The Curse of the Starter

Pictured left to right: Dan Ellis (39), Pekka Rinne (35)

For most NHL teams, there is a clear definition of goaltender roles in terms of starter and backup. For Nashville however, the men between the pipes must learn to remain on their toes (or skates) at all times because the starting role seems to be continually up for grabs, no matter who was awarded the role at the beginning of the season. History over the past season and a half has lent itself to this formula, much to the chargin of the fans and goalies alike.

At the start of the 2007-2008 season, Chris Mason was deemed our starting goaltender, with training-camp-surprise Dan Ellis in the backup role. As the season wore on, Mason’s nerves began to be pushed to their limits as he was pulled from games time and time again, in favor of Dan Ellis. Predators head coach Barry Trotz used the system of “ride a goalie while they’re hot and then bench them when they lose.” or what I like to call the Dance of the Rotating Goalies. While this makes sense in theory, it doesn’t translate well to the players who are constantly in the dark about whether or not the coach thinks they are good enough to stay in their current roles. Late in the season when it appeared as though Trotz was fed up with both Mason and Ellis’s performances, he threw yet one more obstacle into things. The organization called up Milwaukee Admirals starter, Pekka Rinne to take the place of one of the two netminders on the bench for a while. Due to a snowstorm and misplaced equipment, Pekka never got a chance to start his scheduled game. Coach Trotz put all his faith in Dan Ellis that night and the Predators found themselves on the winning side of things from then on out. This move proved too much for Chris Mason, whose confidence was shaken beyond repair and viewed most every game for the rest of the season from the comfort of the bench.

This led to Chris Mason being traded to St. Louis after the season was over, leaving room for Dan Ellis to rise to the starting goal tender role. However, with Pekka Rinne starting the first year of his one-way contract, Ellis’s fate was not so certain. Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne both competed for the backup role to Chris Mason just one year prior so there were definitely questions as to who would be handed the starter title at the end of pre-season. Ultimately, it was awarded to Dan Ellis, with Trotz saying that he and Pekka would probably split the games 60/40. At this point in the season though, it seems Trotz is starting to get inside Ellis’s head, much like what he did to Mason just a season ago. And honestly, I’m sick of it. This in-and-out rotation does not work to any goaltender's advantage because they can not gain consistency if they are being pulled from games and benched for week-long stretches.

In my opinion, both Ellis and Rinne are of starting goaltender caliber. However, just like Chris Mason, Dan Ellis and NOT Pekka Rinne was awarded the starting position. Dan Ellis might have had a few off nights this season but then again, so has Pekka Rinne. So basically what I’m saying is: if this trend continues, no young goalie in their right mind will want to come to the Predators organization. Well, maybe they’d be okay with coming here but they should probably only ever strive for the backup position, and not starter. Because eventually, every one of our backups becomes our starters once Coach Trotz decides the starter is no longer good enough.

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"It's that time of year..."

So the rest of the song goes "when the world falls in love" but honestly, the Predators have a few things to get sorted before I do any kind of falling in love over them this Christmas.

With that in mind, here’s what I’d like to give each player this holiday season. Then maybe the loving can commence.

2 Dan Hamhuis (defense) – better puck control, less turnovers, to never lose his boyish good looks

3 Wade Belak (winger) – more fights, a few more goals, for Predators fans to love him even though he wears Marek Zidlicky’s former number

4 Ville Koistinen (defense) – more consistent play

5 Greg Zanon (defense) – better padding when he’s taking those pucks to the body

6 Shea Weber (defense) – a better on-air personality so people actually assume he’s not as boring as he puts off, an All-Star bid that comes from having votes on the ballot and not from the “pity” nod by the league

7 Greg deVries (defense) – for Predators fans to stop calling him “the new Zidlicky”

8 Kevin Klein (defense) – more ice time, less healthy scratch games, for people to stop thinking he’s evil after seeing his crazy eyes

10 Martin Erat (winger) – more goals, more consistency in his game, a year’s worth of free highlights at the salon of his choosing, a better English vocabulary so he uses less “wells” “ums” and “you knows”

11 David Legwand (center) – all he wants for Christmas is his one front tooth, his one front tooth, his one front tooth; oh, and less pressure to be the “franchise guy” even though he has that big contract

12 Scott Nichol (center) – to maintain a good face off percentage, to be a few inches taller so he'll be more evenly matched against the big guys from other teams

14 Radek Bonk (center) – to maintain a good face off percentage, to end the season with a better +/- than last year, a razor so he’ll look less like a homeless man with all that facial scruff

19 Jason Arnott (center) – anger management courses in case defending his teammates ever gets worse than it did during the Vancouver game on the 9th, to always be on a line with JP Dumont

20 Ryan Suter (defense) – to score more goals so he can get out of the Shea Weber shadow, a dog

22 Jordin Tootoo (winger) – a few more goals, more fan support (because he can never have enough), to never be traded to Columbus

25 Jerred Smithson (center) – to maintain a good face off percentage, to stay solid on the penalty kill, to score a few more goals, to be more talkative in public

28 Ryan Jones (winger) – to stay called up to the NHL, to be on a better line once he does get called up

29 Joel Ward (winger) – world peace (seriously, this boy has everything he could ever want so I don’t know what else he would ask for)

35 Pekka Rinne (goal tender) – more playing time, a better on-air personality when Pete and Terry are interviewing him from the bench during a game (the fans need to be entertained, Pekka!)

37 Rich Peverley (winger) – more ice time, less healthy scratch games, chemistry with his linemates

38 Vernon Fiddler (winger) – to score more short handed goals, a razor for that nasty 'stache you've got going on right now

39 Dan Ellis (goal tender) – for the team to remain consistent in front of him, for him to break the starting goalie curse that has seemed to plague the Predators for the past few years, a lifetime supply of Pedialyte (or similar substitute) so he will stay hydrated during games

41 Jed Ortmeyer (winger) – to play in the NHL again (::single tear:: I miss you, Jed)

42 Antti Pihlstrom (winger) – a copy of English for Dummies so he can learn to speak better in front of the media (Pekka might need to borrow this occasionally)

71 Jean Pierre Dumont (winger) – the other half of his tooth back from when he got hit during the Vancouver game on the 9th, to always be on a line with Jason Arnott

Also, I’d like to think that if the Predators could collectively wish for one thing this Christmas, it would be to win the Stanley Cup.

Wouldn't that be nice?

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Our One and Only

Hi, my name is Barry Trotz. I enjoy the occasional locker room freakout after a particularly bad on ice performance. I have an aversion to turtlenecks as they further accentuate the fact that I have no neck. Oh, and did I mention that I am often compared to a gorilla by Nashville’s fans? See Exhibit A:



Exhibit A

All silliness aside, Barry Trotz is holding his own as one of the NHL’s longest-tenured coaches with one team, second only to Buffalo’s Lindy Ruff. And since Trotz has been the only coach this franchise has ever known, we have little else to compare him to. With a franchise as young as the Nashville Predators, one should not expect greatness overnight. It took Trotz six years to find the right formula for a winning season. Since 2003-2004, the Predators have found themselves on the winning side of things every year.

While there is something to be said for making the playoffs four years in a row, people continue to argue that something is lacking when we never manage to make it past the first round. Every post-season, Predators fans pontificate about the shortcomings of the coaching staff and how they would do it better if they ran the show. When we failed to make it past the first round after our most successful season to date (2006-2007), the Fire Trotz Brigade kicked it into high gear. However, when Trotz and Co. managed to lead the team back to the playoffs last season, they were rewarded with contract extensions (and rightfully so).

His coaching style definitely has its share of quirks. He gushes over young players and sometimes puts more faith in them than I believe they deserve. He has his “favorites” that can never seem to do wrong by him, even if they always play a horrible game. He likes to keep the same team on the ice day in and day out, as long as we’re winning; even if that means continuously scratching players who should be in the lineup over ones that are just okay. He expects consistency from every player on the team and yet changes line combinations and defensive pairings faster than you can count to ten.

Quirks and irks notwithstanding, Barry Trotz has been very successful in his tenure with the Predators organization. Every year, he is able to take a group of guys and turn them into a true team in every sense of the word. He believes in team building, both on and off the ice. The guys are encouraged to build strong relationships throughout the season and I think that is testament to our ability to be resilient in the face of adversity. It’s not an every man for himself environment. There are no superstars, no divo-like mentalities; just 23 players with the same mindset and determination to go out and give their best performance every night.

Trotz might not get it right all the time, but he’s alright with me.

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Penguins vs. Predators; sounds like a poorly planned zoo exhibit

Since we don’t play nearly enough Eastern Conference teams, I was happy to see the more diverse schedule helped achieve a better balance. With that said, one of my most anticipated games of the season is definitely the January 8th game versus Pittsburgh. I was rooting them on throughout the playoffs (only after we lost, of course) and came to really enjoy watching them on the ice. The Penguins did take a few hits on their roster during free agency but they still have a great core team of players that I can’t wait to see. And that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m all about Sidney Crosby either. I mean, don’t get me wrong; the Kid’s good...but the way the announcers talked about him during games made me think he was out on the ice all by himself. It's a team, people!

A couple of other games worth mentioning are the FLA vs NSH game on November 1st and NYR vs NSH on March 12th. The Panthers now have one of the most beloved Predators in franchise history, Tomas Vokoun. The one game we played against them last season was very bittersweet due to the way in which Vokoun left us so suddenly during the tumultuous offseason following the '06-'07 season. Tomas is a class act and still someone I consider to be one of the best goalies in the NHL. Watching him on the ice is great, no matter what team he's playing for.

As for the Rangers game...I'm just excited to finally see the Rangers back in Nashville. I've been waiting for this matchup for three seasons now and well, they've got a pretty decent (and easy on the eyes) goalie too.

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Just another summer in Nashville…

The Defector

NHL to fight Radulov's Russian deal

Un-FREAKING-believable.

To say that I’m upset about this whole issue is putting it mildly. I now very much dislike anything that comes out of Russia: Olympic judges, hockey players, mail order brides, vodka...well, the jury’s still out on that last one.

When the story broke earlier this year about the new Russian super league successor, Continental Hockey League (known as the KHL from here on out), the NHL was quick to squash the rumors about how this league would become a force to reckon with and how it would be superior to any other league. For the most part, I dismissed this news and subsequent articles that followed because I agreed with the NHL’s stance that this league was really nothing to worry about. I still maintain that the KHL isn’t going to cause much of an immediate stir in the hockey world. However, I am extremely shocked and disappointed with the actions taken and the decisions made by both Alexander Radulov and the KHL over the past few days. My beef is mostly with Radulov because the way this deal went down only further proved his character flaws and lack of maturity; both of which have often been cited by coaches and players alike as things Radulov needs to work on.

For a player to be in negotiations with another league while under contract with a team is such a slap in the face to his teammates, his team and his fans. I understand this from a business point of view because everyone wants to maximize their earning potential. BUT, there is a way to go about doing this fairly and there is a way of going about this underhandedly. It pains me that Radulov chose the latter. I would have no problem with his actions had he been a FA at the end of the season as it only makes sense to weigh all options to get the best deal possible. Jagr did it and good for him...the difference being that he was free to make that kind of decision.

Predators GM David Poile issued a statement yesterday afternoon saying that Radulov is still under contract with the NHL and should live up to his duties in that regard. It seems as though Poile is operating under the assumption that Radulov will show up to training camp come September and all will be right with the world. As far as I’m concerned however, if Radulov doesn’t want to play out his contract with Nashville (as his actions indicate) then so be it. He can take his Russian self back to the motherland and play for the KHL. In fact, it would probably be better for everyone involved if that’s exactly what happened. If Radulov is somehow made to come back and play a final year in Nashville, there will be a lot of animosity in the locker room against this kid. I don’t know what player would want to play on the same team with someone who very obviously doesn’t want to be on that team or even in the city/state/country/league as the rest of his teammates.

Unfortunately, this situation is far from over. Even though it most directly affects the Predators hockey club, I think that the outcome will set the stage for all future negotiations/relations between the NHL and KHL. While it would be great to have this issue resolved in a mutually agreeable manner, I’m inclined to think that it could get ugly. As a Preds fan, I would love nothing more than to have a quiet summer where the biggest blip on the radar is the organization signing some super star FA to a multi-year deal. At this point, drama in the off-season seems more our style.

Thanks to Radulov and the KHL, I’ll have to wait until next year to see if my hope for a quiet summer will be fulfilled.

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Housekeeping

It’s been a busy month around the Predators Front Office with signings, trades, mock drafts, draft parties and a fresh crop of baby Preds coming in town to test out their legs on NHL ice. Here’s a rundown of the events that have taken place over the last few weeks:

June 3rd and June 11th – Predators Front Office holds a Mock Draft with a select few season ticket holders as well as members of the local media. The first night was used as an informative/brainstorming session to set our draft boards before “Draft Day” on June 11th. I was fortunate enough to be asked to attend this event and enjoyed every second of it. It was a great experience and one I hope they will think about offering again in the future. The seven of us STH were basically the “guinea pigs” for the Preds as they had never done something like this before. I, of course, had to ask their reasoning behind doing it at all. I was told that someone thought it would be fun to see who we as fans would pick if we were in charge of the draft picks. They weren’t sure if they were going to offer the chance to do it again in the coming years but I made sure to let them know I’d be down for it if they decided to try it again. I think there was a little more to the story (based on some other conversations I had with a few of the front office people) but I’ll let them stick to the “fun experience” idea because honestly, a good time was had by all.

June 16th – Defensemen Ryan Suter signed to a four year/$14 million contract. Based on all the rumors going around, I was a little surprised that Ryan decided on such a long contract. However, you can’t ever believe all the rumors you hear and all in all, this was a great signing that shows we’re on our way to really solidifying a core group of guys that we can count on for years to come.

June 19th – First trade of the off-season. Forward Darcy Hordichuk was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for a fifth round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft. This didn’t come as much of a surprise to me because Darcy was one of about five interchangeable third/fourth line forwards. He was our other fighter and I was enjoyed his fisticuffs better than Tootoo’s so I’ll miss him for that bit of entertainment value. He and his wife were also huge fans of the city of Nashville (so much so that they got married here last year instead of in Canada) so I’m sure it will be a little bittersweet to move on. I wish him the best of luck with Carolina.

June 20th – This year’s draft day equaled a dream come true for me as the most surprising transaction thus far was executed by trading goaltender Chris Mason to the St. Louis Blues for a fourth round pick. This opened up a bit more space in our salary cap and allowed us to extend a two year/$3.5 million contract to Dan Ellis. I honestly did not expect David Poile to make this happen as it seems almost too good to be true. I am a tiny bit weary of the decision if only because it gives me a sense of déjà vu based on what happened last year with our goalies. Granted, this year it was definitely our choice to trade away a netminder but let’s hope the same situation with the starting goalie getting stage-fright doesn’t happen again next season.

June 23rd – The lingering doubts that anyone had about whether or not we would be able to keep Shea Weber around were squelched with the Front Office announcement of the three year/$13.5 million deal. With this signing came a huge sigh of relief for most Predators fans as we can rest assured that the organization is building on the good we already had by keeping all the key players. With both the Suter and Weber signings, we also left the ball in our court when their current contracts expire since they will still be RFA’s at the end of each of their deals.

June 24th – June 30th – Prospect camp is held for this year’s draft picks as well as a few other select invitees. I was able to sneak a peek during practice on Friday and our first draft pick overall, Colin Wilson, looked really good out there. I’m anxious to see him again at training camp because I think he is really going to try and fight his way into the lineup for the coming season. We don’t normally make it a habit to incorporate draft picks into the normal rotation, but I could see Wilson impressing the coaches enough to change that habit. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to September.

June 26th – Qualifying offers are extended to Matt Ellison, Triston Grant (acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers organization for defensemen Janne Niskala on June 24th), Kevin Klein, Ville Koistinen and Rich Peverley. Ellison and Grant spent last season with the AHL while Klein and Koistinen were on the Predators roster for the entire ’07-’08 season. Peverley is the only player to have split his time between both the AHL and the NHL, helping the Predators in their push towards the playoffs and showing the coaches that he was NHL-ready. I still stand by my opinion that Klein will be one of the first to go. I do hope that Koistinen will be willing to stick around and hope for more ice time next season. As much as I would like to have Peverley around next year, I still think he might try his hand with another team, if someone makes an offer. I don’t know much about Ellison or Grant so I won’t make any speculations on their behalf. (Note to self: learn more about AHL players next season).

After breaking it all down, a lot more happened this month than I originally thought. David Poile has been working his butt off and I couldn't be happier. Now I really can't wait until September.

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Decisions, Decisions: A Tale of Three Goalies

The only position I left for myself to mull over for the Predators this post-season is goalie. With just one decision to make, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal: either sign Dan Ellis before he hits UFA status in July or let him go. Simple enough, right? Well, not exactly…

After last off-season’s shocking trade of Tomas Vokoun to Florida, the team, coaches and fans alike looked to backup goalie Chris Mason to show himself worthy of the starter position he was (essentially) automatically rewarded. The Predators took their first step of faith by signing him to a two year, $6 million contract extension. And in the month leading up to the start of the season, Chris Mason looked as strong as he had been in the ’06 playoff run and the 2006-2007 regular season. His performance during training camp and the pre-season exhibition games gave everyone reason to hope that we could still hold our own, even without our beloved Czech in net.

Meanwhile, the backup netminder position, vacated when Mason was re-signed to the starter role was all but guaranteed to be filled by Pekka Rinne. The 6’5”, 207 lbs 25 year old Finnish goalie, a two time AHL All-Star for the Milwaukee Admirals, had been touted as the “future of our goaltending” by the entire organization since he was drafted into the system in 2004. With two AHL seasons as starting goaltender under his belt going into training camp, Pekka had every reason to feel confident that he would be seeing a lot of more of the NHL come October.

Enter the wrench. Signed as a free agent on July 5th, 2007, 6’0”, 185 lbs 27 year old Dan Ellis was more than likely signed to be Pekka Rinne’s replacement in Milwaukee. What no one expected, I suspect, was that Ellis would end up giving Rinne a run for his money. Before being signed by the Predators, Dan had played just one NHL game with the Dallas Stars organization; most of his time was spent with their AHL-affiliate in Iowa. Ellis had even been quoted as saying that he was ready to pack it up and head to Europe because it looked like his hopes to play in the NHL were slowly slipping away. In any case, whether it be through sheer luck or pure determination, Dan Ellis managed to snatch the backup goalie position right out from under Pekka Rinne’s skates during training camp and sent him back to Milwaukee for (at least) one more year. Elly then plucked Chris Mason from his lead role in net down the stretch in our push towards the playoffs and solidified himself as our new number one heading into the WCQF’s.

What we have here is quite the situation: (a) Chris Mason; locked up for two more seasons at $3 million a year, as he is/was the Predators starting goaltender (b) Pekka Rinne; who starts the one-way portion of his contract with the Predators at the start of the 2008-2009 season before becoming an RFA in the summer of 2009 and (c) UFA Dan Ellis; the no-name guy who first knocked out heir-apparent Rinne for the backup position and then stood on his head when we needed it the most and stole the starting job away from Mason.

And it’s this situation that has everyone scratching their heads trying to figure out how it will all go down. Truth be told, I have a soft spot in my heart for Mr. Dan Ellis so maybe my opinion doesn’t hold much weight. However, this girl’s got a dream; and in this dream she sees Ellis as the starting goaltender, with Pekka Rinne watching from the bench. Now I don’t want to say that we should just up and toss Mason away because he had a bad season. He has proved his worth in times past when called upon to take the lead between the pipes. But...how does one team handle the possibility of having three goalies on their roster who would all have to clear waivers to be sent down to the AHL? There are other teams out there fishing for a new goalie (Ottawa, especially) who might be more than willing to buy out Mason’s contract and give him a fresh start at being number one.

So the questions still remain: does this off-season bring about the changing of the (pipe) guards yet again for the Preds, with Mason out and Ellis in? Or do we let Ellis go to be a superstar somewhere else and take our chances that the right decision was made?

UGH...see, this is why my name is not David Poile.

My prediction: Absolutely no freaking idea. I wish I had a clue but I’m at a complete loss for any thought as to how this will play out.

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Decisions, Decisions – Deconstructing the D-men

My first post about our post-season activity was dedicated to all the forwards in a RFA/UFA position come July 1st. It’s time to shift gears to the defensemen. Now, there might be less defensemen to ponder over than there were forwards but it certainly doesn’t make for less controversy. The obvious two players that are causing much speculation and giving some people bouts of indigestion are the youngsters Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. And honestly, I have NO IDEA what is going to happen in regards to either one. At this point, your guess is as good as mine but nonetheless I’ve done a breakdown and prediction for each one anyway.

Kevin Klein (D) – RFA; Klein got pretty much no ice time all season and sometimes I found myself asking “who’s that guy out there in the number 8 jersey?” when he would dress for pre-skate. So yeah, basically we have an excess of D-men and Klein will surely be one of the first to go. I could be proven wrong though because people have said that Klein has the ability to play as a forward as well. However, I don’t see Poile clamoring to keep a possible forward on our roster when we have some bigger roles to fill offensively anyway.

My prediction: Signs with another team.

Ville Koistinen (D) – RFA; for a rookie year defenseman, Ville played pretty solid…when he was allowed to play. If Trotz hadn’t benched him for half the season, our power play might have looked a little better out there. Koistinen had definite chemistry when paired with Marek Zidlicky so it confounded me when he was consistently being scratched. I think he would be a good choice to keep around for his offensive-minded nature on the power plays but I’m not really sure about what will come of him.

My prediction: Maybe re-signs to a two-year deal?

Ryan Suter (D) – RFA; first of all, let me just say that I was shocked to discover that Ryan was playing on a two-way contract. I had absolutely no idea but anyway, that’s completely beside the point. Never was there another player all season who was on the receiving end of my sudden outbursts of frustration more so than Ryan. I think he played very inconsistently and maybe it was because of all the constant re-pairings due to our surplus of defense but man, this kid about gave me an ulcer with the way he played. The rumors have been swirling about what will happen with him since before trade deadline and it would take too long to try and sort out what truths were lying underneath all of them. I would think that David Poile is going to work to keep him around because he is a good defense player when things are clicking well. But rumors to the contrary, most specifically about his attitude in the locker room, have me doubting how much longer he’ll be around.

My prediction: If he decides that he’s not too big for his britches (so to speak), he’ll re-sign a five-year contract for at least $4 million/year. If he decides to go the divo route (as the rumors tend to lean towards), he’ll be picked up by another team in seconds; one who’s willing to pay out even bigger bucks.

Shea Weber (D) – RFA; yet another player I was shocked to discover playing on a two-way contract; and for bare minimum pay at that. However, unlike Mr. Suter, Shea was one defense player I could get behind all season. Well, all season minus that stretch at the very beginning where the poor boy went out with a knee injury. When he finally came back and hit his stride, I was quite impressed with his play and found myself noticing him on the ice a lot more than I ever had in seasons past. There’s a lot of talk surrounding how good Weber is and how much better he will be when he comes into his own and really matures as a player. So there’s no doubt in my mind (much like with Erat) that Poile will do everything within his power to keep the Dion Phaneuf of the South in the South.

My prediction: Re-signs to five-year deal for roughly $4 million/year.

Next week (the final installment): Goalies Galore; which could also be titled ‘Please figure out a way for us to keep Dan Ellis AND Pekka Rinne but maybe not so much Chris Mason. I know this is a rather large undertaking but I said ‘please’? Seriously…please?!’

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Decision, decisions - The Forward Edition

While I must admit that this year’s off season is drastically different than last year’s, there are still a lot of unknowns left hanging in the air. Who stays, who goes and how much are we willing to shell out for those key players that we just can’t live without? Predators GM David Poile is a man faced with a multitude of options and I would like to think that he’s more excited about the possibilities of what could be rather than nervous about who/what he has to lose.

We were fortunate enough during the season to lock up JP Dumont, David Legwand and Jordin Tootoo for a few more years. However, we still have a plethora of players that need to be either re-signed, traded or set free. I originally set out to breakdown all of the RFA/UFA’s in one post but after I realized that like HALF THE TEAM is one or the other, I decided to divide this up between the forwards, defense and goalies, with a new post each week.

So, here’s list of the forwards (in alphabetical order) with my predictions as to whether or not they stay/go/retire/fade into oblivion:

Brandon Bochenski (RW) – RFA; a trade deadline pickup but definitely not someone to write home about. Poor Bochenski though…he has been through it all with being placed on waivers (don’t even get me started on the poor plight of players when that happens), not being picked up off waivers, being basically handed to another team to just to free up some space on a roster and then being picked up by us at trade deadline with future considerations given to the Ducks later on. I think he might hold the promise of being a good player if given the chance to play more than a handful of games a season. I just don’t think he’ll show up on our roster again.

My prediction: Gets picked up by another organization or goes to play for the minors somewhere.

Martin Erat (L/RW) – RFA; got a terrific start to the year and then a couple of minor injuries sidelined him for small stretches of time mid-season. Even though he had a career year for goals scored (23), I think he lost a little bit of himself with all the line changes and injuries that took out key players on his line(s). There’s no question whatsoever that I want him to be re-signed and the Predators organization should be actively pursuing whatever it takes to make it happen. Both David Poile and the ownership group have been quoted on more than one occasion as saying that they will make sure to lock Erat up before July. I couldn’t imagine this team without him so let’s hope those quotes ring true. I think he will really start playing to his full potential when Coach Trotz can find the right fit for a finisher on the line with both he and David Legwand.

My prediction: Re-signs to three-year deal for at least $3.5 million/year.
Update (5/12/2008): It was confirmed this afternoon that Erat has signed a seven year, $31.5 million contract with the Preds. I guess I was a little off! Who cares?! We've got him for seven more years and that makes this girl very happy.

Martin Gelinas (LW) – UFA; acquired during the off season last year; missed remainder of the season following an ACL tear that required immediate surgery in February; a good veteran player who brought more to the table than I ever expected; also a great guy to have in the locker room as a mentor for the younger players. I would like to see him stick around for the locker room factor alone.

My prediction: Gelinas retires (he IS 37, people) or re-signs for one year.

Jan Hlavac (LW) – UFA; who knew he would be this season’s trade deadline pickup surprise hit? For his short stint with the Predators after being traded from Tampa Bay, he was quite impressive as the replacement for the injured Martin Gelinas. All comments about him as a player were some of the most complimentary I had ever heard come from our coaching staff so I wouldn’t be too surprised if David Poile decided to add him back to the lineup next season. And if he can play center or winger, I could see him replacing Mr. +/-31 Radek Bonk for a few games.

My prediction: This one’s a toughie…maybe a one-year deal?

Darcy Hordichuk (LW) – UFA; Darcy had his moments of above-average play in a few games but he knew what his role was on the team; he was the enforcer…even though we already had one in Jordin Tootoo. While Tootoo stepped up his game this season and had a career-year all around, Darcy managed to score just one goal all season, ending a scoreless streak that started in November 2006. I was more than a little upset that Trotz played him more than Jed Ortmeyer during the first half of the season because at least Jed had good penalty-killing instincts. I hate to say it but I would almost bet we keep him around just to have extra players to “sweeten the pot” should we make a trade next season.

My prediction: Re-signs for one year.

Rich Peverley (C) – RFA; while Rich wasn’t an “official” part of our team all season, we called him up so much that he might has well have been. He played more games than some others who didn’t have a two-way contract. At first I didn’t care for him as a player all that much but on his second call-up of the season, he really stood out to me and I began to see that this kid was definitely NHL-ready. Unfortunately, I think his NHL career will only start with us as he’ll surely be picked up by another organization this summer. With all the injuries healed, Pev would end up being just another scratch every night; and he’s way better than to be stuck in that situation.

My prediction: Signs one-way contract with another team. [single tear]


Next week: Dissecting the Defensemen

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Weekly Topic 1: Go Penguins!

Being in the West, I couldn't pick a Western Conference team to follow besides my Preds. But I have to be honest, the Eastern Conference is A BLAST to watch. This year was my first to start watching teams in the Eastern Conference, and I have a hard time just choosing one. BUT after watching a ton of great games over the season, I've got to say I'm pulling for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It's really a three-way tie between the Rangers, the Flyers, and the Penguins. I have always loved the Rangers (and it helped even more after getting Jed Ortmeyer). Then after losing so many of our players to the Flyers, I became a fan to watch all of our old boys play together. And then out of the blue, I watched a Penguins/Capitals game this season and fell in love with the Penguins. I'm not a huge fan of the all-star players. Yes, I'm happy to have the Alexander Ovechkins or Sidney Crosbys because they bring so much attention to the sport in the mainstream media. But when I can, I usually favor the less popular teams in the league. That being said, I was surprised how much I enjoyed watching the Penguins play. I don't know why, but I love watching that team! They have a great energy and are always fun to watch.

Ahh honestly I love watching everyone play! But for my bracket's sake, I hope to see the Penguins go all the way during the playoffs...until Nashville beats them in the Stanley Cup Finals. (A girl can dream!)

(One more side note for the night: Congrats to the Avs! Another team I was rooting to head to round two!)

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No Good Deed Goes Unnoticed.

As hockey fans, we've all had to make our sacrifices. With a season that can be as long as 9 months and games up to 3 nights a week, at some point you've got to make responsible decisions that come before your first love (...hockey of course). My responsible decision came Friday night when I had to attend a surprise birthday party for a friend's mom. She's been a lot like a mom to me and since I haven't seen her in months, I knew I had to go. What I didn't know at the time was Game 5 of the Preds/Wings series was the same night, AND the Preds were hosting a viewing party at the Sommet Center. When I realized my major foul by booking plans on a game night, I knew what I had to do. I had to the bite the bullet and go to the birthday party.

After work on Friday, I headed to the party still bummed I would be missing the viewing party (not to mention the game). Luckily I had a couple friends set up to text me play by plays throughout the night. As soon as I walked in the door, the hosts of the party walked over and told me they were mad at me. I was a bit confused as to why. I'd met them a few times before and probably knew them enough to say hello if we saw each other around town, but there was no probable reason for them to be angry with me. I asked why, and they said I snubbed them at a Preds game. Apparently they waved to me and I didn't wave back. I immediately began to apologize, promising I never saw them at any game otherwise I would have gone over to say hello. But then it hit me...did they just say Preds game? Could these people be fans? Surely not. If so, they'd be at the Sommet Center. I casually asked them if they went to games often and they explained they went when they could (with two kids, they had to make their own responsible decisions).

About this time, my friend at The Zone (the offical Preds radio station) began texting me. He sent over the scratches for the game - Arnott and Legwand. After my initial shock (ARNOTT?!), I decided to test the waters. I had to know if these were the casual fans who went to a game every now and then, or if they were true Preds fans. I walked over to mention the scratches and it was as if Heaven opened up and shone down on that kitchen because THEY FLIPPED. They knew their players! NOW I could talk some hockey! We talked about past games, the playoff series, and favorite players. I've never actually enjoyed seeing a Tootoo whistle until after the wife mentioned loving Jordin Tootoo and pulling out her own whistle. I couldn't believe it. I mean this is no Canada. To find Preds fans in general is hard, let alone on a game night when there's an official viewing party at the arena. I even noticed a family picture on their refridgerator with the entire family decked out in Preds gear. Love it!

At about 6:15PM, the countdown began. The wine started flowing and we started counting down for the puck drop. 6:30PM rolled around and the beautiful HD flat screen TV flipped to Versus. The entire party made their way around the television to watch the Preds and Wings duke it out. Before the husband left during intermission to watch the rest of the game with his boys, he stopped to tell me a hilarious story about meeting JP Dumont. At this point it's just icing on the cake. As the game went on, the party goers dwindled and only a handful of us girls were left (with a few bottles of wine) to watch the Preds score in the last 30 seconds to take the game into overtime. Although the Wings came back and won the game, I can't say I could have been in a better place to watch the Preds lose.

As for the series, it's not over yet. Hardcore Preds fans know fairweather doesn't make it to Nashville too often. So with two games left, we believe we're coming back and winning this thing to FINALLY make it to round two!

(Side note: Congrats to the Rangers and Penguins! I was rooting for both teams to make it to round two!)

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Not Quite Live Blogging from the Sommet Center

Last night, the Predators hosted a viewing party for Game 5 of the WCQF of the Detroit-Nashville match up. This was a first for the organization; an experiment that was long overdue. Seriously, I think someone read my mind because I’ve been saying that they should open up the arena for away games for months now. Anyway, I went by myself and had no one to bounce all my thoughts off of; so I decided to keep track of all my random blurbs throughout the night and post them here in a semi-live blog format for your enjoyment.

First Period

First thought....super awkward to be in the building when there isn't a home game.....but still kind of cool.

$2 concessions probably best idea ever.

Ice is covered, glass is down. I almost forgot what it was like to be in the arena for anything other than a hockey game…well, technically I’m here for a hockey game but it’s not being played right in front of me.

My view…this was around 6:15…most people were still outside or standing in line for food.


So this is like being at my house, watching the game and having background vocalists clapping and cheering and yelling with me.

It's like one big happy family in here…except the seating isn’t as comfortable as my couch would be right now.

Crowds, no matter what, LOVE free freaking t-shirts.

Best Preds playoff beard so far....Greg Zanon…like a freaking mountainman!

Our ice girls and dancers are skanky.

Even if the ice is covered, it's too cold in here!

For an experiment, I think it turned out well.

You wouldn't really know people weren't watching a live game with all the jerseys and t-shirts.

Seriously, people go NUTS over free t-shirts!

A few Red Wings fan here....Gnash is here....trying to get the crowd all riled up....works a little bit....but not that much.

Lots of Chelios and Red Wings Suck cheers…haha!


Second Period

Another view…the girl in the corner of the pic with the kid is one of our ice girls.


Surprising how many people want autographs of Gnash and the dancers.

Our PP still sucks. Wish we could give them back....we're almost better at trying for a goal on the PK.

These lines Trotz is trying out are not very good. Well, the Erat-Bonk-Rads line isn't bad though.

Elly is coming too far out of the net…get close to your home again dude! Seriously!!

How come Josh Langfeld full on plays with a crazy face mask, like he's in freaking high school or something.

We need a goal....you can tell they need some momentum.

Elly making ridiculous saves! So good right now. He can pretty much see everything.

How in the world? Only one SOG?!

Such a good chance by Smithson and Bonk! Frustration!

I've decided I really don't like Kromwall.

Kneeing on Hamhuis?! WTF? Did the refs pull that one out of their butts?

I love Jerred....nuff said...AND Elly AND Hammer.

Nice shorthanded try by Bonk and Suter....they’re normally on my list but I can't hate them right now.

Tootoo is playing like he actually knows how to be a freaking good hockey player tonight. I don't really know what to do with that!

So much Detroit pressure! We're doing a good job of breaking up their plays. If only we could get it in our end!

If Elly was blind, I still think he'd be able to stop the puck.

I still think this is going to be a really close game...decided in OT even.

This crowd going nuts because Franzen got knocked down by Suter, of all people!

I know it's not a game until Rads trips and falls, but the ref should have freaking called interference against the Red Wing breaking in on him.

GO Jean Pierre! That Frenchman has some fire in him tonight!

Seriously, if Ellis doesn't get our starting job, I'm going to have to call somebody! Paging David Poile…paging David Poile.

Spontaneous cheer just broke out....love it!

I think the Erat line will score a goal for us.

Those red jerseys are out of control. They are all over the place on the ice.

These last second chances at the ends of the period are giving me spontaneous ulcers....if that's even possible.

OMG....I am so done with free t-shirts....and the skanky girls that toss them….seriously, put some clothes on.

George Plaster (radio personality for 104.5 The Zone) is not really my favorite person....he’s doing a horrible job at keeping the crowd interested in anything he has to say. The only thing he really likes to do is getting people to start the “Red Wings Suck” cheer.

And..some people should just not be allowed to drink alcohol.


Third Period

There's a little kid running around with his shirt off, like our own little streaker!

Jerred's been good at digging it out tonight. And what's this? Darcy with a SOG?

Messy faceoffs...way too messy.

If Zetterberg was a Predator, there would be a bunch of new puckbunnies at the glass during pre-skate.

Our defense....so good…Hammer is owning the fact that he’s wearing an ‘A’ tonight.

Did you know that Baptist Sports Medicine can take care of you? Because THEY CAN.

Dan Ellis is a rock star. 45 saves? Unbelievable!

I NEED A GOAL!

Darcy is bringing the heat.

This crowd is frustrated…as am I.

Weirdest Shaped Playoff Beard Award.....Chris Mason.

You Should Never Grow Facial Hair for the Playoffs or for Any Other Reason Award....Jerred, Bochenski, Erat, Tootoo

JP, Pev good chance at about 4.30 left

Poor Erat....he looks pretty much done for with that delay of game call. He never owns up to his penalties though.

Hammer has such a good shot. Very accurate.

Good PK!

I can't do this....it's sooo hard.

How come my boy was looking around at the crowd during Trotz's coaching session timeout instead of paying attention? I'm going to have to have a talk with him about that!

OMG!!!!! BOOONNNKKKK! BONK?!?!? +/- 31 Bonk????!?!?!?!?!!!!! Who cares?! We scored, we scored!

This place went NUTS when the goal was scored. Unbelievable! And the stats against us are out of this world! 53 SOG to 20??! AMAZING!


Fourth Period – OT

OMG, Jerred with a SOG that almost went in....I would have lost it....for real.

Wow.....that was over quickly. A little too quickly if you ask me.

Hard fought game....totally Ryan's fault on that one....and he's on my list again.


All in all, it was a good game and a great experience. I hope they decide to do this again and again for away games because watching the game on the Megatron is much better than sitting at my house watching it on my 20” TV.

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We're all in this together

We’ve got our kitsch…the Fang Fingers, the goal chant, the taunts from Cellblock 303…yeah I guess people could say that fans in Nashville have a rather large cheese factor to them when it comes to cheering on our team. Put all that aside and you’ll find one of the most amazing fan bases in all of the NHL. We’re not one of the Original Six and frankly, I think I like it that way. We’re the newbies of the league, still trying to prove to so many that we can and will do what we need to do to say “Nashville knows its hockey.” Yet we have one of the largest individual, non-corporate season ticket holder fan bases, so I have to keep wondering…when will they [read: everyone else in the hockey world] learn?

Every season there is talk about how great the fans are in Nashville when the arena is full. But talk is talk and no one can really understand what the atmosphere of a game at the Sommet Center is like until they’ve experienced it for themselves. Eklund and Julie Robenhymer from HockeyBuzz have their own accounts of watching a game in Nashville posted here and here. They do a great job of describing what it's like and I'm pretty sure they'll be welcome back with open arms any time.

So by now, you might have heard about our “TV timeout” moment from the April 3rd game against St. Louis. Never before and possibly never again will I be lucky enough to experience what can only be described as a truly magical moment in Predators history. So here’s the scene: We’re battling for 8th in the West with Vancouver on our heels. We know how badly we need to win this game to stay alive. We manage to get a one goal lead 4 minutes into the third period and then it’s all a game of “secure our lead or we’re in serious danger of losing it”. We, as fans, were pumped and wanted to make sure the team knew it too. With about four and a half minutes left to go in regulation, we started cheering and waving our free t-shirts in the air. Now this kind of thing has happened before but normally it’s prompted by the in-game announcer saying “blah blah blah thank you so-and-so sponsor for the free t-shirts that were given away tonight…now let’s see those shirts!” BUT this time, there was no prompting at all. Just genuine and completely authentic cheering, yelling, screaming and applause. About 30 seconds into this outburst, I look at Becky, standing to my left and shake my head as if to say “I can’t believe we’re still going”. We both try to say something but neither of us can hear a thing because the noise is deafening. So instead, we laugh to ourselves, shrug our shoulders and woo hoo our hearts out for the next four minutes or so.

If you still don’t believe that this kind of spontaneous outpouring of support could come from hillbillies and country folks down in Nashville (thanks for that, Chelios!) then I give you Exhibit A:



Call me a softie, but I still tear up and get the chills when I watch this. And this was only about half of the length of what the Predators organization refers to as the “fan standing ovation”. Seriously amazing. Being a Nashville fan makes me feel as though we are all one big happy family and I could not think of 17,112 other people I would chose to spend time cheering on my team with.

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Weekly Topic: 08 Playoffs 1 - Lucky13

The team that I'm most looking forward to seeing in the playoffs this year - other than my beloved Rangers (they won the first round last night - woo-hoo!!!) - is the Nashville Predators.

There are several reasons why I have taken a liking to the Preds. First of all, they appeared on the map for me when my boy Jed Ortmeyer was picked up by them after the Rangers brass decided to let his contract expire (jerks). Something about litigation, whatever. So I started paying attention to them more as the 2008-2009 season started up because I wanted to watch Jed play.

Since then, I have taken a trip to Nashville to see them play, and I have followed them in the standings. Their playoff push at the end of the season was both good and bad - they finished in playoff contention - that's good. But they were seeded to play Detroit, who won the President's trophy - that's bad. But I have faith - they did pretty well against the league's best team during their 8-game regular season stand.

Now they are down 3-2 in round one of the playoffs. Not bad, considering they've been coined the sacrificial lamb for Detroit. I'm still hopeful that my Western conference team will provide round one's biggest upset.

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Nashville: Where there are, in fact, people who realize that ice comes in more varieties than cubes and chips

WE’RE IN THE PLAYOFFS! Honestly, it seems a little odd to be so excited over clinching our fourth consecutive playoff berth, sitting in eighth place no less. If only you understood the story behind my elation; then you would see me as less of a crazy and more like someone you would like to sit and talk to for hours in sports bar over a couple of beers. Wait…what’s that you say…you’d like to hear my tale? Well, sit back and get comfortable because you’re in for the long haul now.

This story should really start off with the end of the 2003-2004 season, when the Nashville Predators had their first winning season in franchise history that led to the first playoff berth in franchise history. In all honesty, the Nashville team and its fans were just proud to say that we were on the winning side of things so our expectations to make it past the first round were pretty low. Needless to say, I think we were okay that we lost to Detroit our first time out. It wasn’t until after the lockout season of 2004-2005 that things started to get just a little more interesting in the Music City. Predators GM David Poile brought in Paul FREAKING Kariya with a two-year deal that held many promises for the team’s chances at future success and deeper runs in the playoff race.

Cue the 2005-2006 season...in short, Paul Kariya, Steve Sullivan and goalie Tomas Vokoun were the key players that everyone counted on to carry this team to the playoffs again. As a sidebar story to this little tale, our number one goalie (KOUN!), was sidelined late in the season due to life-threatening blood clots. All of a sudden, we as fans were forced to come to terms with putting our faith in Chris Mason, our backup netminder. To give credit where it was definitely due, Chris Mason proved to be equally stellar between the pipes and fans rallied around this team to push them onto their second playoff bid, this time against San Jose. However, this match up proved to be no match up at all. It was basically like pitting the Jolly Green Giant against the Keebler Elf. So yeah, San Jose kicked our butts and it became apparent to many that our team was lacking in the size department. This was remedied with the off season addition of Dallas Star’s center Jason Arnott, who at 6’4”, would become the biggest player on our roster.

Enter the 2006-2007 season; labeled by the coaching staff, the front office and even many fans as being “Our Year”…the year we make it to the Stanley Cup finals. To be realistic here, the odds did appear to be stacked in our favor. We had a great team with amazing chemistry; we brought in Peter Forsberg at trade deadline to summarily “seal the deal” and we ended the regular season with a franchise-record 110 points, putting us again in fourth place in the Western Conference and facing the Sharks once again in the first round of playoffs. Hopes were high for pushing past the Sharks in the first round, as this team had been built specifically for this rematch. When the post season proved to be less-than-amazing, the mood in Nashville (and the locker room) left little to be desired. Fans were disappointed, the coaching staff was disappointed and the team felt defeated and deflated.

And then it happened…a day that Predators fans will always keep filed away in their memory banks as one of the defining moments of franchise history. After ten seasons as owner of the Nashville Predators, on May 24, 2007 Craig Leipold announced his intent to sell the team due to continual loss of revenue since the team’s inaugural season. Now this wouldn’t seem such devastating news unless coupled with equally disheartening information and boy did Leipold know how to throw a one-two punch. Not only was he intent on selling the team, he wanted to sell the team to Jim Balsillie, owner of RIM (BlackBerry) Technologies and a man who was not quiet in his determination to bring an NHL team to Hamilton, Ontario. From the time the announcement was made, speculations on what would come to pass ran rampant. Nashville media, already lackluster in its coverage of all things NHL, reported gloom-and-doom stories day after day with not one positive story was being drawn from this situation. Adding to the uncertainty of whether or not there would be hockey nights in Nashville come October, the Nashville roster rapidly diminished fire-sale style with the loss of Scott Hartnell and captain Kimmo Timonen to Philadelphia; the shocking trade of starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun to Florida (we still miss you, Vokie!) and the biggest blow, UFA Paul Kariya signing to divisional rival St. Louis Blues.

In a way though, the media’s negative publicity of the events that swirled around over the following month ended up doing the organization a huge favor by shedding some light on the true validity of certain statements and intentions made by Mr. Balsillie and his lawyer. By June 24th, Craig Leipold had heard enough and pulled out of the sale process with the RIM Technologies CEO and began entertaining other offers. A local ownership group, something that Leipold had been hoping for, made its way to the stage shortly after and negotiations began. A rally organized in part by Save the Predators, a group of fans and Nashville businessmen, was held on July 19th and drew thousands and thousands of Predators supporters to the Sommet Center in what would become a turning point in the momentum of local support. The rally also proved to some naysayers that Nashville was truly a viable place for hockey, contrary to the popular belief that an NHL franchise could not survive in such a non-traditional market. Comparisons were also made to the Edmonton Oilers ground swell of fan support in 1996, when they faced a similar dilemma with their own hockey club. Edmonton became a stronger, more successful franchise through staring down the face of adversity and Nashville was determined to mirror that success. The local ownership group signed a letter of intent with Craig Leipold before the start of the 2007-2008 season and things were finally starting to look up for Predators fans.

But unfortunately our roller coaster ride was far from over. After an impressive two game start, the team went on to garner one of the worst records in the league in October with a six-game losing streak from October 10-25th. Then things started getting better in November and then a little bit not so good again in December and so on and so forth. All the while, Coach Barry Trotz decides to start playing “Rotate the Goalies” when starting goaltender Chris Mason began to lose the confidence of the coaching staff in his ability to be a true starter. So we played backup Dan Ellis until his hot streak ended and then we switched back to Mason and then back to Ellis. Then in March, Trotz called up goalie Pekka Rinne from the Predators AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals to replace both Mason and Ellis in net. Flight delays due to weather and missing equipment issues forced Rinne to the sidelines and Trotz again called upon backup Dan Ellis to rise to the occasion. Ellis has since been privileged to boast the league’s best save percentage and proven himself to be Nashville’s starting goaltender, with Mason watching from the bench.

And now somehow, like the Little Engine That Could, we’ve successfully secured ourselves a spot in the playoffs. If you had asked any of the Predators fans at the start of the season if they could see us in the playoffs again this year, most would have said no. We heard all season long that this was a “rebuilding year” and we would just play out the year and work towards making strides for a better season all around starting in 2008-2009. I, however, would not have been one of those people. I root for the underdogs and I don’t think there could have been a bigger underdog team than the Predators seemed to be this season. Take a bunch of essentially no-name players (well, no-name to people that don’t follow hockey in Nashville), throw in the uncertainty of ownership and a healthy dose of attendance woes and you’ve got a recipe for a generally disappointing season. Yet here we are, ready to take on the Red Wings in a post season appearance that is sure to keep this Predator fan on the edge of her seat for as long as the team will take me along for the ride.

P.S. Props to you if you made it all the way through this post. I feel like I should buy you a cookie now.

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Why Hello Ladies...

It's true. Nashville STILL has a hockey team, and they actually have fans! I'm Bec, one of the two new Preds HLOG contributors and I'm honored to join such a great group of lady hockey fans! Alright now that we're through introductions, I'll get on with my spiel...

1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.
I'm originally from Louisiana where my introduction to hockey was thanks to the Monroe Moccasins of the now defunct Western Professional Hockey League. I must admit I usually only went for the fights and music in between play. I was more fascinated that we had ice in an arena in Louisiana than the actual game playing on top of it. I later moved to Nashville and thanks to a generous doctor with Predators season tickets, I was finally introduced to the NHL. After seeing my first Preds game, I became an instant fan. As for what I do, I work in radio (yes a bit stereotypical for a Nashvillian) and in my spare time (AKA off season) I'm a freelance graphic designer.

2. Your team and why you like them.
Nashville Predators. Can you say underdogs? They're a team in a non-traditional market that had to throw out practically everything but the kitchen sink over the off season. They've got no big names and started from scratch this season with their team, yet they're still in the fight for a playoff position. And they're not just an underdog in the league, but also in Nashville. They struggled with ownership and to stay in the city over the offseason, but finally got everything settled as the season began. I think anyone can appreciate an underdog pulling through and the Preds are a perfect example!

3. Your least favourite team and why?
San Jose. I didn't start following the Preds until the 2005-2006 season which was our first meeting against the Sharks in the playoffs. It wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't meet them AGAIN the following year and lost AGAIN. After that, every game we play against San Jose brings back horrible playoff memories.

4. Your favourite player of all time & now?
It's a toss up between two: J.P. Dumont and Jed Ortmeyer. I fell in love with J.P. during playoffs last season and with him giving us a "hometown discount" with his contract extension this year I love him even more. He truly is a great player and great guy who has been a huge asset for our team. Plus from all I've heard, he and his family are really involved in the community and their decision to stay in Nashville had little if anything to do with money. BUT I equally love Jed Ortmeyer. His heart and constant fight to stay in the game no matter what his injury proves he's an amazing athlete. He may not be the best player on the ice, but he's definitely got the most heart. I've never seen him play 99%. He's always at 100% or more. He's new to the team this year (thank you Rangers!) but he's already a fan favorite. And honestly have you seen him? All I'm going to say is THANK YOU RANGERS!

5. Which hockey player is your least favourite and why?
This is another toss up between two: Jonathan Cheechoo and Jordin Tootoo. Again I'm not a big fan of San Jose and for some reason most of that loathing is targeted towards Cheechoo. Maybe it's because he's a great player that scores a lot (against us). I think it's also because in my mind he's a San Jose version of Jordin Tootoo. Yes, one of the players I dislike most is our very own Tootoo. In the past he's had the reputation of being arrogant and I just don't think the NHL is the sport for that (although I will say he's matured as a player this season). Oh and Preds fans have taken to blowing these "Tootoo" whistles every time he gets on the ice. They're horribly annoying, and let's just say I was glad to have a break from them during Toots' groin injury earlier this season.

6. What do you hope to gain from joining HLOG?
I really can't wait for the day when I can talk trades or conference standings without every female in earshot shaking her head in disdain. Not a lot of women (or really people in general) appreciate hockey for the great sport it is. I can't wait to start learning more about other players and teams in the league as well as just talking some hockey!

7. What role do female fans contribute to the game of hockey? What does female fan support do for the league/team/player she supports?
I think the female fan is obviously a unique one. Who a player is off the ice is just as important to a female fan as who he is on the ice. It's more about the passion and heart of the player than their physical ability. In my opinion the female fan base perfectly rounds out the NHL fan base. She just as important (if not more!) than the male fans!

8. Hockey just isn't the same without "Christmas Day". I've never had a more exciting day during hockey season other than Trade Deadline Day. Reading the rumors for weeks before hand, getting to work early so I could turn on the TSN webcast, counting down the minutes before the deadline while rapidly texting friends updating them with all the latest trades…exhilarating! It's crazy fast paced and you're watching teams literally change structure in a matter of minutes. It's great (especially since we just picked up a couple players and didn't lose anyone)!

9. If you could make your own team, regardless of whatever players, what would it be called and where will it be/how would it be like?
It'd be a college team. I'd love to recreate something similar to the 1980 Olympic USA hockey team. There's something about the heart of a college kid that's different than a pro player and I think that theory proved true during those Olympic games. I'd love to have our current Preds roster as the team but all college-aged. Or a peewee team of our Preds when they were that age. How cute would that be?!

10. Who gets your squee and why? (keep it short & sweet, y'all!)
Can I do another toss up? I'm going to have to say Jed Ortmeyer (thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Rangers). However, since he's out for the season I've taken a liking to our little AHLer Rich Peverley. No explanation needed for either. Just two more reasons to love Preds hockey!

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I've never been good at small talk...

Hey guys (well, ladies)! I'm Rachel. I've never really had to introduce myself like this before and I'm not big on awkwardness so let's just get right to it, shall we?

1. Where you're from, what you do - basic things.

So I’m from Nashville (born and raised) but no, I don’t have one of those cute/annoying Southern accents. Everyone who lives here seems to have come from somewhere else so I’m pretty proud to say that I’m a TRUE Nashvillian. I work for a healthcare company as a regional coordinator but I have recently jumped into the music industry as a manager for a multimedia company as well. For all those times in between hockey, I like to discover new bands and artists that no one’s heard of yet so for a brief moment I can feel cooler than you for knowing about an artist before “their time”.

2. Your team and why you like them.

My team, my boys are the Nashville Predators. And seriously, where do I start with all the reasons I like them? They’re so the underdogs of the NHL; they’re the team that everyone wants to hate and root against because that just seems like the right thing to do. They’re resilient in the face of adversity. They are a really great group of guys; very accommodating to their fans, very approachable, guys that you can totally see every kid wanting to emulate. They’re a team that sometimes plays with more heart than skill and yet we as fans love them even more because of it.

3. Your least favourite team and why?

I have absolutely no choice to pick any other team but the Detroit Red Wings. They are our biggest rivals and will probably always remain so; although we do have issues with shaking those pesky Sharks off of us in the playoffs. But I swear to you, Detroit pays off the officials to consistently make the most horrible calls in all of hockeydom when we play them. And it’s practically a prerequisite to dislike them if you’re a Nashville fan.

4. Your favourite player of all time & now?

I haven’t been what I would consider a hardcore hockey fan long enough to really know who my favorite player of all time is but Paul Kariya is pretty up there. And though July 1, 2007 will always be a day that I look back on with much sadness and a little bit of bitterness (seriously, Paul…St. Louis?!?!), I will always smile at the thought of him, no matter what jersey he wears. Current favorite: Martin Erat because I really feel like if he wanted to, he could become an Olympic speed skater and give Apollo Anton Ohno a run for his money.

5. Which hockey player is your least favourite and why?

Chris Pronger. He plays mean and dirty against the Preds and I always find myself really irritated at him when the game is over.

6. What do you hope to gain from joining HLOG?

A few more (female) friends who I can “talk shop” with; an increased appreciation for other teams so I’m not so one-sided with my hockey love; a larger fan base for the Predators because I think people are too quick to write them off and I would like to change that.

7. What role do female fans contribute to the game of hockey? What does female fan support do for the league/team/player she supports?

As women, we bring a lot of passion to the sport that can’t be easily compared to our male counterparts. We dive head first into the game and give of ourselves and our time to learn about the game, the players and other teams. We’re so detail oriented that you would be hard pressed to find other fans with more knowledge of any player’s weight, height, shoe size, hair color, favorite restaurant, vacation spot, etc. And let’s face it, we generate a lot of revenue for the league because we like our shopping and we’re going to continue to buy all kinds of merchandise to show our support for our team(s)/player(s). I find myself popping into the local sports store to check out the latest merchandise far more often than anyone probably should. I don’t think I can ever have too many t-shirts emblazoned with a Predator head or a player’s number, you know? And we’ve gotta stay cute for our boys because somewhere deep down inside, we hope that us looking cute is going to help them score that extra goal or throw a harder check.

8. Hockey just isn't the same without: the ZZ Top-esque playoff hair growth; although I do also enjoy when players shave off all their hair as kind of a “reverse” take on the tradition.

9. If you could make your own team, regardless of whatever players, what would it be called and where will it be/how would it be like?

There is nothing better in the world than seeing tiny, tiny children try their hardest to play hockey through all the padding and the helmets and the gloves so I would totally have a termite team comprised solely of all professional hockey player’s children, ages 6 and under. The team name would be the Little Doots and I think they could totally get a sponsorship from like, Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas or something. Seriously, this is genius…why hasn’t someone thought of this before?

10. Who gets your squee and why? (keep it short & sweet, y'all!)

Henrik Lundqvist because well, honestly…just yum.

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“Tennessee, Tennessee, There Ain’t No Place I’d Rather Be…”

So goes the Grateful Dead song so aptly named “Tennessee Jed”. And that was my mantra this past weekend. After several months as an Hlogger, I think I’ve made it pretty clear on who my favorite player is (hint: start with an O, ends with an R, and has a “rtmeye” in the middle). Because his new team does not play my team at all this season (I hate that about the post-lockout NHL – I’m so glad that's changing), I actually went on an adventure to watch him play. Yes, folks, from the humble surroundings of the NY metro area to the Music City, I trekked to Nashville to see my boy Jed take the ice. If he wasn’t coming to me, then I was going to him. I dragged my hubby with me and we made a weekend out of it, with a Preds vs. Stars contest tossed in there.

As those of you in the Northeastern part of the US experienced, Friday morning greeted us with a blanket of snow. Of course, we were scheduled to fly out of Philly that morning, and needless to say, we didn’t know how it would unfold. The TV said airports were delayed for hours; the internet said some flights were cancelled, but ours was on time. What? How is that possible? As it came time to leave, we decided to give it a try.

After a white-knuckly ride down 95, we parked in long-term (I think we got the last spot), shuttled to the terminal, and behold: the flight was on time. Out with the passports and off with the shoes, we made our flight, and barely made our connection. We got to Nashville without incident. This was not the adventure that I signed up for, but someone was watching over us for sure.

Saturday morning we made our way around town. We passed by the Sommet Center (we learned that the correct pronunciation is soh-may), and across the street we saw a crowd gathering. It wouldn’t have been unusual, but the rest of the city was still asleep at 9:30am, so they stood out. Turns out they were waiting for the Dallas Stars to emerge from their hotel and go across the street to practice at the Sommmayyy Center. I only know Mike Modano by face, so we hung around until we saw him. No sign of any Preds, unfortunately.

By nightfall, we were jacked for the game. We brazenly donned out Rangers jersey (I wanted to make sure Jed could see us during warmups). When I planned this trip back in November, I knew it was risky – in the three months leading up to our trip, Jed could have been a) traded, b) scratched, or c) injured. At this point, we could only rule out a and c, but b had been happening often lately, so we had to wait and see if he was dressed.

When #41 hopped out on the ice, I was downright giddy. We were standing behind the corner facing the blue line, and I KNOW he saw me. How could he miss two blue Rangers jerseys among all the Preds jerseys? I KNOW he saw me!!!

The whole package that was “the game” was more like a small-scale circus. I don’t know about places, but the games that I’ve been to (MSG, NJ, Philly) don’t have much of a show except for the game itself. Maybe it’s an attempt to drum up business in a previously non-hockey market, but let me tell you, I didn’t expect this. Right before the puck was dropped, the Jumbotron played a cartoon of a giant cat pouncing all over Nashville “preying” on its divisional opponents. Then a big cat head was lowered from the ceiling and the players came through it as they entered the ice. There’s also the mascot that dropped from the rafters swinging on a cable, the ice girls (not on skates, surprisingly), goal girls (who were on skates and entertained us as the band played in between periods), a flying cat that dropped stuff, and Fang Fingers: a gesture that Preds fans are supposed to make – at the direction of the announcer – when the Preds go on the power play. I must live a sheltered life. But what did I care? Jed was playing!!!

My Jed-inspired giddiness was to be short-lived. Halfway through the first period, Jed sustained a crushing blow against the boards. He hobbled off the ice and that was the last I saw of him. To top it off, they Preds got shelled 6-3. The fans were merciless to Modano. We topped the night off with a couple of cold ones, and the prepped for our early flight the next day.

So that’s my long-winded story. All in all, we had a good time, and I got to see my boy Jed play, at least for a little while. We’d do it again – that is if Jed is still playing there next season.

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