NHL FanHouse

Weird Bounces and Chris Osgood Doom the Predators: Red Wings Advance in Six

Pat Lackey — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:52:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Nashville, General NHL, Wings, Predators, Western, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Whether it's fair or not, my memory of Chris Osgood is always going to be as the guy who spent his entire career losing his job to someone. Early in his career he had trouble wresting the Wings' starting job away from Mike Vernon, then the Wings' signed Dominik Hasek. He went to New York and got moved out to St. Louis for Rick DiPietro. He's since moved back to Detroit and mostly been splitting time, first with Manny Legace, now with Hasek again.

Unsurprisingly, when the playoffs started this year he was placed on the benched in favor of Hasek, despite leading the league in GAA during the regular season. He got his chance partly into Game 3 of Detroit's first round series against the Predators and he's really shone since then, stopping 53 of 54 shots in two and a half games, leading the way today with 20 saves in the Red Wings' series clinching 3-0 win.

Osgood wasn't the only story in the game today, though, as Nicklas Lidstrom put the Red Wings' up 1-0 part way through the second period with a crazy, bounding shot from half-ice that found it's way past Dan Ellis and into the back of the net. A friend of mine assures me that Lidstrom is not quite human and I think I believe her. You can see the video evidence below:
Not human indeed.

This closes out the season for the Predators, who made a good run at the President's trophy winners and put all the Detroit haters on the edge of their seats with their thrilling Game 4 win and last second goal to send Game 5 into overtime. Dan Ellis was flat out awesome despite giving up the goofy goal to Lidstrom, making 95 saves in their Game 5 and Game 6 losses and keeping the Preds in both games. In the end though, Nashville simply couldn't match up with the pure firepower the top seed from the West brings to the table, and so they'll be the second team from the conference to head home this off-season.

Weird Bounces and Chris Osgood Doom the Predators: Red Wings Advance in Six originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Nine-Second Nashville

Earl Sleek — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Nashville, General NHL, Wings, Predators, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Don't tell the Nashville Predators they're done. The Detroit Red Wings looked set to take a 3-0 stranglehold on the first-round series, leading Game Three 3-2 late in regulation. It looked pretty bleak for the eighth-seeded Preds, but nine seconds later, things suddenly looked better.

Ryan Suter and Jason Arnott put consecutive pucks past Dominik Hasek to put the Predators in front and Martin Erat added an empty-netter for a 5-3 win in Nashville. Instead of facing elimination tomorrow night at home, the Predators have a chance to even the series against the President Trophy Wings. A little advice: if you're watching, you might not want to blink. Red Wings lead series, 2-1.

(After the jump: Go ahead and tell the Ottawa Senators they're done, and the Avs/Wild salute to overtime continues)

Penguins 4, Senators 1: The Ottawa Senators hoped that a return to home ice and the return of captain Daniel Alfredsson might help them stem the tide against the Penguins, who handily took two wins in Pittsburgh. It may have helped for two periods, but Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal, and Marian Hossa scored third period goals for a 4-1 win to put a virtual nail in the Senators' playoff coffin. With the loss, the Senators will try to be the first team in 33 years to fight back from a 3-0 series deficit.

It's interesting to note that last year's Stanley Cup finalists, Anaheim and Ottawa, are the only playoff teams without a win this spring. I thought Stanley Cup hangover was supposed to happen in October. Penguins lead series 3-0.

Wild 3, Avalanche 2 (OT): Somebody should tell Minnesota and Colorado that there are no three-point games in the postseason. For the third time in the first three games, the Wild and Avalanche needed overtime to decide a winner. Nearly 12 minutes into overtime, Wild forward Brian Rolston centered a puck to Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who fired it past Avs goalie Jose Theodore for the OT winner. Joe Sakic had a goal and an assist for Colorado, while Marian Gaborik was once again held scoreless for the Wild.

In the three games of the series thus far, Minnesota and Colorado have combined for more than 24 minutes of overtime. As if that's not enough, they are going back at it tonight. Wild lead(s) series 2-1.

On Tonight's Schedule:

Canadiens at Bruins, 7 pm ET, Montreal leads series 2-1.

Capitals at Flyers, 7 pm ET. Series tied 1-1.

Ducks at Stars, 8:30 pm ET. Dallas leads series 2-0.

Wild at Avalanche, 10 pm ET. Minnesota leads series 2-1.

Sharks at Flames, 10 pm ET. Calgary leads series 2-1.

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: In honor of Jason Arnott's game-winning goal, here's a look at an earlier clip of his Stanley Cup memories, including his cup-winning goal in the 2000 playoffs for New Jersey. I have fond memories of that goal, as it won me a preseason bet I had made in Las Vegas.

The Ice Sheet: Nine-Second Nashville originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings (1) vs Predators (8) Playoff Preview

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:35:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Nashville, General NHL, Wings, Predators, Stanley Cup

For all the rest of our previews, click here.

The 2002 Detroit Red Wings were the last team to win the Presidents' Trophy (best regular-season record) and the Stanley Cup in the same season.

The 2008 Red Wings have the task of duplicating that feat. They start their run to a Cup title with a first-round series against division rival Nashville. On paper, this appears to be a mismatch, but we all know that hockey games aren't played on paper. It would be too hard on the skates.

The Red Wings are still heavy favorites, but is this a slam dunk?

Offense: Detroit has firepower, balance, and grit up front. Detroit was the only Western Conference team to top three goals per game. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg each topped 90 points. The Red Wings had ten players in double figures, and only two of them were defensemen. The depth will be tough for Nashville to counter, but the Predators can score. J.P. Dumont, Jason Arnott, Alexander Radulov, and Martin Erat all topped 20 goals. They even got 14 goals (and a sparkling minus-31) out of Radek Bonk this year. The Preds can score goals, but their offense doesn't match Detroit. The Red Wings get eleven more shots on goal per game than their opponents, and they're a virtual lock to generate more and better scoring chances in this series because of the puck possession they'll have. Edge: Detroit

Defense: Obviously, the Red Wings have a solid defensive team. It's more than just Niklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski. Niklas Kronvall topped 20:00 of ice time per game and posted a plus-25. Chris Chelios is so old that he was an old player ten years ago, but he is still a strong defender, and you'd never know he was 45 when you watch him play. Nashville doesn't match up very well here. Ryan Suter is probably Nashville's best young defenseman, but he's not consistent enough. Marek Zidlicky and Greg De Vries had nice seasons, but they're not the the caliber of the top guys on Detroit. Lidstrom and Rafalski alone give Detroit the advantage here, and it's an even larger gap if Detroit gets anything out of Kronvall, Chelios, Brett Lebda, or Andreas Lilja. Edge: Detroit

Goaltending: Dominik Hasek isn't as dynamic as he was in Buffalo, but his veteran savvy and playoff experience are a tough combination. That said, Hasek's save percentage this year (.902) was his worst since 1992-1993 in Buffalo (.896). He relied on the guys in front of him (not that this is a bad thing, because the guys in front of him are really good) more than anything else. Meanwhile, Nashville appears to have found their answer in goal. Dan Ellis was 17-6-3 in his last 24 decisions, and he allowed one goal or less in eight of his last 15 starts. Included in that were back-to-back shutouts of Columbus that totaled 79 saves. Because of Hasek's reliance on his teammates and Ellis' superb finish to the season, I think the Predators actually own a slight edge in goal. Edge: Nashville

Prediction: Unfortunately for Nashville, they don't have more than a puncher's chance in this series. They have some goal-scorers, but they don't have enough on the blue line to keep up with Detroit's superior talent and depth. Ellis is good enough to keep this team in games, and he might be able to steal one or two in this series. However, there's no question Detroit's skaters are better in practically all areas, and their ability to take care of Hasek will be the key to their series win. If Hasek slips enough, the Predators have sufficient skill to make this series very interesting. It will, however, take a near-colossal failure by Detroit for Nashville to win four of seven. Pick: Red Wings in 5.

Wings (1) vs Predators (8) Playoff Preview originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canadian Government Won't Interfere With Franchise Relocations

Jes Golbez — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Economics

When the NHL strong-armed former Nashville Preds owner Craig Leopold not to sell his club to Jim Balsillie's shiny head, quite a few Canadians fans and journalists were rather upset at the league's blatant attempt to deny Canada a seventh NHL club.

Not only did the NHL obviously not want a team to move from the American South up to the loving arms of The Great White North, but the nearby Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres weren't too keen on Hamilton sucking away fans from them, either.

Those two teams can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the Canadian government won't step in any day soon.

The NHL's policies "further legitimate business interests, such as preserving team rivalries, attracting a broader audience, and encouraging investment in sports facilities by local municipalities," the Competition Bureau said in a statement.

The regulator said it started the inquiry because media reports raised concerns about whether the NHL had engaged in "anticompetitive behavior," after Balsillie last year signed a letter of intent to buy the Predators. Balsillie didn't end up buying the team.

Further legitimate business interests and preserve rivalries? Sure ... who does Nashville have a rivalry with, exactly?

As much as I believe certain NHL teams would be better off if they moved to Canada, the free-market economist in me believes the NHL is in the right.

Why shouldn't the NHL, which is a privately-held, closed (minded) organization, be allowed to choose where it wants its teams located? If the NHL stubbornyly wants to keep teams in weak markets and attempt to lure in new fans, that is their prerogative. Anyone looking to get into the NHL ownership loops knows this, and shouldn't expect the government to bend the league's rules for their own interests.

So, the Maple Leafs are free to ensure the league doesn't put a team well within the Greater Toronto Area, and the NHL has even more ammunition in its fight to deny Canadian hockey fans a chance for another team. All Hail Commissar Bettman!

Canadian Government Won't Interfere With Franchise Relocations originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dierks Bentley Takes One from Tootoo

Greg Wyshynski — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

"Country music star" and "hockey cred" usually go together about as well as Toby Keith and The Dixie Chicks. Dierks Bentley would be the exception to that rule; anyone who rents out the Sommet Center in Nashville to celebrate his fifth No. 1 single with a friendly hockey game is a true celebrity puckhead. As the Arizona native told CMT when asked about his favorite sport to watch or play:

I got really into hockey about four years ago when the Nashville Predators moved to town. A friend of mine who I played bluegrass with -- who's from Canada -- gave me all his old gear. I just jumped in a men's league in Nashville, not knowing anything. I used to play a lot more ... because I've been gone for most of this year, but it's still my favorite sport to play, bar none.

So I imagine it's a badge of honor to take a check against the boards from the Predators' Jordin Tootoo. I have to hand it to Dierks: Considering Tootoo's history with country singers, letting him get his aggression out with a free shot would not have been at the top of my to-do list:

Dierks Bentley Takes One from Tootoo originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preds Need Fan Support for Big Payday

Jes Golbez — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Economics

With each passing week, it's appears that Nashville may not have an NHL team for too much longer. Averaging around 12,000 fans per night, the Predators are well short of the 14,000/night needed to ensure their lease remains intact. Fans are staying away as they would rather not support a club that may not be there next year, despite efforts by the team to convince them otherwise.

Falling short of that 14,000 figure will make it much easier for the team to be moved, of course, but ownership is still not quite happy with the low numbers.

Why? Money, of course.

Qualifying for the full revenue-sharing plan means the Predators would receive an estimated $12 million to 13 million from the league, money that could be used to re-sign players currently on the team and to court free agents.

Through 22 home games, the Predators are averaging 12,618 paid fans per game.

The NHL this season requires that teams average at least 13,125 paid fans per game in order to qualify for the revenue-sharing plan

Now, whether a new lease can be negotiatied, despite the low attendance, remains to be seen. It just speaks volumes about ownership mentality that they are solely concerned about attendance so that they can get a wad of free cash from the rest of the league. As we've seen in baseball (KC Royals, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh), such teams are all too eager to keep as much as the revenue sharing money as possible and spend only a minimal amount.

In this case, the Preds can meet the salary floor and keep the rest. Quite a sweet deal for them, eh?

Preds Need Fan Support for Big Payday originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preds to Eliminate Premium Pricing

Jes Golbez — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Economics

The Nashville Predators have experienced quite a decline in attendance this season. After finishing last season ranking 23rd with an average of 15,259, the Preds have averaged just 14,228 per game this season, putting them 26th.

In order to boost sales, the Preds have taken a small step and eliminated premium pricing for three games. Hardly a major step.

"Our ownership group is committed to filling the Sommet Center on a regular basis," Lang said. "While we recognize the need to increase our revenues, we want to do everything possible to have a sold-out building for the most desirable games and making tickets to those games more affordable helps us accomplish our goals. We want to be a fan-friendly and responsive organization and believe this decision demonstrates ownership's objectives."

In the aftermath of a fire-sale of some of the best talent, the pending/rumored move to somewhere like Kansas City, and rather average on-ice results, it's quite understandable that the Preds would take a hit in their attendance figures.

Still, one has to wonder how much more the Preds can do for their home fans. Some of their seasons tickets average just $17 per game!! The Preds are already offering great deals compared to the rest of the league, yet they just can't get the ~~Gaylord~~ Sommet Center filled on a regular basis.

What else can the Preds do? Give away free tickets to needy individuals who normally can't see games? Oh, wait, they already did that.

Preds to Eliminate Premium Pricing originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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W00t! Free TIckets for Preds Games!?

Jes Golbez — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Police Blotter

Want to score some free hockey tickets? Well, if you live in Nashville, and are considered 'needy' (which could be said for most any female living in that city), you just may be in luck!

Thanks to a judge's order that $500,000 of a lawsuit settlement, regarding lawyer's fees, had to be donated to charity, some lucky peeps in Nashville are going to be able to see Martin Erat and Martin Gelinas, for FREE!

A court battle between a giant drug benefit company and its stockholders may wind up putting $400,000 worth of free hockey tickets in the hands of Nashville's needy.

If none of the lawyers balks, as many as 20,000 people could get free tickets to see the Nashville Predators, with the first passes handed out as early as January, one official said.

"I'm excited about it because we just have so many opportunities to provide a day of entertainment and fun and excitement for so many different groups," said Howard Gentry, CEO of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Public Benefit Foundation.

Of course, why give needy people things like shelter, food, and clothing, when they can go see a hockey game! *eyeroll*

If these people are smart, they'll give the tickets away to children's groups. Introducing the game to the younger generation just may get some of them hooked for life, and allow the kids to grow up as hockey fans. It's little use trying to convert a 40-year old NFL fan, who will probably spend half the game confused about the fact that the players don't take a 2-minute break after each pass in completed.

W00t! Free TIckets for Preds Games!? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Predators Stay in Nashville ... For Now

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:52:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators

Ken Campbell of The Hockey News broke the news this afternoon, confirming through multiple sources that a deal had been reached between the City of Nashville and "local" owners seeking to purchase the Predators and revamp the team's lease at the Sommet Center. Campbell reports that "the deal calls for the Predators to get about $3.2 million in sales tax revenues and will also get the concert venue, with revenues from the events going to the Predators." From TheHockeyNews.com:

Although the tentative deal has not been approved by either the Metro Sports Authority or Metro Council in Nashville, it is expected it will be ratified by both bodies within the next 30 to 45 days. "From the draft of the deal that I saw, I didn't see anything in there that would offend a council member or a citizen of Nashville," said city councilor Charlie Tygard.

Grab the confetti, hang the streamers, pop the champagne (or maybe the whiskey in this case) ... and then skip down to the real news in Campbell's report, which is that this could merely be a stay of relocation for the franchise:

But unlike the current lease that forces the Predators to remain in Nashville if they average 14,000 per game in paid attendance, the reworked lease will not have an attendance component to it and the team will essentially be free to leave the city after it expires in three to five years. Essentially, that means the team has at least another three seasons to turn its financial fortunes around and if it fails to do so in that time, the Predators will almost certainly be on the move.

As Jes Golbez reported earlier in FanHouse, the Predators' attendance averaged 13,983 through six home games. Maybe this news boosts that gate, maybe this news does little to convince fans on the fence to support a team that could still be playing in another city by 2011. In either case, the most important thing to remember is that it isn't on the passionate Preds fans to keep this team in town -- it's on the business community to wake up and realize they have an honest-to-goodness professional franchise in town to support. Keep an eye on The Tennessean's Web site for more breaking news on this potential deal.

UPDATE: Like I said: "potential deal." News Channel 5 in Nashville claims their sources say The Hockey News' report is "incorrect."

Previously on FanHouse:
Deadlines and Hypocrisy in Nashville
Nashville Mayor Says Preds Deal Is 'Close'
Are 'Basket Cases' Holding up Expansion?

Report: Predators Stay in Nashville ... For Now originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deadlines and Hypocrisy in Nashville

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:43:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas City, Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Economics

"[Local owners] open doors to get businesses involved. We don't have that. We need some local owners."
-- Craig Leipold to The Tennessean, Jan. 2007

Did I mess the memo where San Jose, Calif. became an unofficial suburb of Nashville? Because the newest member of the "local" ownership group battling a deadline to keep the Predators in town is Doug Bergeron, chairman and CEO of VeriFone, which is an electronic payment technology company based in San Jose. He joins a group that isn't talking to the media this afternoon, on the last day it has exclusive negotiating rights with the team. John Glennon of The Tennessean has been outstanding on this story for months, and has news about Bergeron today from another "local" owner, "Boots" Del Biaggio:

Del Biaggio said the addition of Bergeron, a Windsor, Canada native, was not an effort to boost the $193 million bid of the group, noting that it will remain the same. "We just think this is a great opportunity to bring in a really powerful guy," Del Biaggio said. "I think it's very important to the fans and to the NHL that they can see we have a really powerful group. It's a mix of having great Nashville investors and what I think are incredible businessmen and hockey fans that happen to be on the West Coast."

"Hockey fans that happen to be on the West Coast," and a Nashville-based ownership group that is absolutely incapable of sealing this deal without them. Referring to this collective as "local" going forward would be a farce. More on a potential extension from the Nashville Post here.

So if this deal falls apart -- and there is still very viable hope that it will not -- there will still be whispers about an escape to Kansas City, especially with the Predators failing thus far to hit that attendance target of 14,000 per game. Ordered Chaos of On Frozen Blog has a solid look at how far the city has come since the hapless days of the KC Scouts:

But the Kansas City of the 1970s bears little resemblance to the Kansas City of today. The KC metro area now ranks as the 27th-largest in the country - larger than San Jose or Columbus, and just a few snowed-in romantic nights by the fireplace away from catching metro areas like Portland/Vancouver, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. Its burgeoning population follows a strong upsurge of both urban expansion and cultural growth.

Completing our Nashville coverage for the day: Mike and Jason on The KB, offering "Five Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Nashville Predators." Did you know the Predators lead the league in players whose names start with "J"?

Deadlines and Hypocrisy in Nashville originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nashville Mayor Says Preds Deal Is 'Close'

Greg Wyshynski — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Economics

Late this week, The Tennessean reported the lease deal being negotiated between Nashville and the local investors buying the Predators calls for about $7 million in taxpayer money, on top of the $4.2 million in public funds that will be used annually to help operate the team. As these negotiations continue to stagger forward toward an Oct. 31 purchasing deadline, the saliva in Kansas City has exponentially increased.

On Saturday, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean gave Metro Council members some sunny news about the Predators' future in the city, according to The Nashville Post:

During this morning's Metropolitan Council Policy Seminar at Vanderbilt University, Dean addressed the issue of concessions on the Sommet Center to help the local buyers acquire the team. He told Council members that "we have made a lot of progress in the last few days" and "we are close." He added that he hopes to make an announcement soon. The local buyers have been working feverishly with the city to get concessions on the Sommet Center so they can close the sale by Oct. 31 and at least break even with the team and still put a competitive group on the ice. As of yesterday, the word had been that both sides were working on some details but broadly had reached an agreement.

As this ownership roller coaster has twisted and turned, I've become more and more pessimistic that the Predators would actually remain in Nashville, even with an agreement close. But stranger things have happened: Who knew Kellie Pickler would dump Jordin Tootoo, and then face a lifetime of having strange men telling her they'd be honored if she would take the virginity of their teenage sons?

Nashville Mayor Says Preds Deal Is 'Close' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kellie Pickler Drops Her Cheatin' Tootoo

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Gossip

Here's how it works, puckheads: Gain a Hilary Duff, lose a Kellie Pickler from the ranks of hockey girlfriend hotties. The former American Idol contestant (she's the one standing to the right of a disturbingly muscular Carrot Top) was dating Nashville Predators winger Jordin Tootoo, but she indirectly told a Chicago radio station last week that the couple was done. OK! Magazine reports today that Pickler not only told a Michigan concert audience that she and Tootoo had split up, but also gave him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty:

The 21-year-old singer confessed to the screaming crowd saying that her former boyfriend, Nashville Predator hockey player Jordin Tootoo, cheated on her. Joking to concertgoers, she said she hoped Jordin got his teeth knocked out during that night's game.

Please send well-wishes and support to Miss Pickler on her official MySpace page, where the Charlotte Observer reports all of Tootoo's photos have been removed.

Meanwhile...Jordin, dude: There are plenty of other former American Idol losers in the sea. Katharine McPhee. Diana DeGarmo. Personally, I've always been a Nikki McKibbin man myself.%Gallery-4530%
Previously on FanHouse:
Tootoo Loves Him Some Kellie Pickler T-Shirts

Kellie Pickler Drops Her Cheatin' Tootoo originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are 'Basket Cases' Holding up Expansion?

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:47:00 EST

Filed under: Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, General NHL, Thrashers, Panthers, Predators, NHL Gossip

With talk all summer about teams relocating and the new horizons of expansion, the NHL Board of Governors meeting in Chicago this week was expected to feature discussions about where and when the league would be headed next. While there was much talk about a new unbalanced schedule -- replacing the one that's given the league record attendance figures for the last two seasons -- expansion was practically tabled, according to David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail:

Most of the meeting was spent discussing the schedule. There was brief talk about expansion and at this point it seems many governors feel the league should make sure the financially shaky teams, such as the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers, are healthy before looking to expand. This is bad news for fans in Winnipeg, who are hoping to get back in the league. "There might be markets out there that want to pay a lot, but let's make sure we have 30 strong teams," [Toronto Maple Leafs president Richard] Peddie said. "Let's make sure we're in the best markets before we add markets, that's Toronto's point of view."

Another governor said the league has "too many weak spots right now," to consider expanding.

If Peddie is speaking for the majority of owners, we're going to see several chess pieces shift before we ever see them add squares to the board. (Let's all quickly acknowledge the crippling hypocrisy of a Leafs' official speaking about the league being in "the best markets" while MLSE steadfastly refuses to allow any franchise within pissing distance of its fiefdom without significant penance.) But if it's the "weak spots" that will prevent further expansion of the NHL, the question at hand becomes: What is, by league standards, an "unhealthy market?"

In a preview piece before the NHL B.O.G. meeting, Shoalts wrote that Winnipeg's best hope for a team "remains relocating one of the league's basket cases, such as the Atlanta Thrashers, Florida Panthers or Nashville Predators." Although I secretly wish Shoalts slipped a crafty Belial reference past his editors, I'm pretty sure he's calling these three franchises useless and incapacitated.

It's hard to argue with the Predators being in that category -- I know a BlackBerry billionaire who would agree -- until they prove otherwise. The Thrashers were 21st in the league in attendance last season, and we'll see where that needle moves after fan passions were stoked in the team's first playoff appearance. The bottom line is that they're losing money, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via CalgaryPuck).

But are the Thrashers doomed for relocation as a two-time loser failed market in Atlanta? Or do teams from the Southeast get a bad rap from the hockey intelligentsia when it comes to identifying the league's "weak spots?" Brian Biggane of the Palm Beach Post hammered home that point -- while hammering away at the Globe and Mail -- on his Inside the Panthers Blog:

Believe me, the NHL doesn't want to move the Panthers any more than Major League Baseball wants to relocate the Marlins. If Florida is a so-called "basket case," it's only because the team's on-ice performance has been so poor over the past several years. In terms of revenue, Florida does fairly well, albeit with the help of concerts and other revenue generated at the BankAtlantic Center. And with all signs pointing to the talent level steadily improving over the next few years as the team's young players mature into solid veterans, there's every reason to believe the BankAtlantic Center will start seeing sellout and near-sellout crowds sooner than later.

One of the biggest issues with expansion and relocation talk is that the people doing the talking never want to have the difficult conversations. Hitting the Southeast Division pinata? Easy. Talking about the future of the NY Islanders if they continue to draw 12,886 per season in an ancient building? Much harder.

Everybody has their theories -- check out this guy's radical relocation/contraction hybrid that eliminates Buffalo but brings NHL hockey to Thunder Bay -- but whenever I start thinking about growing the league or moving franchises, I'm left with more questions that answers.

Like, for example: Why the hell did we have a lockout for the sake of "cost certainty," yet still have "weak spots" holding up future growth?

Are 'Basket Cases' Holding up Expansion? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Season Preview: Nashville Predators

Mirtle M.D. — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators

Who's In? Radek Bonk, C (Mon); Greg de Vries, D (Atl); Dan Ellis, G (Dal); Martin Gelinas, W (Fla); Jed Ortmeyer, W (NYR); Shane Willis, F (Car)

Who's Out? Ramzi Abid, F; Peter Forsberg, F (injured); Scott Hartnell, W (Phi); Paul Kariya, W (StL); Kimmo Timonen, D (Phi); Vitaly Vishnevski, D (NJ); Tomas Vokoun, G (Fla)

What's Changed? Quite a bit, really. In fact, I'd argue that the Predators' roster changed more than any other Western Conference team, the result of a need to get cheaper in light of some ownership shuffling taking place (you may have heard about it over the summer).

Nashville does lose quite a few of those face of the franchise types in Vokoun, Kariya, Timonen and Hartnell, and for that reason, many are picking the Preds to sink to the bottom of the pack of playoff-bound clubs.

Yet, even with all of the exits, there are a lot of solid producers here, youngsters who are more than capable of playing bigger minutes. Alex Radulov comes to mind first, and his 64-game, 37-point rookie season was absolutely the tip of the iceberg given he's going to be a consistent 30-goal a season type once he gets going.

Another biggie in terms of readiness to take on a bigger role is Shea Weber, who showed last season he's ready for top-pairing minutes along with other blue line younglings like Dan Hamhuis and Ryan Suter. Throw in a pair of veterans in Marek Zidlicky, who should have a bounce back campaign, and de Vries and things should be fairly stable there.
Where the real losses come may be in goal, as Chris Mason gets the reins full time after a pretty impressive, 40-game audition last season. He'll be on his lonesome, for the most part, as Ellis and Pekka Rinne aren't ready for any more than spot duty in relief.

Who's on the Hook? With Steve Sullivan on the shelf to start the season, Jason Arnott's been named captain and he'll need a bigger year than the 54 points he managed last season. David Legwand's another veteran up front who they'll need to build on his breakout campaign of last year.

The real pressure, however, is going to be all Mason's. He's been a top-notch 'tender in junior and the minors, but this is his first real shot at prolonged full-time duty in the NHL, and without much of a safety net, he's going to have to shine.

Where They'll Finish: Don't listen to the pundits (aside from me, I mean); this is a playoff team, if only because the Central Division remains weak outside of the Red Wings. Nashville is one of the best-coached teams in the league and has a dominant penalty killing unit that has been reinforced with the likes of Gelinas, Bonk and Ortmeyer this season.

They'll be difficult to score on as long as Mason holds the fort and there's enough firepower here to possibly even be competitive with Detroit.

Blogs to Watch: On the Forecheck

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: The Preds were an incredibly fun team to watch last season, as evidenced by this best of video (what a great looking home crowd, too):

NHL Season Preview: Nashville Predators originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 15 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Bad News for Sullivan, Predators

Jes Golbez — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Injuries

Nashville Predators fans have been battered around like a bingo ball this summer, and the last thing they need is even more bad news, right?

The drama over the sale and potential move of the franchise, the departure of Paul Kariya, the trade of Tomas Vokoun, and other bad news stories have left a dark cloud over the franchise heading into next season.

Unfortunately, Preds fans will have to live without super sniper Steve Sullivan for a few more months, and he had to go for a second surgery on his ailing back.

Sullivan has spent the off-season training and rehabbing his back and core muscles with trainer Alex McKegney.

However, he was still experiencing pain and went back to Dr. Robert Bray, a neurosurgeon who performed the original surgery, and it was determined there was a defragmentation of the disk, requiring the second operation.

"The rehab was going well until the last week or so when, in his words, Steve would get to a point where he could not 'break through the ceiling', said Nashville general manager David Poile said. "He could not get through the last extension of his back without pain.

With the exodus of talent from the Predators, Sullivan's role as offensive table-setter is even more important than it has ever been. With only Jason Arnott, Martin Erat, and JP Dumont possessing any offensive skill among the forwards, the Preds simply can't afford to have Sullivan on the sidelines for too long.

The problem with back problems is that they can become a life-long burden, even with successive surgeries. Even if the second surgery takes, Sullivan may always be at a high risk of back pain down the road. This may lead to a serious decline in his stats once the back pains prevent him from playing at his usual level of intensity.

It's going to be a long year for the Preds, but perhaps shorter once they don't make the playoffs.

More Bad News for Sullivan, Predators originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philippoussis Chooses Nashville Goal Girl on NBC Reality Show

Eric McErlain — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Tennis, Nashville, General NHL, Predators, NHL Gossip

I'm not big on reality television. Truth be told, I don't understand why others are endlessly fascinated by it, but when it crosses over into the sports world FanHouse stands by to pass along the news.

Apparently last night was the season finale of Age of Love, a Bachelor-style dating program where Mr. Right was forced to choose somebody from two groups of women. The twist here: One group of women was composed of contestants in their 20s, the other with contestants in their 40s.

Get it? Age of love.

In any case, last night 30-year old tennis pro and multi-millionaire Mark Philippoussis tossed the 40-something over the side in favor of 26-year old Amanda Salinas, who also works as a "Goal Girl" for the Nashville Predators.

Combined with the recent success of their season ticket drive and the emergence of a local ownership group that seems committed to keeping the team in town, it's clear that things are looking up for Nashville.

Hat tip to Rob Yunich.

Philippoussis Chooses Nashville Goal Girl on NBC Reality Show originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mixed Messages for NHL in Kansas City

Greg Wyshynski — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:23:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, Western, NHL Fans, NHL Rumors

"I think it's really important that teams stay in their cities, so when this local group came out, I was actually excited about it."

The quote above (via The Tennessean) is from California-based businessman William "Boots'' Del Biaggio III; a man so committed to making sure NHL teams remain firmly entrenched in their current locations that he tried to uproot both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators in order to move them to Kansas City.

Blatant hypocrisy aside, it's been a pretty good 24 hours of PR for Del Biaggio; at least when it comes to Nashville, where he's gone from the guy backing up the U-Haul to a vital minority investor in the local ownership group that signed on to buy the Predators. My FanHouse buddy Mirtle is reporting that Boots's stake is the largest of any individual owner, "in the neighbourhood of 40 per cent, or close to $80-million of the team's $193-million purchase price."

According to multiple sources, Del Biaggio will divest his minority interests in the San Jose Sharks, and said his ownership of the Predators "ends an agreement he had with Anschutz Entertainment Group to move an NHL team to the Sprint Center" in Kansas City, according to The Tennessean.

"Del Biaggio ends effort to bring NHL to KC" was the screaming headline on a Kansas City Business Journal story, and it couldn't be more inaccurate. Boots said he's going to continue to push the NHL to expand to Kansas City behind the scenes. But more importantly, there's that lingering notion that he's in this Nashville deal just in case the attendance doesn't creep over 14,000 per game and the relocation talk begins again next off-season. And by "just in case," I mean, "please keep in mind that based on this off-season's moves, the Predators could be, as the kids say, 'teh suck' this season."

While The Forechecker believes the KC talk is dead, Gautham Ganesan of Bleed Teal believes Nashville is still potentially mobile. Meanwhile, Tim Leiweke -- president of Anschutz Entertainment Group and a member of the NHL's Board of Governors as president of the Los Angeles Kings -- floated the notion to the Kansas City Star that Del Biaggio would still be the majority owner of an NHL team in Kansas City. Although Leiweke still believes expansion is more viable than relocation for KC, it's clear he hasn't given up on the latter:

"This has not changed our timeline one iota. Either they'll save Nashville or not, no matter who owns them. The fact Boots is on the inside with the NHL will help us with relocation or expansion, going forward. To us it's not a bad thing at all. We build up good brownie points with (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman and (deputy commissioner) Bill Daly."

Can Nashville be saved? Rob Robinson of thinktrain has it right: This letter of intent is a second chance for the city, but now it's on the community to make this thing finally work. Mike Chen's take echoes that, and is worth a look as well.

Mixed Messages for NHL in Kansas City originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2 Reasons for Nashville Fans To Celebrate

Greg Wyshynski — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:13:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, Western, NHL Rumors

In an off-season that's ranged from silly to Balsillie, Nashville Predators fans might finally have a reason to exhale. John Glennon of The Tennessean reports that a local ownership group is expected to sign a letter of intent today to buy the team from current owner Craig Leipold. The letter will spell out terms for a potential purchase and give the group a period of exclusive negotiation with the intent to settle the deal before the start of the season, according to Glennon.

After both Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie and California businessman William "Boots" Del Biaggio publicly pursued the team -- and Nashville fans rallied to try and keep it from relocating -- a local ownership group emerged. It's led by 36 Venture Capital CEO David Freeman and includes Herb Fritch, chief executive officer of HealthSpring Inc.; the group has already met with the NHL to discuss the purchase. The Tennessean reports that the bid is about $180 million -- or $40 million less than what Balsillie offered.

Even if the locals win out, there are still headaches to be had. Specifically, the most pressing issue in keeping this franchise viable: corporate support. While 726 season tickets at a fan rally is inspirational, the Predators were one ownership change away from a fleet of U-Hauls backing up to the arena because the business community in Nashville hasn't stepped up and supported the team. Hopefully, local ownership is a step closer to reversing that trend.

Ah, but this boardroom news isn't the only reason for Preds fans to do a happy jig -- with the signing of forward Martin Gelinas, Nashville is finally over ($35 million) the salary cap floor ($34.3 million) this off-season. You just have to applaud this news: Do you know hard it is to replace Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell and Paul Kariya with Greg de Vries, Jed Ortmeyer and Martin Gelinas and still make it back to the league minimum for team salaries? Bravo, Predators...bravo indeed.

2 Reasons for Nashville Fans To Celebrate originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fans Ready To Rally for Predators

Greg Wyshynski — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:53:00 EST

Filed under: Kansas City, Nashville, General NHL, Predators, Western, NHL Fans, NHL Gossip

Despite seeing their team dismantled like a mechanic stripping a recently purchased car for parts; despite having their team nearly shipped to Hamilton, where one potential owner was already in the process of selling season tickets; and despite having the commissioner of the National Hockey League allegedly committed to shipping their hockey heroes to a spiffy new arena in Kansas City no matter what occurs, the good fans of Nashville are ready for a massive ticket-buying rally this Thursday. John Glennon of The Tennessean has the details:

Sponsored by the team's flagship radio station, 104.5-FM The Zone, the ticket-thon portion of the event will last from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. at Sommet Center, with the rally scheduled from 6-7 p.m. on the floor of the arena.

The Predators, who finished last season with an average of 13,815 paid fans per game, are trying to increase their ticket base for the coming season. An average of 14,000 paid fans per game would keep the team's lease with the city intact, making it all but impossible for any prospective owner to move the Predators.

An average of 16,000 paid fans per game would allow new ownership to break even, according to David Freeman, chief executive officer of 36 Venture Capital LLC and one of the leaders of a local ownership bid. "The ticket rally is very important. Critical," Freeman said via e-mail. "It will show the NHL whether Nashville is a hockey market or not. It will confirm to our ownership group that our faith and investment in the city is warranted."

Preds fans seem pretty fired up over this stunt on the team's official boards, and I have to admit that it's easy to get caught up in the Capra-esque stick-it-to-the-manism of the whole thing. The problem is that this entire mess in Nashville was never about the blue collar nuts in the nosebleeds -- it was about the fact that their bosses weren't buying tickets. Our Town, Our Team -- a coalition of Predator fans and business leaders -- has it right, targeting the corporate community in an effort to increase the season-ticket base. Any other solution, like this fan rally, is simplistically symbolic and terribly temporary. It's like those fan-driven efforts to save a television show so their cozy niche can enjoy a few more sub-par episodes while it continues to play in anonymity for the mainstream. (*cough* "Jericho" *cough*)

Meanwhile, Scott Burnside of ESPN has penned a completely disjointed column about Gary Bettman's legacy in regards to this Nashville situation, spelling out several scenarios involving Hamilton, Kansas City, Seattle and Las Vegas. One bit of news from this piece, however, struck me and begs for clarification: "The players, who enthusiastically support a team in Hamilton and are believed to be in the process of publicly supporting a move there, would be happy because there are more jobs."

"The players?" Does he mean the NHLPA as a whole? Canadian-born players eager to see another team in the homeland? Or, most interestingly, current Nashville Predators players who'd like to relocate A.S.A.P.?

Previously on NHL FanHouse:

Fans Ready To Rally for Predators originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canada: Full of Hockey Snobs?

Jes Golbez — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Nashville, General NHL, Predators, Western, NHL Fans, NHL Media Watch

It is no secret that many Canadian hockey fans would rather contract genital herpes than have another southern NHL club win the Stanley Cup.

After seeing the Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques move to Phoenix and Denver, respectively, it's no small wonder why Canadians feel such a disdain for the US of A.

Well, one Nashville writer, David Climer, is sick and tired of Nashville, and fans of Southern US hockey clubs, being looked down upon.

That is one of the lessons we have learned in the tug-o-war over the Predators. Hockey is a far bigger deal in Canada than in the U.S. Consequently, many Canadians look down their noses at teams in the U.S. - especially those in non-traditional hockey markets like Nashville.

That attitude has led to considerable bombast in the Canadian media. Often, the Our Sport rhetoric is as thick as a Saskatchewan accent.

When Jim Balsillie made his first stab at buying the Predators, he was hailed as a hero in his homeland. Why? Because he was willing to use some of his fortune to transport an NHL team across international lines and station it in Hamilton, Ontario - sooner or later.

Yes, Balsillie was hailed, and still is, for trying to bring a team back North of the 49th parallel. It's nice to see some rich bastard actually make an effort to bring another club back to Canada, rather than just talk the talk.

The Predators? They have cheap ticket prices, a great team (or they did until now), and still draw around around 13,000 per night. You move that team to Hamilton or Winnipeg, and you'll be selling out quickly, even with jacked-up ticket prices.I have known and talked to many smart Southern US hockey fans, so my old train of thought about 'stupid hick hockey fans' has evaporated more quickly than a Paris Hilton brainwave. Still, there is a big reason why I'd prefer more teams in Canada, and less in the Deep South.

1. Hockey IS linked with patriotism in Canada. When Canada won the Gold Medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, the streets of Vancouver, and other major cities, were absolutely flooded with cheering fans. Has any sporting event ever caused Americans to do the same? No, not even your beloved Super Bowl of overrated commercial advertisements.

2. Most players on these Southern teams are Canadian. The only thing American about most of these clubs is their fan-base and location. It's very strange to have a group of Canadians winning cups for places like Tampa.

3. The support is obviously weak in many Southern markets. Hockey, unfortunately, is just not nearly as popular as NASCAR, American Idol, and NCAA sports in these Southern markets. In Canada? It would be #1 by a country mile.

4. If you have your beloved team ripped from your city and into the arms of a disinterested foreign town, you'd be pissed, too. Just imagine if the New York Metropolitans were moved to Hamilton. That's what it feels like.

So, I'll agree that Canadian fans need to stop looking down at fans of the Preds and clubs of the like. There are many smart fans in that part of the world, and they have every bit the passion as your typical Oilers fan.

I will, however, hope that we'll see more teams in Canada, and not in places like Kansas City, which would consider Hockey about the 5th most popular sport. I won't apologize for that, either, as we KNOW that hockey is king in Canada, and just another peon in the minds of most Americans.

Canada: Full of Hockey Snobs? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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