on the Blackhawks for the second time this season. It will be the first home game in over two weeks and the last one for another week and a half, as the guys hit the road AGAIN for another four game stretch before Thanksgiving. Basically, what I'm saying is that you need to be there Saturday. Get your game face on and bring the noise to Broadway.

Mo Money Monday

2010-11-08T08:43:00.001-06:00

Yesterday marked the first "Show Me Your Stache Sunday" of Movember 2010. Since I can't grow a moustache myself, I decided I would find other ways to help the Movember campaign this year. A weekly donation to the cause on behalf of the mo I deem the most deserving seemed to be a fun (and interactive) way to raise awareness. I called for entries on Twitter yesterday, giving anyone who wanted to participate until midnight to reply with their Movember progress picture. I got quite a few participants, which made it harder to pick a winner.

However, this week's honor goes to @BENKOLARCIK for his completely unexpected facial hair entry. I don't actually think he was growing it for the Movember movement but because I've never seen him with that much facial hair, I am donating this week's $10 to Movember on his behalf. Congratulations BennyK! Bet you didn't even know you would earn such a prize, did you?

The "Show Me Your Stache" contest continues next week. If you weren't a winner this week, never fear! You can enter as many times as you like over the course of the month. Stay tuned every Monday to see if your mo mug finds it place in my Moustache Hall of Fame.

Happy Monday!

11/7/10 - Nashville at Anaheim: L 4-5

2010-11-07T21:59:00.000-06:00

How do you react after a loss as heartbreaking as this? With just 1.7 seconds left in the game, the Ducks countered their third goal of the third period to summarily end the Predators hopes for at least one point to show for this West Coast road trip. Nashville seemed to have turned things around after the poor showing at the Staples Center last night. Steve Sullivan, Cal O'Reilly and Patric Hornqvist were putting forth some great offensive pressure. For every goal the Ducks scored, the Predators found a way to answer. That fifth goal, however, is the one that will sting for a while.

In a way, these two teams are mirror images of each other. Anaheim is a much different team than the one the Predators faced just about a month ago. The Ducks were met with a lot of early injuries and struggled from the start. Now they are working their way back into a winning system. The Predators got off to a great start and then found themselves with plenty of their own injury woes. Now, they must find a way to bounce back from their fifth loss in a row. The question remains: what will it take to get back to what was working so well just a couple of weeks ago?

That is definitely something the entire team and coaching staff can contemplate on the four hour plane ride home tonight.

11/6/10 - Nashville at Los Angeles: L 1-4

2010-11-06T23:42:00.001-05:00

It's been four in a row. The loss against Phoenix on Wednesday night was a tough one to take but at least the team had some offense going on. Tonight's loss against the Kings was just an embarrassment. One bad play after another. No offense to speak of, save for Shane O'Brien (I mean, REALLY?!?!), who plays DEFENSE. Tentative goaltending from starter Pekka Rinne. There's something seriously off with this team right now.

Observations:

They sure did talk a whole heck of a lot about Ryan Smyth's 1,000th NHL career game. Jason Arnott achieved that same milestone while he played for the Predators and I certainly don't remember that much talk about it. Well, maybe there was considerable discussion but I wasn't paying attention.

The LA announcers referenced back to Jordin Tootoo a lot. I'm not sure what their fascination was with him but the ad nauseum conversation in the first two periods was overkill.

Shea Weber had five shots on goal through two periods of play. Honestly, he was one of about three guys on the team that I saw trying to do anything worthwhile offensively. It was obvious to me that he was trying to get something started but he shouldn't have to shoulder the entire load.

The Los Angeles Kings are a team to be worried about playing against. They are definitely dangerous. They might have struggled against Nashville in the past but when they win, they win big. This was a good game for them and the fans of Los Angeles should be happy with the team on the ice in front of them each night.

Yeahhhhh. What can possibly be left to say after this? The guys have to get their heads back in the game. They will take on the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center tomorrow. The Predators don't have the best winning record against the Ducks at the Honda Center. However, the only way to save face on what's left of this road trip is to find a way to pick up two points in Anaheim. If they don't pull it out, I fully expect some major punishment at practice when they hit the ice on Tuesday.

11/3/10 - Nashville at Phoenix: L 3-4

2010-11-03T23:35:00.000-05:00

Looking at the guys that did not make the road trip, I immediately think of all the money and talent that's tied up in Matthew Lombardi, Ryan Suter and Martin Erat. And then I think of what this team is managing to do without the use of these players. Just how good could the Predators be at full strength? I really want to find out the answer to this question sooner rather than later.

Here's one of the many reasons I love the way Jerred Smithson plays: he is always battling for that puck along the boards. Any time you see both teams in a scrum, trying to work the puck out, I can guarantee you he will be in the middle of that fight. This is another good example of the hard-working style of play that the Predators are known for and Smithson embodies that spirit in almost every aspect of his game. He does, however, need to work on his face offs. His numbers are way down from last season.

Definitely love seeing the beaming smile on Francis Bouillon's face as he talked with Terry Crisp during the first intermission. He especially lit up when the topic of him wearing the 'A' was brought up. You could tell he was very proud of that, bringing up that it was the first time he's ever worn an 'A' in his NHL career. I'm happy to see that the designation of wearing Suter's 'A' is not being taken lightly in his absence.

Okay, look. I know Phoenix has had their issues with attendance and ownership woes. That's nothing the Predators haven't dealt with over the past few years. But for a team who had one of the best seasons in the league last year, you would think there would have been a spike in attendance this season. And yes, I know the arena isn't even really in Phoenix and you have to take that into consideration too but....wow. I think even the Atlanta Thrashers have better attendance than Phoenix does here lately. Pretty sure I've never seen an arena so empty while a game was being played. At one point, I could hear the guys talking to each other on the ice so clearly, I would have sworn all five guys on the ice were mic'ed up.

Loving the young lineup on the power play; Franson, Hornqvist, O'Reilly and Wilson with a rotating defensemen. They had such a good spark in the second period and there's hope for the future of the man advantage if they can keep up what they were doing tonight.

How many freaking times is Pekka Rinne going to give everyone a heart attack by coming out of the net?! And not just out of the net, but like, ALL THE WAY out of the net to the point where every other Predator on the ice has to cover his butt. Something is totally off with his game right now.

Every line has a specific job to do on the ice but I think this team could benefit from a finisher on every line. There were so many near goals that could have easily been a goal had someone been at the net to tap it in. Hornqvist needs to schedule a workshop or something.

Yeahhhhhhh, I'm going to need this team to start winning again. There are some good things happening on the ice for the guys but like last season, there is something missing in the offense again. The rest of this road trip better be all kinds of successful. The boys need to shake off the crap and find their groove already.

November + Moustaches = Movember

2010-11-01T08:00:00.005-05:00

Now that Halloween is over, we can all start to gear up for the holiday season. Friends, family, food, facial hair...wait, what?! Yep. November has become a month more affectionately called Movember. And what exactly is Movember, you ask? It is a movement started back in 2003 by a group of guys in Melbourne, Australia who wanted to bring more awareness to men's health. Their thought was that men with moustaches often garner attention and this would be a way to start conversations about men's health. Since 2003, the movement has spread from Australia to many countries around the world. Last year, $42 million was raised through the Movember campaign, through the help of one million donors and fundraisers. That money went directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

So why am I bringing this up? Because the Predators will be taking part of Movember again this year. And as much as I absolutely hate seeing some of the guys grow what I would consider the WORST facial hair known to man, it truly is for a deserving cause. The team raised quite a bit of money last year and after the news of Assistant Coach Peter Horachek's own battle with prostate cancer, I'm positive the guys will be determined to raise the (handle)bar this time around. Should you want to take part of Movember in conjunction with the team's participation, there are just a few things to know before you get started.

The rules to Movember are simple:

1. Each guy must begin the month of November with a clean-shaven face.
2. During the entire month of November, each guy must grow and groom a moustache.
3. There will be no joining of the moustache to your sideburns. This is a beard.
4. There will be no joining of the handlebars to your chin. This is considered a gotee.
5. Each "Mo Bro" must conduct himself like that of a true gentleman.

Now that you've got the rules, here's a moustache style guide to help influence your mo growing decision.
If you're still not sure if this is for you, take a look at what type of man grows a "mo":

While I loathe what some of the players look like with facial hair, their reasons behind growing it are more than honorable. I promise I'll try to keep my mustache disdain to a minimum this year.

10/30/10 - Nashville at Detroit: L 2-5

2010-10-30T20:57:00.001-05:00

The sky is not falling. I repeat, THE. SKY. IS. NOT. FALLING. It's just raining a little harder right now. All of the injuries are piling up and the holes in the roster are finally starting to show. This was the first game where the forward lines were jumbled for most of the game...and we all know that Coach Trotz starts up those shenanigans when things go awry. I wouldn't call this one of Pekka Rinne's finest games either. Not that every goal was a direct result of his missteps but he was definitely not on top of his play tonight. I was also hoping we'd see more of Linus Klasen than we did, especially considering his offensive power in the AHL as of late. The Swede only got 8 shifts of ice time in; I assume because Trotz decided to stick with the guys he was more familiar with once Detroit started rolling. And boy did Detroit start rolling...right over everything. The Red Wings figured out how to take advantage of every weakness the Predators were showing. The maturity of Detroit and their solid team play is always something the Nashville team has to overcome. Tonight, unfortunately, Detroit was able to get the better of them.

With four more road games over the next two weeks, the guys will have a lot of time to regroup, get healthy and get closer as a team. Every year, the boys look forward to opportunities to come together as a team and the road usually serves as a good place to do that. The West Coast road trip, starting with Phoenix on Wednesday should help seal their bond. It better, anyway. I'm ready to start celebrating wins again.

If You Can't Say Anything Nice...

2010-10-29T17:44:00.000-05:00

...change the subject. No, seriously. I have absolutely nothing redeeming to say about what I saw (or didn't see, for that matter) on the ice last night. Instead of rehashing, we will just move on.

I had this whole idea in my head last night to talk about what each of the players on the team would dress up like for Halloween but after the week I've had, I just can't get my brain to focus long enough to crank out a post that creatively draining. However, if any of you 5 readers out there want to take a stab at it, you can leave your team costume suggestions in the comments. I'm just going to leave you guys with this: how adorably naive is it of Pekka Rinne to refer to (I'm assuming) candy corn as "little orange and white candies" in the Predators Press from last night's game? I didn't notice it until after I got home from the arena and I got a good laugh out of it for sure.

Tomorrow's game is the Predators first of the season against the Red Wings and I'm sure, as always, it will be no less than entertaining. If you're in the mood to hang with some fellow hockey fans, the Predators are hosting their first official Tweetup of the season at Otter's Chicken Tenders on Demonbreun at 5:30pm.

Let's go, boys! Anything has got to be better than what happened last night.

Your Morning Jed: More Hockey Love from Disney

2010-10-28T12:39:00.000-05:00

Again, it's the afternoon...but I refuse to rename this feature.

Perusing YouTube for a few moments at lunch, I discovered Hannah Montana apparently played a little hockey on her show at some point. The clip is kind of short and pieced together but it looks like roller hockey? Maybe the whole episode was themed around hockey? I don't really know because I've never watched an entire episode of the show but here you go:

I don't know if this will get anyone all riled up for the game tonight but it couldn't hurt. I was looking forward to it anyway.

Happy Thursday, everybody!

10/24/10 - Nashville at Tampa Bay: W 4-3

2010-10-24T19:44:00.001-05:00

Observations:

I almost forgot about my Iron Man status in regards to JP Dumont. I never should have feared he would miss a full game. As always, my little Frenchman takes a lick and just keeps on ticking.

It is always hard to see a former goalie in another jersey. Tomas Vokoun was especially difficult but I think seeing Dan Ellis in a Tampa Bay sweater was right up there on my sadness scale. Say what you will about the guy but I absolutely loved him. I want only good things for him, as long as he's not playing against the Predators.

Shea Weber netted his first goal of the season and it wasn't a slap shot from the point. Dan Ellis probably never saw it coming.

Sergei Kostitsyn got his first goal of the season, with a little help from Jerred Smithson (in his 400th career NHL game), who both pick up their first points of the year. Ugh. Does this mean I have to lay off my Russian hate for a while?

These Tennessee Lottery commercials are so bad, I actually miss the overplayed Live United commercials.

Joel Ward, do you need to be reminded what game you're playing? This is obviously not baseball.

Too many penalties in the second period. WAY too many penalties. Although, I will say the penalty killers were looking pretty sharp.

Wow, that Cody Franson breakaway goal was pretty impressive. Maybe Steve Sullivan should ask him for some pointers?

It is quite obvious that Tampa Bay has some serious offense. I haven't seen so much flurry at the net from any of the other teams the Predators have faced so far this year. The defensemen were working overtime to keep the Lightning at bay.

The line of Dumont-Wilson-Erat intrigues me. Wilson can't be called upon to finish every play. And as soon as I finished typing this, Colin Wilson scores a goal to make it 4-1.

Those two quick goals from Tampa Bay had to have rattled Anders Lindback's confidence a bit and boy, did that make for a stressful last few minutes of the game. There is no question that just like last night, the goal tending is the reason the Predators were able to walk away with this one. Though Lindback was a relative unknown at the start of the season, he is definitely starting to make a name for himself.

The team heads back to Nashville tonight with four points in their pockets and visions of a good night's sleep in their heads. I worried that the late arrival time into Tampa would work against them but this team always seems to step up to the challenge when faced with some not-so-pleasant circumstances. Now the boys have three days off before taking on the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night at the Bridgestone Arena. Thursday's game will be the last home game for the team until November 13th. Another win would be a good way to keep things rolling, heading into such a long away game stretch.

10/23/10 - Nashville at Dallas: W 1-0

2010-10-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

The game in numbers:

0 - TV feeds for the game tonight. Even though Center Ice was offering the match up, it was unfortunately blacked out for the Nashville viewing audience.

1 - internet feed that was pretty clear; thanks to me having for real internet for once. It really does pay to not bum a signal from neighbors.

1 - goal for Cal O'Reilly; his first of the season.

42 - seconds it took for O'Reilly to score what would end up being the eventual game winner.

7 - number of defensemen suited up for the evening. Kevin Klein was a bit under the weather today and Teemu Laakso was called up from Milwaukee as a precautionary measure. Coach Trotz chose to dress both of them, instead of scratching one.

3 - full lines of fowards, which unfortunately left Jerred Smithson and Nick Spaling the odd men out, except in the case of a penalty kill scenario.

4 and 32 - numbers worn (at one time or another) by both Cody Franson and recently-called up Teemu Laakso, making things slightly confusing when they are both playing in the same game.

2 - the period that seems to always plague the Predators. They might not have scored a goal, but Dallas definitely out worked the Predators in this period; drawing two penalties, taking more shots on net and generating plenty of opportunities to get one past Pekka Rinne.

2 - breakaway chances for Steve Sullivan that he was, again, unable to capitalize on. When Sully finally does put one in the net on a breakaway this season, I think I might faint.

10 - number of minutes JP Dumont logged on ice before not returning to the game, with an as-of-yet unspecified injury. GRRRREAAAAATTTTTTT. Just what this team needs right now.

30 - total number of shots on goal Pekka Rinne faced against the Dallas Stars. The 1-0 final score gives Rinne his first shutout of the year. With as many opportunities Dallas had to score, Pekka basically stole the game from them. If I'm a Dallas Stars player, I'm frustrated at my lack of ability to score against him.

Good to see the Predators back in the win column again. After three tough overtime losses, this was the exact type of game I expected the boys to play. Sound defense, solid penalty killing and nothing too fancy offensively. The power play, though mentioned by Dallas announcers to be currently 12th in the league, needs some more work. That second man advantage had me cringing.

The team heads to Tampa Bay tonight, wrapping up their quick road trip, for an early evening face off against the Lightning tomorrow. Netminder Dan Ellis will be reunited with some of his buddies, though this time he'll be sporting the opposing team's colors. Puck drops at 5:00pm CST. The game will be televised on Sports South.

Hockey Fights Cancer

2010-10-21T09:59:00.002-05:00

Photo credit: Vanderbilt Children's Hospital

Tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins is also a part of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative around the NHL. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Vanderbilt Childhood Cancer Program, benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Last year, the Predators raised $125,000 for the hospital, which helped to further pediatric cancer research and support other pediatric programs.

Many childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families will be in attendance at tonight's game, as guests of the team and the Vanderbilt Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology.

Come out and support the fight against cancer. If you can't make it to the game, you can always give to this cause directly (all season long) through this link.

Seeing as how I love the team and I work at the Children's Hospital, there's no way I'd miss this opportunity to give back. If you're headed to the game tonight too, don't forget to wear pink to show your support!

10/19/10 - Calgary at Nashville: L 1-0 OT

2010-10-20T20:02:00.000-05:00

This game was frustrating. That's all there is to it. No goal games are almost always the worst. The fact that the team lost another player (and a crazy important one, at that) in Ryan Suter was just the frosting on the poop-flavored cupcake that was last night.

Major props to the remaining defense corps, as they had to really step up their games for almost the entire game.

Major headache for the waning power play though. How many chances did the team get to at a man advantage that were squandered away? Too many.

I do not want to see a repeat of this game tomorrow night. That is all.

Your Morning Jed: Locker Room Re-do

2010-10-18T13:19:00.009-05:00

Well, technically it's the afternoon but who's counting?

The flood water may be gone but the reminders of the damage it caused still remain. Many lost their homes/businesses, some lost their lives; so in comparison, the Predators were lucky.

But damage is damage, and the team was without the use of their normal locker rooms for the entire pre-season. The Predators were finally able to move into their new and improved locker room a couple of weeks ago.

Go behind the scenes to see images of the damage, as well as the rebuilding phase all the way through to completion of the new space.

10/16/10 - Washington at Nashville: L 3-2 OT

2010-10-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Before the game, I tweeted "Hoping the Preds show the Caps that a team doesn't always need a superstar to be good at what they do." Now, in essence, the team was able to do just that. The Predators have never relied on one person to do the job of many and they certainly didn't start that tonight. The team was well disciplined through the first forty minutes. They were also doing a great job of putting pucks on the net, keeping the shot count in their favor by at least ten SOG heading into the third. The pace of the game was much slower than a typical Predators game and I attribute that to the absence of Martin Erat and Matthew Lombardi. The lines were a little jumbled but the guys were making the most of it. Steve Sullivan and Cal O'Reilly were still connecting well on their shifts, creating a ton of quality scoring chances.

So what exactly happened in the third period? Well, the Capitals finally started getting their own man advantage opportunities and found a way to cash in on one of them and score another to tie the game at 2-2. Then Backstrom laid a monstrous hit on Marcel Goc, which probably put him out of the game for a while. And though the Predators were able to hold on to take the game into overtime, the team looked really tired in the waning minutes of regulation. Leave it to Washington's (and the NHL's) superstar, Alexander Ovechkin, to win the game by scoring the 4-on-3 power play, while Ryan Suter sat in the box for a penalty that the superstar helped to draw.

The Predators did get a point out of the night and that is the positive takeaway. With Goc likely down for the count, things are going to be interesting for a while. Look for even more line shuffling and a few call ups from Milwaukee to fill the voids. I'd also expect players like Jerred Smithson and Jordin Tootoo to continue to be called upon by the coaching staff to step up their games in order to keep things rolling.

The Predators continue their home stand and face off against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at the Bridgestone Arena. Any time the Flames are in town, you can expect an entertaining game. Grab yourself some tickets (click the Smashville logo above for discounted tickets) and come on down! The puck drops at 7:00pm.

10/13/10 - Nashville at Chicago: W 3-2

2010-10-13T22:26:00.007-05:00

Look, I realize that the last time the Predators were in Chicago, they were mere seconds (SECONDS!) away from winning their second road game of the first round and coming home with a 3-2 lead in the series. Trust me, we all get it. We all remember it. And we all wish we could forget it. We've got to leave that game and everything else about the post-season where it belongs; in the past. This is a new season and I really don't want to hear about that fateful night any more than absolutely necessary. With five more regular season meetings between these two teams this year, it's time to write some new story lines.

So here's tonight's story:

With Martin Erat out of the lineup due to lingering back spasms, Wade Belak got to suit up tonight. It appeared that JP Dumont would take Erat's place on the line with Colin Wilson and Matthew Lombardi. Imagine my bewilderment to see Belak holding down that spot. Granted, the lines were juggled quite a bit, as Coach Trotz is want to do, but it was still strange to see Wade on any line other than the fourth.

Ugh, face-offs are in need of some serious work. It's a bumbling mess out there. Clean wins at the dot have been few and far between.

I love that Joel Ward is a true special teams guy. You can stick him out there on the penalty kill or the power play and he's going to give it 100% either way.

The first period wasn't played as disciplined or as smart as this team is capable of. With the exception of the sequence leading up to Steve Sullivan's goal and some smooth puck handling by Colin Wilson, the guys were all over the place.

Anders Lindback had to be feeling the pressure during the first period. On Saturday night, he didn't have much time to think. This time, he had a few hours to mentally prepare for the game. Neither one of the goals in the first period were a direct result of his miscues but wow, did he give up some dangerous rebounds.

I forgot to mention this after Saturday's game but I could not be happier that Trotz went back to the Smithson-Legwand-Ward line that clicked so well last season. They were a solid third line that consistently created some good on-ice chances. From what I've seen so far in these first two games, that trend continues.

While assistant coach Peter Horachek was being interviewed from the bench about some things that the Predators need to do better on the ice, he said that the guys have to use their feet more and stop reaching with their sticks so much. As if on ironic cue, every single player on the ice at that exact moment was doing the very thing that Horachek said needed to stop. Claaa-ssic Preds.

God Bless Colin Wilson for taking a shot as soon as the puck hit his stick. Right through traffic and into the back of the net. That was perfection.

Cal O'Reilly was having a great game tonight; really connecting with Sullivan. Let's see how long that sticks.

Is it just me or do all the guys' sticks seem a lot longer than they were last season? [I know, insert TWSS here] Maybe it's just because they were reaching too much with the stick (even after Horachek said they have to stop that) but it was really noticeable tonight.

In contrast with Saturday night's game, Matthew Lombardi was almost non-existent in the game tonight. This was most evident as he was dropped to the fourth line in the third period.

How about that timely power play, huh?! Leave it to special teams guru, Joel Ward, to net the game-winner. I pegged him as the first goal scorer tonight but I like it better that he made the most of the man advantage to win the game.

We have to address this:

Photo credit: @ericshuff

Okay, okay. I know Joel Ward explained the significance of this cowboy "hard hat", given in the locker room post-game, to the player who was deemed the hardest worker on the ice. BUT...based on his reaction to Pete and Terry's goading in reference to the hat, it was obviously not regarded as the most stylish choice by any means. Significance aside, I will not be able to take any player seriously while wearing that hat. Period. End of story. Thank you and goodnight.

After that not so pretty second period play, the Predators managed to redeem themselves. Not only did they skate away with two points, they helped Anders Lindback secure his very first NHL win. The boys return tonight and have to gear up to take on the improved St. Louis Blues tomorrow night at the Bridgestone Arena. Tomorrow's game also marks the first game of one of my very favorite promotions. It's College Night with lower bowl tickets for $25 or upper bowl seats for $10 with a valid college id; as well as half price drink specials through the first intermission.

Come on out and get your hockey on.

Tuesday Top Ten

2010-10-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

As the NHL season got underway this past week, I started to think of all the things that happen in any given year. Like snowflakes, no two seasons are alike; but that doesn't mean there won't be a considerable amount of vaguely familiar circumstances game in, game out. With this in mind, let's take a look at a few hockey happenings that are sure to grace us with their presence at some point throughout the next few months.

The Top Ten Things You Will Most Likely See/Hear/Experience in the 2010-2011 Season:

10. After a bad game, the coaching staff of the losing team will decline to comment on the officiating, while still managing to intimate that bad calls had something to do with the loss.

9. The Detroit Red Wings will manage to mesmerize the Toronto War Room into thinking a clear no-goal is actually a goal. Oh, wait...they've already done this? Yeah, then just expect it to continue.

8. NBC and Versus will continue their love affair with Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, talking ad nauseum about both players' elite skills.

7. Brian Engblom's Hair

6. Someone will propose to their significant other on the Jumbotron, prompting everyone in the arena to answer for them, with an emphatic "NO!".

5. Commissioner Gary Bettman will be met with resounding "boos" no matter which NHL arena he visits.

4. At least one article a month will appear in a Canadian paper, decrying Southern hockey markets and picking apart each franchise's attendance and financial numbers.

3. ESPN's Sportscenter will rarely, if ever, feature a newsworthy hockey clip. If a hockey clip does make the cut, however, the sportscaster will most definitely get either the player's name/team/city wrong.

2. A hockey player will find himself in a bit of a pickle after a late night out. Oh, that's already happened too?

1. No matter how well the Predators do, they will continue to slip under the radar of the national media.

I am sure there are plenty of other commonly seen/heard/done NHL happenings that could be included, but this is just a top ten and I am only one person. If you've got your own to add, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Happy Tuesday!

10/9/10 - Anaheim at Nashville: W 1-4

2010-10-10T00:59:00.002-05:00

What a way to start the season, huh? After watching quite a bit of the Anaheim-Detroit game last night, I was concerned about how the Ducks would fight back after their lackluster effort in the Motor City. Most specifically, I worried how much they would find themselves dropping their gloves. Seeing as how the Ducks are already known for their physical style of play, I wasn't particularly looking forward to this evening, for that reason alone. However, for the most part, the gloves stayed on and the Predators managed to keep their wits about them, despite a few roughing calls here and there.

Thought I would go old school style and post my in-game observations, since I had quite a few tonight. So here we go:

Cal O'Reilly is finally starting to make me take some notice of him. Could this be his year? Only Section 303's Jeremy will be able to tell us for sure.

Players I don't really miss at all, although I totally thought I would: Dan Hamhuis. I honestly figured without Hammer in the line up, the Predators defense would be lacking. However, it is quite possible the defense is stronger than it has ever been. I will say though, if anything were to happen to either Weber or Suter, this team could be in big trouble.

While plenty of things change from season to season, some things never change. Case in point: Steve Sullivan missed a fantastic breakaway opportunity tonight; something I saw many times last season.

On the other hand, Steve Sullivan knew exactly how to throw a bomb in the back of the net during the power play to put the team up by one in the second. Coach Trotz said he has been studying the power play and working on ways to improve it. From what I saw tonight, there was far less fancy and much more smarts factored into the man advantage. A couple of passes to set up and then you fire away. That's how you get it done and that's when the power play pays off.

11 SOGs were given up during the prolonged 5-on-4, then 5-on-3, then 5-on-4 penalty kill in the second period. The penalty killers (that weren't serving time in the box) were on top of their game tonight. Jerred Smithson and Ryan Suter were an integral part of this kill, on the ice for 2:22 and 2:15, respectively, of the 3:15 Anaheim man advantage. These are definitely the types of things I want to see continue.

JP Dumont looked like a different player out there tonight. He didn't make a lot of passes and took more shots on the net than I ever remembered seeing from him last season. Could it be that Arnott's absence is exactly what he needed to step up his game?

Patric Hornqvist's goal celebration after his goal late in the second period made me laugh. It was almost as if you could see him breathing a sigh of relief, thinking "whew, thank goodness I've got that first goal pressure off my back!".

Things you really don't ever want to see happen during the first game of the season: the starting goaltender going out with an apparent injury. Pekka Rinne left in the third and did not return. Coach Trotz's post-game locker room update: Pekka has a lower body injury and will be listed as day-to-day. Lower body injuries could be anything but Rinne was favoring his right leg before he left the ice so my guess is he tweaked something in the scuffle at net with Bodie and Bouillon early in the period. However, I do so love being able to see an NHL rookie make his debut, as was the case for Anders Lindback, coming in for Pekka to play out the last 17 minutes of the third period. If Rinne's injury still nags him next week, Lindback might find that he'll get more NHL experience in net sooner than he thought.

New Predator Matthew Lombardi was shot down from every angle tonight. This was certainly not from lack of trying though. I could almost sense his frustration. I can't wait to actually see him score a goal now, so he can get that monkey off his back too.

Final Predators shot count: 49. Yes, you read that right. FORTY NINE. Who says this team doesn't have enough offensive power?

Also, this picture:

Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

I initially cracked up at this because of Pekka's stance, which is obviously a protective sprawl to cover the net, but comes off almost like a lazy, hang out, hey how's it going, guys? stance. However, looking at the picture again, Teemu Selanne's face is quite hilarious too. His eyes are very deer-in-the-headlights and I laugh every time I look at them.

And there you have it. Hockey's back and all feels right in the world again. The Predators won't see any on-ice action again until Wednesday night as they face off against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, in the Windy City. The boys will, however, be out and about in Nashville as they participate in their 5th Annual Predators in the Community Day. Check the link for details to see where your favorite Predators players might show up around the city on Monday.

A New Season, Some Fresh Faces and Great Expectations

2010-10-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

October has finally graced us with its presence. Fall is in the air...well, sometimes it is and then it gets up to 80 degrees again. The NHL pre-season is over and the Predators start their 2010-2011 season on Saturday night; taking on the Anaheim Ducks at the Bridgestone Arena. The team seems pretty well in place, barring any other surprise trades. For the record, I'm still shaking my head over Shane O'Brien.

Despite the absence of a few familiar faces, this year's roster sits well with me. It is a good balance of young and old. For starters, there's a smart combination in the leadership abilities of the new power couple, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, with the comfortableness of seasoned veterans like Steve Sullivan and JP Dumont. Then you've got David Legwand and Martin Erat, carrying some heady contracts that many are still waiting to see paid out in on-ice dividends. If you don't want to gamble with those, there are always the hard working, true embodiment of Predators-style hockey players such as Joel Ward, Jerred Smithson, Marcel Goc and eh, I'll even throw Jordin Tootoo and Wade Belak in the mix here. A lot of eyes will surely be on the fair-haired sophomore duo of Patric Hornqvist and Colin Wilson. Can Patric meet the expectations of the coaching staff and will Colin live up to the hype? Cal O'Reilly will make another go of it again this year. Your guess is as good as mine as to how he weathers the storm this time around. Weber and Suter notwithstanding, the rest of the defensive core doesn't have too much to prove. Francis Bouillon, Cody Franson, Kevin Klein and Alexander Sulzer (along with newly acquired defenseman Shane O'Brien) should be able to keep things running smoothly. With Pekka Rinne securely holding on to the number one goaltender position, there seems to be no question that the coaches and the team are confident in trusting Rinne's skill in net.

And yet, there are some new faces to grow accustomed to. Forwards Matthew Lombardi, Sergei Kostitsyn and rookie backup goaltender, Anders Lindback. Lombardi comes to the Predators by way of the Phoenix Coyotes. He looks to have added a considerable amount of speed to the team and stands to fill some of the scoring void left by Jason Arnott. Russian Sergei Kostitsyn was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens during the Dan Ellis trade over the summer. My feelings of all things Russian aside, Kostitsyn is still somewhat of a question mark in terms of what he can bring to the game. I am sure I speak for a lot of people when I say it will be interesting to see how Sergei fits into the lineup. As for the rookie Swedish backup goaltender, the choice to pick Anders Lindback came as a slight surprise. The Predators coaching staff always enjoy saying "the road to Nashville goes through Milwaukee". In Lindback's case, Milwaukee never factored into the equation. As with Kostistyn, I haven't seen Anders play enough to know exactly how he'll perform.

With all that said, new faces bring another level of excitement and anticipation to the game. And this is a whole new season. What do the next few months hold for this roster? None of us can predict it and be 100% accurate. All I know is: anything is possible.

TRAINING CAMP!!

2010-09-20T11:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry to go all Kanye West on you guys...but IT'S THE START OF TRAINING CAMP!!!

Photo credit: www.predators.nhl.com

After taking most of the summer off from all things hockey-related, I spent a good chunk of my weekend in the frozen comfort of the Centennial Sportsplex. And, I have to admit that I was less than familiar with quite a few names on the roster. A lot of things changed over the summer and I am still trying to come to terms with what the team looks like without the Jason Arnotts, the Dan Hamhuises and the Dan Ellises.

So far, Taylor Beck has caught my eye, in a good way. Colin Wilson, while always on my radar, managed to make me notice him even more due to his increased speed on the ice. With these two as an indication of a new turn for the Predators, along with the younger leadership of Captain Shea Weber (and newly-minted alternate captain, Ryan Suter), this team could be on the verge of becoming something completely opposite of everything we have seen in years past. Granted, it's only the beginning of pre-season but I might as well start the year out hopeful, right?

The early scrimmages have brought an added element of excitement to Predators pre-season hockey this year. These games have also upped the competitive edge for most players quite significantly. Based on yesterday's scrimmage, you would have thought that everyone on the ice had spent their last few seasons in the AHL. The drive, determination and competitive spirit of the NHL veterans was an eye-opener for me. These guys know they are still fighting for a spot on the team. They are willing to work for it, prove themselves and earn that spot again.

Most of the time, pre-season games are typically throw away games. However, this year, they could prove to generate some great, desperate hockey moments.

It's hockey time in Nashville again. Do work, boys!

Hockey Movie Sunday: Week 6

2010-09-11T01:03:00.000-05:00

With training camp right around the corner and rookie camp opening on Monday, this is the final week of Hockey Movie Sunday. There is no greater hockey movie to end this series with other than Miracle.

If you don't think so, you are un-American and have no heart. And while it's okay to be un-American (hello Canada and anywhere else in the world reading), it is certainly not okay to not have a heart. Well, Russians probably have a hard time re-living this but we all know how I feel about the Russians.

This story resonates with a lot of people and has spawned plenty of imitations. One of the most well-known internet memes of last year came from one of the cutest kids in the universe, Tennessee's own Josh Sacco:

While a tad bit overplayed, this video will never not be cute to me.

Fall is in the air and hockey season is literally (for me, since the Sportsplex is so close) right around the corner. I've had a hard time keeping up with everything this summer, much to my chagrin. [Notice the time stamp on this post and you'll see how long my days have become.] My work life is about to get even crazier so I hope I still have enough time to keep up with things around here. Hockey is my only sanity some days and I don't want that to change anytime soon.

Happy Viewing everyone! If I don't have a chance to write again before next weekend, see you at Training Camp. I'll be there all weekend so stop by and say hey.

Hockey Movie Sunday: Week 5

2010-09-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Getting right down to business, this week's selection is The Cutting Edge starring Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney. I know it's not a total hockey movie but it involves the Winter Olympics too. You should all know by now how much I love the Olympics.

The original trailer for this movie is kind of ridiculous and hilariously 1990's all at the same time. My favorite part is the voice over guy's line when he says "and she's got a nickname that rhymes with 'rich'". That's classic.

Happy movie watching, everyone! Have a great holiday weekend.

Hockey Movie Sunday: Slap Shot Recap

2010-08-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, the second time around must have done the trick. I enjoyed the movie much more. I might have gone into it at first thinking it should be this amazing thing, because so many people talk the movie up. And not that it's not a good movie but I still don't think it's this amazing movie I'll watch again and again. To each his (or her) own, I guess. However, the characters were more endearing to me this time around. The goalie especially, and mostly because I'm a sucker for French-Canadian accents.

Just a few more weeks before it's hockey time in Nashville again. It's about time.

Happy Monday everyone!

Hockey Movie Sunday: Week 4

2010-08-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Technically, last week was Week 4 but that didn't happen so we will just pick up where we left off. I thought I'd go with the ultimate classic this week. I noticed it was available through Netflix Instant which made the choice easier.

Yes, it's the 1970's classic Slap Shot starring Paul Newman. This is probably the biggest go-to movie for anyone who is a fan of hockey. Personally, I've seen it once a couple of years ago and I didn't really find it to be all that great. I'm hoping another viewing of it will change my opinion. I guess we'll see on Sunday.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Summer Recap: Late April - May Edition

2010-08-19T08:00:00.045-05:00

With training camp and pre-season fast approaching, I realized I needed to get my act together and get back into the swing of things. This summer has kicked my butt in so many ways, I lost count a long time ago. Amidst all the butt-kicking, there wasn't much time for hockey. I became a blogger I loathe...the one that starts a bunch of things but doesn't finish any of them. I have plenty of excuses but you don't need to hear any of them. This blog unfortunately suffered a good bit of neglect for the past few months, while other things took more precedence.

Summer is always difficult for us hockey fans but for once, there was no lack of news from the Nashville Predators this off-season. I looked at the roster late last week and knew I needed to spend some time going back over all that happened when I didn't recognize and/or remember half of the new names I saw.

To help me set everything straight in my head, I am going to do a review of all the moves on and off-ice that occurred since the Predators season ended in late April. I'll have to break it up in a few posts because taking on every last piece of news at once would probably overload my hockey sensibilities. So, let's start with late April through May, shall we?

Preds Re-Sign Wade Belak

David Poile Named a Finalist for NHL's Inaugural GM of the Year Award

Preds Sign Lani Lajunen to Entry-Level Contract

Preds Sign Kelsey Wilson to One Year Deal

Preds Sign 2008 Draftee Anders Lindback

Preds Sign 2008 Second Rounder Roman Josi

Preds Sign Finnish Goaltender Atte Engren

Well, if you guessed the most significant news in this batch of links was the Wade Belak re-signing, you should probably re-evaluate your decision making abilities. Just kidding! But seriously, not the most exciting news in any of these stories, right?

The two moves worth noting are the goaltender signings of Anders Lindback and Atte Engren. Since Pekka Rinne left Milwaukee and made his move to the big leagues, I haven't been particularly impressed with any of the netminders left in the system. Adding this pair to the mix could light the spark for some of the more seasoned guys, allowing them to jockey for the next starting position (or even a backup, with Ellis gone) once Pekka's time is through. Of the two goalies picked up, Lindback has a little more buzz surrounding him, strictly based on his size alone. He's the tallest player ever drafted by the organization, coming in at an impressive 6'6". And you thought Pekka was tall.

Well, I feel a little better now and maybe my attempt to get up-to-date helped a few other people in the process. I'll tackle the craziness that was June in the next few days.

In His Defense: A Cautionary Twitter Tale

2010-08-18T08:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, Dan Ellis retweeted some things from Reggie Bush's twitter account. If only he knew the storm it would cause for the remainder of the day.

The tweets from Reggie Bush were innocent enough:

RT @reggie_bush: Lol! Clearly some of these people have never been through an NFL Training Camp! Hmmmm? Maybe that could make a good tv show

RT @reggie_bush: Let's put a fan through training camp, two-a-day practices for 2 weeks straight, 100+ heat everyday, full pads

That is nothing someone with a normal job wouldn't say on a regular basis, if met with scrutiny about their performance. In the Twitter world, a retweet typically serves as your agreement with someone else's sentiment as was the case with Ellis. However, he delved further into the issue with these tweets:

ppl say well that guy makes too much money...well he earned it. Just like a brain surgeon makes tons of $, it took 15 more yrs than u put in to get that kind of pay

Any job I can think of that makes lots of cash..that person is a specialist. Meaning other pl can not do the job as well. They train harder, are better educated or just plain blessed. They are not a dime a dozen unlike many other professions.

My brain surgeon comparison does not compare their importance to life but merely their years of training and perfecting their craft!

This did not go over very well. People were poking at him left and right about what they considered to be inaccuracies in his philosophy. To suggest that pro-athletes are specialists in their field and deserve the pay compensatory to their craft...oh, the horror! Then to compare brain surgery to athletism...preposterous!

But let's take a step back from the shoot from the hip, instant word vomit of Twitter for a second. How many people can honestly (HONESTLY) say they would do a better job than any pro-athlete under scrutiny in any given sport? As a fan, we pay good money to see these individuals do what they do best. Did it cost them a hefty price to get to where they are? Without a doubt. Their entire lives have built up to these moments in time. They have practiced countless hours, sacrificed plenty of life's little moments they'll never get back, and continue to hone their skills to achieve all that their sport can offer them. By comparison, brain surgeons, general practice physicians, and anyone else in a highly specialized field have sacrificed just as much and are under just as much scrutiny, if not infinitely more so.

Does it suck when people in these professions claim to "have it hard"? Does it seem ludicrous for people who play sports for a living to make millions of dollars a year? Of course. Especially when you compare your take home pay to theirs. But such is the society we live in. These are the norms by which we live. This is what has been deemed acceptable by most. Are these people extraordinary at what they do and deserve the compensation they receive? In a lot of cases, absolutely. In the case of doctors, from my own experience, I know firsthand that they are some of the most brilliant minds on the planet. They've worked hard to get where they are. From what I know of professional athletes, their version of hard work just looks a lot different than the average job. That doesn't mean they aren't amazing at what they do and don't deserve the pay appropriate for their skill level.

What you really have here is a case of "the grass is always greener on the other side". There are pros and cons to every job, no matter if you are a teacher, a mailman, an athlete or a neurosurgeon. Everyone has their own talents. My weaknesses could be someone else's strengths. We are all blessed with unique characteristics that make us stand out in one way or the other. Whether or not we all get paid the right amount of money for them or get the recognition from the world at large for our contribution to society is a whole other issue.

Besides, we can't all be professional athletes. The sporting world (and Twitter, for that matter) would be far less appealing if we were.

Hockey Movie Sunday: Week 3

2010-08-06T08:21:00.006-05:00

Okay, last week was kind of a bust all around. My laptop was sent off to Sony Vaio land in California while I was forced to stay here and mourn its loss. I managed to get in my Netflix request for Mystery, Alaska before I was without a laptop but the disk they sent me was pretty much unplayable. Fortunately, I already knew how it ended, having watched it for the first time last summer so at least I wasn't completely frustrated about not finishing the movie. You probably noticed I didn't do a recap and the reason for that falls under the category of "I don't have a laptop for three weeks". And honestly, the only reason I am continuing Hockey Movie Sundays is because I am squeezing in these postings at the office.

So enough of the I-have-no-laptop-or-internet-access pity party. This week's selection comes from my own DVD collection again. Youngblood starring a young Rob Lowe and the late, great Patrick Swayze.

If you can't already tell, it's most definitely a 1980s movie. And I'm pretty sure you will get your fill of cheesy synthesizer music watching this. Actually, I KNOW you will get more than your fair share of it. In any event, it's still a good hockey film and maybe one you haven't seen before.

Enjoy!

Hockey Movie Sunday: Week 2

2010-07-30T09:55:00.000-05:00

I am going to do my best to continue with this, though I will be without my laptop for the next three weeks. Thankfully, I have a little extra time at work this morning to get this post up so all is not lost...yet.

This week's movie is Mystery, Alaska.

Besides showcasing hockey and The New York Rangers, this movie is a great way to see the beauty of Alaska without actually having to go to Alaska. It is also possible that you might catch a glimpse of Russia too.

Enjoy the show! Check back on Monday (hopefully) for a recap.

Hockey Movie Sunday: The Mighty Ducks Recap

2010-07-26T17:40:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's been a little over a year since I watched any of the Mighty Ducks movies. With that said, there is a lot of stuff that does not happen in the first movie that one would probably assume did happen. Such as the knucklepuck and "Ducks fly together". D2: The Mighty Ducks is probably the movie to watch if you want a more nostalgic trip down hockey movie lane. IN any event, this movie is definitely still a classic.

And did anyone else catch that Fulton Reed could be considered the original Shea Weber? The way the players duck out of the way when he shoots the puck and then seeing the puck go straight through the net made me laugh. How much more similar could that be to the way we assume players feel about Weber's slap shot on the ice? Also in this clip, former Minnesota North Stars' Basil McRae and a YOUNG Mike Modano.

If anyone else watched this yesterday and would like to discuss/dissect, leave it in the comments. Quack, quack, quack!

Look for this week's selection on Friday.

Hockey Movie Sunday Week 1

2010-07-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

It doesn’t really seem fitting to start anywhere but here so this week’s movie selection is: Disney’s The Mighty Ducks. Outside of Slap Shot, this is probably one of the most beloved hockey movies of all time. And let’s face it, a successful hockey franchise was birthed out of it so that’s got to count for something, right?

I have this (and the two subsequent movies) on DVD but it is also available on Netflix Instant if you don’t have as expansive of a DVD collection as I do.

So take a little time out on Sunday and rewatch or watch it for the very first time. Honestly, if you are a hockey fan and watching this movie for the first time, shame on you! We’ll (read: all 8 of you reading) reconvene on Monday for a short recap and some discussion of our favorite scenes/quotes.

For now, I'll leave you with the Gordon Bombay "History Will Be Made" parody that surfaced during the playoffs this year. It still makes me laugh a little every time.

My Good Intentions Are Still Failing Me

2010-07-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

If I counted how many times I have started a blog post in my head or thought about how much I needed to blog the past few weeks, the number would add up quickly. I'm quite sure most of my posts have started with, “well, I’ve been away for a while…” Honestly, I have had every intention of keeping up with things. It’s just…everything else has gotten in the way this summer and hockey found itself at the bottom of my priorities.

In an effort to stop this from continuing, I am bringing back Hockey Movie Sundays. I started this last year when the off-season seemed unbearably long. That was probably due, in part, to the lack of Predators playoff hockey last season. Nonetheless, watching hockey movies became my way of coping with the long, hot summer and got me geared up for the next season. This year, I thought I would incorporate my blog into things (everything played out via Twitter last year) and let you guys in on the action too. I’ll post my weekly movie selection on Fridays, we can all watch it on Sundays (hence “Hockey Movie Sundays”) and recap with comment discussion encouraged on Mondays/Tuesdays.

Like most hockey fans, I’ve got a running list of hockey movies to choose from so my well won’t run dry any time soon. However, I’m always open to suggestions of those more obscure choices and trust me, they’re out there. Just search Netflix and you’ll find some oddballs. I will probably start with something pretty obvious for the sake of familiarity. Here’s hoping this turns out well because at least I think this could be fun.

Let the movie watching commence!

Roller Derby's Kind Of Like Hockey, Right?

2010-07-08T09:12:00.001-05:00

Actually, I don't know if you can really compare roller derby to hockey other than the fact that they use skates and it can sometimes be a little chippy during a bout BUT...I have to pause to talk about another Nashville sport for a second. I bet most of you didn't even know Nashville had a roller derby team. Or that they were forced out of the sports arena at the fairgrounds and have had to look for another place to play. What this team has gone through over the last few months in terms of finding a place to practice and play is tugs at my heart a little because I can find similarities in their predicament when compared to the Predators troubles over the years. And in the spirit of We Are Nashville, I think it is only fair to support other Nashville sports teams when they need it most.

So, I am encouraging everyone in the Nashville area to get out and support another local team this Saturday, July 10th at the Municipal Auditorium OR you can check them out next month on Saturday, August 7th, also at Municipal Auditorium. If you've never experienced the roller derby world, you might be slightly confused at first but I promise you will end the night feeling like you've been thoroughly entertained. I'll be there Saturday night and it would be great to see some of you there as well.

Check out Nashville Rollergirls for ticket information ($10 in advance, $15 at the door) or you can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster (though they will tack on about $8 in fees!).

Get out of the heat and humidity and come watch the bout on Saturday. You know you want to!

An Ode to Dan Ellis

2010-06-29T11:00:00.016-05:00

It is only fitting that I take a moment to recognize someone who will more than likely not be returning to the Predators next season. He has served as a great masthead for this blog over the past couple of years. It pains me to think that I should probably retire the picture in favor of someone who will actually be ON the team next season.

But what’s not to love about Dan Ellis? Sure, some of you will find it easy to answer that question. He lets in easy goals. He’s not consistent. He’s not Pekka Rinne…blah, blah, blah. However, I’d like to remind you of the journey that led him to where he is today. Remember three seasons ago when he showed up at training camp and no one knew who he was? At that point in time, Chris Mason had inherited the starting goaltender title after Tomas Vokoun was traded away. One of the many unanswered questions going into that season was who would serve in the back up role. Most speculated that Pekka Rinne would get his shot and yet…Dan Ellis found himself with a spot on the team at the end of training camp.

From that point on, Dan Ellis steadily climbed the ranks on my list of favorite hockey players. His story of new found success was inspiring and served as my reminder of patience and perseverance. Everything I read about him, including a City Paper feature about his time at a Christian camp as a teenager that turned his life around, only amplified my admiration. His lovable on-air personality often spotlighted during in-game interviews with Pete and Terry and his affinity for Twitter were icing on the cake. If you can't tell, it’s no secret how much I admire Ellis as a player and a person.

Though I would much prefer to see him in a Predators jersey as long as possible, I know his time with Nashville has drawn to a close. In some ways, I am happy that he will be moving on since I think he deserves a #1 role just as much as Pekka Rinne does. The Predators have too much of a good thing and Dan Ellis is the unfortunate casualty. But will I miss him?

Oh, absolutely.

A Change Is Gonna Come

2010-06-20T09:48:00.005-05:00

David Poile wasn't playing around yesterday, was he?!

I think we can all say that Dan Hamhuis' rights being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers wasn't too entirely surprising. Hammer has been on many teams' radar since Trade Deadline and after the Francis Bouillon extension, it was only a matter of time before we would hear something about Hamhuis' fate. While I don't think many people would have guessed that Philly would be the takers, especially when Vancouver had recently been mentioned, it really can't be that much of a shocker. The Predators have a long standing history of trades with the Flyers, including sending Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell that way a few summers ago. The fact that they are bringing Ryan Parent back into the organization shouldn't really come as a surprise either. Just another way to keep it all in the family, so to speak. As I said on Friday, I'm going to miss Dan Hamhuis. The Predators (as I knew them) won't be the same without him. I wish him all the best in his new hockey life, be it with Philadelphia or somewhere else.

Now the bigger news of yesterday is obviously the Jason Arnott trade to the New Jersey Devils for forward Matt Halischuk (who?!) and a 2nd round pick in the 2011 draft. Arnott was going to be in his fourth and final year of a $4.5 million NTC contract. After the season was over, there were rumblings that Jason might retire (due to more and more frequent head injuries) or at the very least, be stripped of his 'C', in favor of someone younger **cough**SHEA WEBER**cough**. But I don't think anyone was expecting him to be traded. I know I wasn't. Based on my reaction when I found out, everyone at the pool with me yesterday knew I was shocked by the news as well. Certainly Arnott is worth more than a 4th round draft pick player who has only played 21 NHL games. That and a 2nd round draft pick makes it seem as though the Predators got the raw end of the deal here. But knowing David Poile, this is just the tip of the iceberg. During his tenure as captain, Arnott had a lot of doubters. I wasn't one of them. But I will say that over the past two seasons, I have seen Shea Weber mature into a captain-in-waiting (if you will). I will be quite disappointed if he is not awarded the C on his jersey before the start of the 2010-2011 season. In any event, I will still miss Jason Arnott in a Predators jersey. There haven't been big shakeups like this in a few years and seeing Jason go is somewhat like losing an old friend. Despite all of his supposed shortcomings, he was still a big points producer for this team. As far how the team moves on from here, that is for David Poile to know and for us to find out...eventually.

This is going to be an interesting off-season for sure.

Big Day for Homegrown Hockey

2010-06-15T15:22:00.010-05:00

Nashville Predators sign hockey legacy Blake Geoffrion to an entry level contract

As the son of Montreal Canadien Danny Geoffrion, grandson of legendary Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion and great-grandson of three time Hart trophy winner Howie Morenz, Blake's roots run deep. Not to mention that both grandfathers are also NHL Hall-of-Famers.

Geoffrion's signing with the Predators is not only another story to add to his family history but a major coup for local hockey. As mentioned in the link above and in many other articles today, Blake is the first native Tennessean to be drafted and signed to an NHL contract. Who says hockey doesn't work in the South?! By the looks of the turnout at his signing this afternoon, the Brentwood-born forward is already generating plenty of buzz.

Photo via @NHLPredsInsider on Twitter

Welcome to the team, Blake!

2009-2010 Season Wrap Up: Part Three

2010-06-14T11:34:00.000-05:00

Who finally has her very own internet connection? This girl does. And I must confess that while I had every intention to resume my season review this weekend, I spent an embarrassingly large portion of Saturday and Sunday stockpiling my Instant Play Queue on Netflix instead. Now that a new week has started and the World Cup has reminded me of how my love of sports is ever-growing, it is only right to continue on with the write ups of the one sport I love over all others. So, to continue…

11 David Legwand – forward

If Martin Erat has 1,000 doubters, David Legwand has 3,000. His contract is equally as hefty as his Czech team mate and yet, the criticism he receives borders on the ridiculous. Not that the criticism (and sometimes ridicule) is unfounded. Legwand manages to fall far short of expectations on a regular basis. Even I am not immune to his extremely long draughts of goal scoring. But, I believe I have mentioned this on more than one occasion in the past and it bears repeating. Leggy has been given the moniker of being the Predators “franchise guy” and with that, there is certainly a heightened expectancy placed on his head. He has yet to live up to this expected potential but I’m not so sure it won’t ever happen. He had a great run in the post-season so something changed his mindset. I hope he can carry that over into training camp and next season. The routine Legwand-bashing is starting to get old.

14 Dustin Boyd – forward

Honestly, I can’t say too much about Dustin Boyd’s performance this season. He was a late Trade Deadline day acquisition for the Predators and he wasn’t on my radar much at all; as evidenced by the fact that I refered to him as Nick Boyd even into the post-season. He seems like a decent enough player but also much like a third/fourth line grinder type. The roster is already chock full of those guys though I’m sure David Poile had a very good reason for picking him up. I’ll reserve judgment until I see more from him.

16 Cal O’Reilly – forward

Not to name names but SOMEONE **cough**Jeremy**cough** was absolutely positive that this would be Little Baby Cal’s year. Things didn’t quite work out that way, however. I think Cal still has some maturing to do, something that could be much better achieved with a good solid year in Milwaukee. I’m all for working out the kinks with the Admirals and then bringing him back to the Predators, with added confidence that he can skate with the big boys. I always got a sense of timidity from him while he was on the ice, not to mention his deer-in-the-headlights look during warm-ups. When everything finally clicks for O’Reilly, he’ll be a solid player. I just think he needs a little more time.

18 Michael Santorelli – forward

I only mention Santorelli in these write ups because he seemed to be unstoppable on shootouts. Unfortunately, that’s where the goodness of his play stopped. Like Cal O’Reilly, Santorelli just needs a little more maturing and I think he probably got a healthy dose of that during his season with the Admirals. I’m interested to see what he looks like during training camp this year. I’d like to think he’d find himself with a spot on the roster, but we all know anything is possible when it comes to training camp outcomes.

Up next: Jason Arnott, Ryan Suter, Jordin Tootoo, Jerred Smithson

A Quick Note

2010-06-04T09:29:00.002-05:00

Due to the unfortunate lack of accessible internet at my apartment, my season wrap ups have come to a screeching halt. And I have been far too busy at work to even attempt to post from there; not that I would ever post from work...[insert sheepish grin here].

Now, to let you in on a little secret, I haven't paid for internet EVER because my philosophy has always been if someone is nice (or stupid) enough to leave their connection open, then who am I to pass up free access? As a blogger, this might seem like the craziest idea ever but it has worked out extremely well for me over the last 8 years or so. However, like a thief in the night, all my available wifi signals up and disappeared. Since I have been wandering in a wifi wasteland for almost two solid weeks now, I finally accepted the inevitable: I am going to have to start paying for internet. It pains me to type it almost as much as it pains me to say it out loud. As I mentioned in a tweet a couple of days ago, all good things must come to an end sometime. It was awesome while it lasted.

As soon as I can bring myself to call Comcast and add internet to my package, I'll get back on a regular posting schedule. Until then, you can find me quietly sobbing in the corner at the thought of having to spend money on something that you can get for free at Starbucks.

2009-2010 Season Wrap Up: Part Two

2010-05-25T11:52:00.002-05:00

6 Shea Weber – defense

This ~~boy~~ man is on his way to being one of the most sought after defensemen in the NHL. So I should not have to tell you how happy I am that Nashville gets to keep him around for another year. Even at the end of next season, he’ll be an RFA and not a UFA. David Poile better put up or shut up to keep him around. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Shea Weber is a future captain of this team, just waiting for everything to fall into place. The way he has handled himself in the last two seasons only further fuels my belief that this will come to fruition. I am sure I said it at the end of last season and I’ll keep saying it until it happens. Because IT WILL HAPPEN. Shea, along with Ryan Suter, is the backbone of the Predators defensive core. I don’t expect that to change anytime soon either. I mean, he’s SHEA FREAKING WEBER. Even Steve Sullivan says so. You do remember the goal he scored in Vancouver where the puck went right through the net, right? Yeah, it’s almost like Shea Weber is the Chuck Norris of hockey. Everyone fears him and I hope he continues to play at a level where that fear doesn’t subside any time soon.

8 Kevin Klein – defense

At the end of last season, the biggest discussion revolving around Kevin Klein was him getting more ice time once Ville Koistinen became the apparent odd man out. Well, he definitely got more ice time this season. It’s just (as previously discussed), the pairing of Kevin Klein and Dan Hamhuis often led to really bad things. This was quite unfortunate because separately, both are solid defensemen. Whatever magic the coaching staff seemed to think they would have together was all smoke and mirrors before too long. Klein will be on the roster for at least three more seasons so he’ll have a chance to redeem himself, as long as he winds up with a new defense partner. If David Poile can’t keep Hammer around over the summer, then all of the “split 2 and 8” talk will fade away. Then Kevin can get back to channeling his inner Shea Weber; occasionally winding up for a slap shot from the point. He’s gotten pretty good at that too.

9 Marcel Goc – forward

Not knowing much, if anything, about Marcel Goc before the start of the season, I wasn’t expecting great things out of him. At the end of the season, I was happy to have him around because he put up his best season ever. Goc seemed to click with every line, which bodes well for a player in the Predators system since Coach Trotz dabbles in amateur juggling throughout the season. I never found myself yelling at Goc either, so he must have been doing something right. For a guy who was floundering in San Jose, Nashville was surely a nice, refreshing change of pace. Now, if only I can get past the fact that he always looks like he needs a good 20 hour nap…

10 Martin Erat – forward

Okay, I’m going to go ahead and admit right now that I thoroughly enjoy everything about Martin Erat’s play. Yes, he might be frustrating sometimes and yes, he might not put up the numbers that most would expect from someone who gets paid so handsomely. But you know what, he knows how to make up for it in the long run. For all the bad mouthing that I heard in reference to him for the majority of the season, Erat still managed to come in second on the team for goals scored and total points overall. Not that this was his best season ever but he could have finished far worse. Sadly, I think Erat is doomed to another four years of ridicule and criticism based largely on the size of his contract. I would love nothing more than for him to prove all his naysayers wrong in the coming seasons, if for no other reason than for my own personal happiness. Plus, I love being right.

Next up: David Legwand, Dustin Boyd, Cal O’Reilly and Michael Santorelli

Ugh, that’s going to be one tough group to write up.

2009-2010 Season Wrap Up: Part 1 of Many

2010-05-21T14:08:00.003-05:00

So um, hi. My name is Rachel. I like hockey. Occasionally, I actually write about it too. Guess it’s about time I scoop this blog out from the under the pile of crazy that has been my life for the past few weeks. Truth be told, I usually take a break from the world of hockey once the Predators season draws to a close each year. It just so happened that this year’s break was a bit extended, with my brother’s wedding just a few days after the unfortunate Round 1 exit and then the Nashville flooding as well as some other personal things all happening around the same time. Realizing that soon enough, though, everyone’s hockey season will be at an end; it is high time for my annual post-season player-by-player write up.

Taking into account the fact that everyone else has finished their thoughts on the season long ago, these write ups are more of an overall player performance review/where do we go from here kind of format.

2 Dan Hamhuis – defense

If there was one player more loved then hated then loved again this season, it couldn’t have been anyone else but Dan Hamhuis. In a lot of ways, I feel like Hammer got the short end of the stick this year because of the unfortunate lack of chemistry with his defensive partner, Kevin Klein. The majority of the season, fans called for Coach Trotz to “split 2 and 8” (a popular Twitter hashtag on @PredFans) and I was more than inclined to agree with that sentiment. Dan is a solid defenseman and definitely has more NHL experience that Kevin. Yet, instead of bringing Kevin up to a higher level of play, Dan seemed to struggle with some inconsistency while playing with his partner on the ice. And for all the rumors and speculation over whether or not David Poile was going to give Hamhuis up before the trade deadline, I was one of the few who found that scenario less than appealing. The team’s defense might be good, but it is still young. Removing a “veteran” like Hamhuis would have made the defense much weaker in the weeks leading up to the post-season, something that could have wrecked the team’s chances of making it there altogether. Whether or not Hammer will stay in a Predators jersey for seasons to come is still one of the biggest questions left answered, however. And your guess is as good as mine as to the outcome. If he does stick around, he at least deserves a different pairing on the ice because I can’t take another season of the two of them together.

3 Wade Belak – forward

Oh, Wade Belak. I’m not entirely sure why the Predators decided to sign him for another year, except for maybe giving him that one last shot at a Stanley Cup before his inevitable retirement. Every team needs a good fighter and for the most part, Belak is the guy you want throwing punches on the ice. Other than the occasional fight, he didn’t get much ice time and I don’t expect anything about this formula to change next season. I don’t have anything against the guy because he’s definitely not as useless on the roster as the ill-fated Nick Tarnasky was. Though perhaps Wade’s best contribution to the team is his off-ice hijinks, including Wade’s World (see below). If he decides against a post-hockey firefighting career, he could definitely make a go of it in the entertainment world. He’s got a knack for the funny.

Next up: Shea Weber, Kevin Klein, Marcel Goc and Martin Erat.

I had ease back into things or I would have done a couple more guys this go around.

Above The Water

2010-05-05T08:54:00.003-05:00

Photo by Larry McCormack/The Tennessean

The events of the past few days have been a dizzying, rain-soaked whirlwind of epic proportions. I was in Virginia watching my brother get married on Saturday (congratulations Jared and Megan!) but thanks to the always-plugged-in world of Twitter, my friends and I were able to figure out there were some major happenings going on in our fair city. We even left Virginia a day early to head off the second wave of storms promised over Nashville. Thankfully, we rode right under the passing storms all night and made it safely back to the Music City. Safe in the comfort of our respective homes, we sat glued to the TV as we watched the events of a record two-day rain unfold before us. As each new image flashed on the screen, we feverishly sent text messages back and forth to each other noting our relief that we would have been caught driving in the rain had we not decided to leave the night before.

In the wake of the storms, the overwhelming devastation and loss facing Middle Tennessee is hard to grasp. I am transfixed by any tidbit of information that gets passed along and yet remain unsure if I have the emotional strength to handle it all. I drove around downtown and West Nashville yesterday evening and the scenes I saw were surreal and heartbreaking. This is my city. Things like this shouldn’t happen here. And yet, they did. While there are plenty of people who were fortunate enough not to be directly affected by the flooding (myself included), you would be hard pressed to find anyone around town who doesn’t know a few people in their lives that were. The way the people of Nashville have responded speaks volumes to our ability to be resilient in the face of adversity. Hmmm, where have I heard that phrase before? How many times a season has Coach Trotz called the Predators resilient? The team not only loves playing in this city, but they fully embody the spirit of Nashville; something I have been saying for years. Section 303’s Patten Fuqua summed up the city (and I think, the team) quite nicely when he said, “A large portion of why we were being ignored was that we weren’t doing anything to draw attention to ourselves. We were handling it on our own.”.

If you live in the Nashville area and would like to volunteer, please visit Hands On Nashville. They have immediate needs for a variety of volunteer opportunities and the list will continue to grow as the water recedes. If you can’t volunteer but would like to help in other ways, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 from your cell phone and $10 will be donated to the Red Cross disaster relief efforts around Middle Tennessee. You can also donate directly to the Middle Tennessee Red Cross chapter here. The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CMFT) is probably the best organization to donate to if you want your dollars to go directly to the flood victims of Nashville and the surrounding areas. You can donate online here. Please consider how best you can help out in the face of such loss.

We are all Nashville. As a born-and-raised Nashvillian, I am proud to say I am Nashville too.

One and Done...Again

2010-04-27T08:03:00.001-05:00

That grossness you felt when you woke up this morning is not unlike the way you probably felt last Wednesday, after the Predators won decisively against Chicago in Game 3. However, this time the feeling is that of playoff hockey hangover…and the only remedy is a nice, long summer without it. Yes, the fat lady has sung and the Predators ended up on the wrong side of her aria once again this post-season. Just as with forgetting what it feels like to be in the playoffs after a season without, there is a tendency to forget what it feels like to time and time again watch the team take that heart wrenching center ice handshake in front of their home crowd. But, what’s done is done. Time to pack it up and move forward; and for some, move on.

I am not going to rehash what happened last night. If you were there or watching from home, you know exactly what went down. I kept quiet after Saturday’s loss as well and it’s for a good reason. Honestly, I just prefer to end the season on a positive note. Critiquing and calls for improvement will come later. For now, I think back to pre-season predictions for this team and how everyone had them sitting out of the playoffs again. Then I think about the not-so-brilliant start in October and my own thoughts of whether or not this team had it in them to rise to the occasion. And yet, they did just what everyone expected them not to do. They fought through their own inadequacies and found ways to quell the doubters. It is this spirit of resiliency and hard work that fuels my love of the team. These guys are something special and I might be just as sad as they are that their season ended before they wanted it to.

Good game, boys. Thank you for making this season what it was.

Your Morning Jed: Is Your Playoff Beard Trustworthy?

2010-04-23T09:37:00.006-05:00

For all the guys out there growing your beards during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, here's a nice little timeline for you. Because I know you were all just clamoring to know whether or not your facial hair makes you trustworthy.

Click on the picture for a larger view. Sidney Crosby (well, his beard really) makes an appearance on the scale and probably not in the place you'd expect him to.

Happy Friday!