Predators Pre-Season Preview, Part 3: Blogger Roundtable

Time to bring back our bloggers once again and get their opinions on two questions: who will be the biggest surprise (good or bad) of the upcoming season; and who of the recently departed players will the Predators miss the most?


So guys, who will be be the biggest surprise for the team?


 Amanda Dipoalo


I think everyone is hoping for Bergfors to be this season's Sergei Kostitsyn. Of course, that would be a good thing -- a very good thing. I think Kostitsyn continues to be the surprise as this season his production will equal if not surpass that of last season's making him the star in the NHL he kept telling Montreal he was ready to be. While last season was considered a breakout season for the youngster, Kostitsyn broke his toe at the start of the season and never found his stride until almost December.  


 Jim Diamond

Nick Spaling in a positive way. With all of the departures up front, and with Spaling being a guy Trotz and company trust, he will inherit a lot of minutes outside of what we have seen of him so far in Nashville. He put up big offensive numbers in juniors and has the ability to score goals. I don’t see him potting 30 or anything, but I do expect to see him contribute on the score sheet more than others may think he is capable of doing based upon his first 100 or so NHL games.

Dirk Hoag

I'm surprising myself a bit when writing this, but I'll go with David Legwand. With a full season of having Mike Fisher in the lineup, I could see Leggy benefitting from softer matchups and having one of his better seasons

AJ

My bet is that Mike Fisher will have a near-career season for the Preds. What most commentators (and fans) have under-appreciated in my opinion, is that Fish played the entire second half of the season with a painful shoulder injury, suffered while he was still with Ottawa. That's what he underwent surgery this summer to have fixed. I think he's gonna come back to the ice like gangbusters this year and make General Manager David Poile look even smarter for acquiring him last season. And again, just one guy having a better-than-average offensive season could create a cascade effect for the rest of the guys who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders to be the offensive producers. I think Fisher is the one key veteran to the team's success. (hey, no pressure there, Fish, just sayin...)

Buddy Oakes

I will pick Sergei Kostitsyn going both good and bad. He is a real wild card as I think the Preds clearly overpaid him as a result of the bungled contracts. What he did last season was a bonus based on his salary. If he does not progress and show up in the playoffs, he will be a bust.

On the flip side, I do not expect a progression so if he does improve, It will be a surprise to me. For what he is being paid, it is time for him to step up and take more of a prominent role in the offense by shooting the puck more often.


Jeremy Gover
 

Nick Spaling will rediscover the scoring touch he had in junior when he inherits Joel Ward's spot on the second line. If Martin Erat and David Legwand can actually find the box score before the month of December, that line could be lights out and send all three players on to career years. 

Patten Fuqua

I expect the surprise player for this season to be Colin Wilson. After a decent rookie season, he spent the majority of last year in Barry Trotz's doghouse. It's a little surprising to find out that he played in all 82 regular season games last season since he appeared to be absolutely nonexistent after February (and obviously during the playoffs when he was a healthy scratch for the majority of the games). If Wilson wants to stay in Nashville, he needs to step his game up this season and I think he will. Otherwise, I think he'll be out the door around the trade deadline...and probably for not very much in return.

Ryan Porth

I don’t know if this qualifies as a ‘surprise’, because everyone expects him to eventually break out.  But I think this is the year Colin Wilson starts to put everything together.  He played all 82 games last year and then was benched in the playoffs.  That could spark something in Wilson.  We’ve all seen his talent on display, but in an inconsistent fashion.  This is a big year for Wilson and I see him stepping to the forefront as a key offensive player.

Kris Martel

I think Nashville is going to get a pleasant surprise from Jordin Tootoo this season. Tootoo had a great season last year and is starting to solidify himself as not just a hard hitter, but with an offense presence and a very strategic mindset. Tootoo has the ability in himself to score goals and cause his opponents to take unnecessary penalties. After his voluntary stint in the NHL’s Substance Abuse program last year that caused him to miss nearly a quarter of the season, Tootoo came back in what you can only describe as the BEST Jordin Tootoo the Nashville Predators have ever seen. Combine a clean Jordin Tootoo with him being in a UFA contract year? I would expect an explosive 8^th season from the “Tootoo Train”.

The View says that it is interesting to see several of our particpants say Nick Spaling. At the Skate of the Union, GM David Poile said that Spaling was poised to have a breakout year and be a star player.

And now on to our second question, "Who will the Preds miss the most?"

Kris Martel

Steve Sullivan. One of the oldest members of the team last year and still able to contribute 22 points in a injury-shortened season of 44 regular season games, the Predators aren’t just losing one of the veterans, but a natural left-winger which is hard to come by for the Predators now-a-days.

Now, without Sullivan (who, mind you, could have been re-signed for cheap), the Predators will be with two natural left wingers (unproven Bergfors and team-leading scorer Kostitsyn) and an obvious hole in their lineup. Of all the players that Nashville decided not to bring back for next season, Sullivan is in my book the one loss that will come back to bite the Predators.


Ryan Porth

Shane O’Brien.  David Poile opted not to re-sign SOB and failed to replace his spunk on the blue-line.  O’Brien does a lot of the dirty work on defense and sticks for his teammates.  He was valuable on the penalty kill, which was shown in the Anaheim series.  Also, he’s a great character guy and was popular in the Preds’ locker room.  The Preds aren’t going to miss his occasional turnovers, but they’re going to miss everything else.

Jim Diamond

Joel Ward. Although he did not put up the goals last regular season, his consistency in all facets of the game will be missed. He does a lot of things that do not necessarily show up in the statistics, but as a fixture on the team’s shutdown line the last few seasons, his role is one that the Predators do not likely have someone ready to step into right away.

Jeremy Gover

Marcel Goc. You could plug that guy in anywhere and he'd make an impact. Joel Ward had a down season until his gangbuster playoff, JP Dumont was no longer effective at $4 million per year, the time had come for Steve Sullivan to move on and Cody Franson was expendable because of the four blue chip prospects on their way up. Now, an argument could be made that the loss of Shane O'Brien will hurt the most now that Francis Bouillon has had a setback in his concussion symptoms. The Preds really don't have a guy to replace Bouillon now that O'Brien's gone and that could hurt the toughness on the blueline.

Buddy Oakes


I have no issues with any of the subtractions other than Shane O’Brien. I said last October when he was acquired that he added the perfect grittiness that the team needed. That role has now been left with Jordin Tootoo, who I think will be focusing more on his offense in his contract year, or possibly Zack Stortini if he can play well enough to earn starts.


The days of having a true enforcer with no particular puck skills are quickly passing but grittiness is still a much needed attribute for any team that plans to make a playoff run.




Amanda Dipaolo


 Shane O'Brien's toughness on the blue line is going to be missed the most. O'Brien was for the most part of very responsible defenseman, and was also the first to stick up for teammates on the ice. Nashville also lost Franson on the blue line and Francis Bouillon won't be ready for the start of the season making Nashville's usually strong defense a very green one this upcoming season. O'Brien's experience will be missed.


Patten Fuqua


Joel Ward will probably have the biggest impact on the team. Ward brought a strong work ethic and was extremely consistent in the numbers that he produced. While I don't remotely believe that he was worth the amount of money that Washington paid for him, I believe he'll be the same kind of hard working player there that he was here. Players like Ward, who did their jobs and were rarely noticed unless they ended up on the score sheet, are not always easy to come by. Without him on the ice, someone will have to step in and fill that role.


AJ

Cody Franson will be missed, but not tremendously; I believe he was actually the most logical of all the Preds' young blueliners to move in order to break the organizational logjam. Steve Sullivan's leadership will be missed, but it will also provide the opportunity for someone like a Ryan Suter or a Mike Fisher to step up and fill that role more so than they could have with Sully in the lineup. However I think most would agree that Joel Ward was the costliest loss for the team, but not from an offensive standpoint; Wardo wasn't going to be a 20-goal scorer for this team, but he was one of the biggest cogs in the Head Coach Barry Trotz's defensively-minded system, and it will be interesting to see if anyone can immediately fill that role as well as he did.

Dirk Hoag


I think it's Joel Ward, by a long way. While his offensive numbers weren't great, he was consistently thrown on the ice to help with key defensive-zone faceoffs, and managed to help the Preds escape their zone and push the play up-ice more than anyone else. The only other winger on the team who has demonstrated that sort of ability is Martin Erat, but if you saddle him with that kind of work, that could hinder his offensive production.






There you have it, friends, the perspective of some great Predator bloggers as to who will be missed the most. Fairly evenly divided between Joel Ward and Shane O'Brien. I do think, as Patten said, Wardo was a valuable cog in this machine last season, but not at the price Washington paid. O'Brien's loss will hurt from a depth and swagger standpoint, but I think that loss is not insurmountable




In part 4, we tackle a tough question: did the Shea Weber contract situation affect this team? The group has some interesting responses.

Petey's Party 2011

Brent Peterson hosted "Petey's Party" in conjunction with the Nashville Predators Foundation, an event that has grown in magnitude from the first gathering of just over 100 people to a grand night at the Bridgestone Arena with over 900 people in attendance.

The event was a dinner on Thursday night and a golf tournament the next day to raise funds for Parkinson's research and to fund the Predators Foundation, which contributed over $300,000 to various community organizations this past year.

As most know, Brent has Parkinson's disease which, as he poignantly stated at the dinner, took away his opportunity to be a head coach. Those that know Brent know that he is a competitor and a fighter, and just as he did in his playing days, will not back down from this fight. The funds that are raised by his foundation are directed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to be used to support research into finding a cure for Parkinson's.

Brent Peterson speaks during the program

 

 

The dinner was held on the floor of the arena, which had the new glass and the boards in place. A view before the event began.

 

 

And the floor of the arena after dinner was served

A number of players were there, along with friends of Brent and the Predators. Their presence not only shows the heart of these individuals, but their support of Brent, his cause, and the Predators Foundation.

You know hockey season is getting near when  Terry Crisp is back in town

 

The Grim Reaper, Stu Grimson, visiting with guests

Denise and Paul McCann

Cal O'Reilly and Patrick Hornqvist. Cal said he is completely healed and anxious to get the season started

 

 Jerred Smithson was in great spirits, saying he had a very good summer and was glad to be back in Nashville

 

 Brent has drawn support from athletes in different sports that also suffer from Parkinson's. The View with Brian Grant, who had his NBA career with the Portland Trailblazers cut short by Parkinson's. Standing next to Brian is one of the few times I feel small. Brian is 6'9"

 

Coach Peter Horachek makes a bid on some of the auction items

There were numerous auction items, including a number of the new gold jerseys signed by the Predators players

In addition to support from the sports community, the Nashville music community has joined Brent and the Predators Foundation by donating a number of items, including a gaggle of guitars signed by various performers.

 

There are always some unique items that are up for bid. This is the penalty box that was used last season, and it was to be signed by all the players and coaches. I was very interested, but couldn't figure out where I could fit that into my house.

 

 Gnash stylin' in the new gold jersey

 

 George Plaster did a masterful job as the emcee of the night's program

 

Parkinson's is indiscriminate in attacking its victims. Young, old, athletic, or infirm, anyone can suffer from this terrible disease. One young man that spoke during the night was former professional baseball player Ben Petrick. Petrick, like Brian Grant, had his career with the Colorado Rockies cut short when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. He has undergone surgery to implant a deep brain stimulation device, and the results are remarkable. Before he spoke, a video was shown, and his ability to control his muscle movements in his upper body was almost non-existent. Seeing this young man walk almost effortlessly to the podium to speak was awe inspiring.

Ben Petrick speaks at the dinner

 

Jeff Allen entertained the audience with a hilarious comedy routine

 

Barry Trotz introduced Brent with a humorous and heartfelt introduction

 

There was a very touching and well done tribute to Wade Belak at the start of the program, along with a memorial to the Lokomotiv Hockey team and the three players that had played for the Predators that lost their life in the horrific plane crash

 

Mrs. Mike Fisher, known to most as Carrie Underwood, closed the program with a beautiful performance of "Jesus Take the Wheel"

This event is fast becoming a must attend event, not only for the fun and fellowship, but for the support of two great causes, The Predators Foundation and Peterson's Foundation for Parkinson's. The support of Predators fans, the Nashville entertainment community, and athletes from all sports across the country is indicative of the respect each has for Brent and for the Predators organization.

 

Kudos in particular to Rebecca King, who did a magnificent job coordinating the event, and for all the volunteers and support staff that helped to make it a great night.

We had fun, but this is a serious fight for Brent and fellow Parkinson's sufferers. 

 

You have our love and support, Coach.

 

 

  

Predators Pre-Season Preview, Part 2: Blogger Roundatable

Welcome to part 2 of our blogger round table, where we have asked some of the bloggers covering the Predators to give their opinion some critical aspects of the team. In part 1, we asked the group to give an overview of their expectations for the upcoming season.

In part two, we ask the group if the young players are ready to step into more prominent roles. Here is their response:

AJ

I do. I believe Blake Geoffrion will be a standout. I've thought since this time last year that Nick Spaling will be a special player for this team; I think we really see that becoming evident starting this year. And like a lot of other observers, I anxiously await the potential impact of Ryan Ellis and/or Mattias Ekholm. I really don't see the team missing Cody Franson all that much with these two coming aboard. They may not be real difference makers, but they will provide enough of their own special sauce that the veterans will be able to relax and shine as they should (read: Mike Fisher, David Legwand, Marty Erat).

Jim Diamond

Coming from Europe, juniors, college, or even the AHL, it is difficult to project whether a player is ready to step into a role in the NHL. Training camp will go a long way toward telling whether they are ready to advance, but even preseason games are not an accurate predictor of what a player will go through during the 82-game grind of the NHL season. Of the young players, I'd say that Roman Josi is the most NHL ready, but Craig Smith's showing at the World Championships gives hope that he may have a chance at sticking out of camp.

Dirk Hoag

I guess it all depends on the role; I'm excited to see what someone like Roman Josi can bring on the 3rd defensive pair, but with Francis Bouillon hurting, who's going to work the penalty kill? You'd rather not
put more of a burden there on Shea Weber & Ryan Suter, who are needed offensively. Up front, I can see a kid or two working their way in, but I'm skeptical of some of the talk that Nick Spaling will add significant
contributions offensively, or that Matt Halischuk could develop into a Joel Ward replacement. The major pressure is on Colin Wilson, who should be ready to take the training wheels off and demonstrate that he was
worthy of a Top 10 pick at the NHL Entry Draft.

Patten Fuqua

If there was going to be any season that was prime for a "youth rising", it's this coming season. Having seen the steps Ryan Ellis made in junior in the last season and after seeing the way he performed during Prospect Camp, he looks like he could become a franchise player. He simply appears to have the makings of an elite skill set. In addition, there are several other talented defensemen that are primed to make a run to the big time - namely Mattias Ekholm, Roman Josi and Teemu Laakso. On the other hand, Nashville doesn't appear to have the same sort of depth in the ranks at forward. While Gabriel Bourque has the makings of a future NHLer, most of the others are a few years off. The big question mark is with Blake Geoffrion. If Geoffrion continues to progress and the game "slows down" for him in time, he could become a monster. It happened for him at Wisconsin and it happened in Milwaukee. All of a sudden something "clicks" with him and he becomes an extremely reliable and consistent player...it's probably more of a question of "when" than "if".

Amanda Dipaolo

Towards the end of last season, Jon Blum and Blake Geoffrion proved they were ready to step up for Nashville and play in the NHL. This season, it appears that Nashville will have an extremely young
roster. Whether or not all the youth are ready to assume that role, we will soon find out, but consistency might be the key to whether they do succeed at the NHL level. During training camp last season, Colin Wilson
talked about needing to work on being more consistent on the ice. Geoffrion, Halischuk, Blum as well as many other young players may be faced with a similar struggle, playing 100% every shift. 

Jeremy Gover

The young forwards are the biggest question mark. Blake Geoffrion performed really well in his first 12 NHL games but he disappeared after that. And, while he does the little things right, he's not ready for
full-time duty. Matt Halischuk may be able to provide some scoring depth on the third or fourth line. He consistently found the score sheet in big games last season and then, of course, went on to become a playoff
overtime hero for the Preds. Colin Wilson needs to show he can adjust his attitude in order to play big minutes and be at his best. So while most people will focus on the young defense (the third pairing, in
particular), this team needs to score goals and the young forwards are going to be relied on to do that.

Ryan Porth

I do.  From what we saw out of Jonathon Blum and Nick Spaling late last year, they're ready to step up. Blake Geoffrion may need more AHL seasoning, but he's close.  Ryan Ellis could be the exception to Barry
Trotz's rule that the 'road to Nashville goes through Milwaukee'.  Matt Halischuk looks like a Trotz-type player.  So yes, I do think the youngsters are ready to take their game to the next level.

Kris Martel

Oh absolutely! If you don't think so, you really need to take a look at the players on the active roster, their ages, and what they have already accomplished. Players like Hornqvist/Kostitsyn/Bergfors haven't even hit
the prime of their careers and they are leading the team in scoring. Spaling, Halischuk, Mueller, and Geoffrion were great additions to the team throughout last season as well. Not to mention, without Spaling, who knows if Nashville would have made it out of the first round? You may think that is a silly question, but Spaling was a huge factor for the Predators first round series against the Ducks. And can anyone forget Halischuk's double-overtime game winner against Vancouver? It'll go down as one of the biggest goals in Nashville Predators history, coming from a 23 year old kid we got for Jason Arnott.

Buddy Oakes

The Predators are going to rely on younger players to step into prominent roles this upcoming season. Do you feel the young talent in the organization is ready to do so?The Predators have been ranked number one in prospect talent for the last two years by Hockey’s Future. The team has slowly migrated players into the system and has one of the highest percentages of home-grown talent in the NHL.This year is no different. Spaling has firmly established himself on the team. Blum, Geoffrion, O’Reilly, and Halischuk have the chance to make a full transition to the NHL level this year.Depending on whether another veteran defenseman is added, I expect that two or three of the group of young D-Men will play significant minutes with the team this season. Teemu Laakso, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Mattian Ekholm have the best chance to stick with Laakso and Josi as my front-runners. Ellis is the x-factor with his play at camp being make or break for him. He will have to stand out significantly to force the team not to send him back to Milwaukee.Of the forward group, Craig Smith will be given every opportunity to stick with the team. However his he cannot earn second or third line minutes he will start on the top line in Milwaukee. Taylor Beck and Gabriel Bourque may also see time in Nashville before the season is over.

So there you have it. I would consider this group cautiously optimistic about our younger players, but all in agreement that the forwards will be the biggest question mark. I concur, and if some of the young guys can make the next step, Predator fans will be pleasantly surprised.

In the next installment, the group is going to answer two questions: who will be the biggest surprise (good or bad) this season; and which of the recently departed players will the Predators miss the most.

My View

Random ruminations from your resident curmudgeon...

No smiling dog for this blog. I felt the bear hiding his eyes was more appropriate. It is how I have felt this week.

For those that follow hockey in particular, this summer has been a summer from hell. The tragic and horrific loss of life in our hockey families has shaken us to our foundations. So this week, there will be no economic discussion, no political commentary, no snark from me.

Instead, I invite all of you to take a moment and separate yourself from the frenetic pace of the daily routine and ask, "What is really important?"

Is it the next meeting with a client, the newest electronic gadget to be purchased, the next promotion?

For far too many of our hockey friends, that question has taken on an entirely new and sorrowful dimension over the past few days and months.

But it is not just our hockey family that suffers. Look around and you will find that everyone is carrying a burden or struggling though a tribulation or battling a demon of some kind.

And it is not easy.

Especially when that burden, that sorrow, or that demon is borne alone.

In today's electronically connected society, we have become more disconnected as people, even with those that are in a physical proximity to us. I may "tweet" with a bunch of folks; I can send messages on Facebook or IM: but can I look them in the eye and see the pain they feel when they physically hurt? Do I know when their heart is broken? Do I know them well enough to know when something is not right with their life?

Perhaps the more important, the more fundamental question is, "Do I want to?"

Caring for someone is tough, messy work. And it is work. That is why it is often so easy to keep relationships superficial, at arm's length. Getting involved means seeing another person for the mess they are, and revealing oneself to be quite a mess as well.

The reward for opening yourself up to another and caring for them is priceless and precious. My words cannot adequately describe the joy that is in that type of relationship, but most of you know.

There are now many in our midst that have had that type of relationship ripped away in a tragic instance. The person they cared for is no longer in their life, and there is an indescribable void that for now is being filled with unimaginable heartache. And they will never have another opportunity to share a caring, loving moment with someone who was precious to them.

So my call to you dear friends is simply this:

Take time to care, to love those that are close to you. Look into their eyes and see if they are okay. Walk a little closer to them. Tell them you love them.

Every chance you can.

And that, my friends, is my view.

Predators Pre-Season Preview Blogger Roundtable

With players returning to nashville and the start of training camp just days away, it's time to look ahead to the upcoming season. What better way to do that than to ask some of the best bloggers that cover the Predators to participate in a preseason blogapalooza.

The View is pleased to welcome Amada Dipaolo of Inside Smashville; Jim Diamond of the Nashville Examiner; Buddy Oakes of Preds on the Glass; Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck; Jeremy Gover of Cellblock 303; Pattten Fuqua of PuckScene.com; Kris Martel of The Predatorial; Ryan Porth of RLD Hockey; and AJ of Pull My (Fang) Finger as particpants. Each of these fine writers offers an unique perspective on the Predators, and I encourage my readers to regularly view their blogs.

So what do you say we jump right into the deep end and ask this group "What do you expect out of the Predators this season?"

Jeremy Gover

I expect the Predators to challenge for the Central Division crown. The Chicago Blackhawks can score a ton of goals but they also give up a lot of them too. The Detroit Red Wings are getting older and have to hit a wall at some point. Plus, their starting goaltender Jimmy Howard suffered through some nagging injuries last year and it'll be interesting to see if he can stay healthy. The St. Louis Blues will be better but may still fall just short of the playoffs. And the Columbus Blue Jackets..... they'll be picking first in the 2012 NHL Draft. In short, the Preds will challenge for the Central.

Dirk Hoag

I think this will be a transitional season for the team, with so many rookies and 2nd-year players being asked to assume major responsibilities. While I could see them scoring about as many goals as they did last year, my concern is on the defensive side, and whether there's enough experience up and down the roster to play a typically disciplined style of Predators hockey. It will be up to Pekka Rinne to do the heavy lifting once again, as at least in goal, Nashville will have an edge on the rest of the Central.



Buddy Oakes
 
I actually expect the Predators to have the best season in franchise history. If you look at the process of the transformation of the team since the lockout, with few exceptions they have progressed each year.

In 2010, the team should have gotten past Chicago and to a man, they realized that it was their own fault that they didn’t. Last year, after winning the first round, they were not ready for game one against Vancouver and that loss (plus Ryan Kesler’s best series ever) sent them home for the summer, but more lessons were learned.

If you look at the natural progression of the players that they have on the team headed into camp, they should more than adequately compensate for the players that left for higher salaries through free agency.

Patten Fuqua
 

The coming season is a mystery wrapped up in an enigma crossed with a riddle. While the Predators have lost several key players - notably Goc, Ward, Franson, O'Brien and Sullivan - they have not made any outside moves of much significance. While picking up Niclas Bergfors might have been the steal of the offseason, it appears that most of the players that departed will be replaced from within. Of course, we've been down this road before. The leading scorers are still around...and many people tend to forget that Sullivan and Goc were hurt for a large portion of the latter part of the season. Considering that, I expect the Predators to squeak into a 7th or 8th place playoff spot.

Amanda Dipaolo

The Predators are a team that continuously do a lot with a little. I expect no different this upcoming season. That said, for a team that prides itself on being predominately a home-grown team, I would hope some of the Predators youngsters step up to replace a Steve Sullivan or a J.P. Dumont, both one-time key players to the organization.

AJ

Ah, a pregnant question from the get-go! Well, what we expect and what get  from the Preds are often governed by one thing and one thing only: injuries. Last year's squad clearly out-kicked their coverage in making it into the playoffs, due to the inordinate number of injuries they sustained all season long. If they can repeat that ability to be resilient and overcome obstacles, I expect nothing less than another second round appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However this will be  a younger team from the start and that could have a major effect on their response to adversity. nonetheless I expect the experience the entire organization had from last season will give them an expectation for success like never before, and that too could be a huge dynamic in the team's performance

(The View claims no responibility for the paternity of the question)

Ryan Porth

The same we have seen over the last three or four years.  I am a believer in that playoff success one year doesn’t translate to regular season success the next.  In all likelihood, the Preds will be on the bubble all year, make a move at the trade deadline and barely survive the Western Conference to claim the 7 or 8 seed.  For the Preds to compete for the division crown, Pekka Rinne will have to perform like he did last year and every single forward will have to (a) be at their best and (b) stay healthy

Kris Martel

I think we’ll be pleasantly surprised this season. Nashville is essentially bringing the same players back this year as they had last season and they all know how close they were to going much further in the playoffs a few months ago. A bounce here or a bounce there and Nashville would have most likely dispatched Vancouver in the second round. Did they? No, but Nashville is definitely on the right track.

The youth that Nashville has in their organization mixed with the current veteran presence that is already established in the club makes the Predators one of those teams that could possibly have “all of their ducks in a row”, if you know what I mean. Are the Predators a Stanley Cup contender? I don’t believe so with their current lineup, however I feel that they are definitely a playoff contender and probably ONE single puzzle piece away from being that Cup contender.

Jim Diamond

I expect more of the same from the 2011-12 Predators as we have seen in recent seasons past. While the goaltending and defense will again be strong, this team will struggle to score goals and that will leave them fighting for one of the last couple of Western Conference playoff spots at the end of the season.

So there you have it. The view of this group is that the Predators can be anything from contending for a playoff spot to making a deep playoff run. I agree with the concensus that this team can make the playoffs. I do think Ryan has hit upon a key point, and that this team will have to stay healthy to be in playoff contention.

Up next in part 2 of our roundtable will be a discussion of whether or not the young guys are ready for prime time.

Remembering Karlis Skrastins

The hockey world was once again touched by tragedy as the plane carrying the Lokomotiv team of the KHL crashed upon takeoff in Yaroslavl in Russia. The loss of life is horrific, as friends, fathers, and loved ones were snatched away in this devasting accident.

One of those who lost his life was former Predators defenseman Karlis Skrastins. The following is a rememberance of Skrastins by Predators play by play announcer Pete Weber. Pete's poignant recollection needs no other words.


Remembering Karlis Skrastins (9/7/11)


By Pete Weber

This already has been an incredibly sad hockey off-season; the news early this morning (around 7 o’clock CT) of the plane crash into the Volga River, near Yaroslavl, Russia, marks this as hockey’s worst summer ever.


At least 43 have died as the result of the crash of the chartered YAK-42 passenger jet, carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team to Minsk, Belarus, where the season opener was scheduled for tomorrow night.

You would be familiar with the names of many of the victims: Coach Brad McCrimmon, forward Pavol Demitra, defenseman Ruslan Salei have been listed among them. Also listed are ex-Predators Josef Vasicek, defensemen Robert Dietrich and Karlis Skrastins. Vasicek spent part of the 2006-07 season with the Predators before being traded back to Carolina. Dietrich, a 2007 draft pick by the Predators, played two seasons (from 2008-2010) with the Milwaukee Admirals, then returned to Europe. He also represented Germany three times in the World Juniors and twice in the Senior World Championships.

Karlis Skrastins, with no disregard nor disrespect for the other victims, will be the focus here. Karlis was universally regarded as a top four defenseman during the course of his 12 full NHL seasons. Although recognized by Predators’ scouts as a good international prospect while playing for TPS Turku and in the World Championships in the spring of 1998, he was taken in the 9th round of that year’s draft, just weeks before his 24th birthday.

Yet, Karlis was the first member of the Predators’ first Entry Draft Class (which included David Legwand and Denis Arkhipov in the first and third rounds, respectively) to play an NHL game – as a matter of fact, he played two during the team’s first season, before Legwand was in the line-up for the final game that year. When Skrastins first put on a Predators’ uniform, there was an “h” at the end of his nameplate; because that’s the way his name is pronounced.

One of a considerable contingent of Latvian players to make the National Hockey League, Karlis was shy about interviews because of his initial difficulties with English – but he was always willing to cooperate. As many people adjusting to the language, he had difficulty with the “th” diphthong, and would substitute the “s” sound for it. As a result, he got the nickname “Sanks,” because he was always thanking coaches, staffers, and his teammates.

Personally, I will never forget his first trip to New York City in late January of 2000. The team bus pulled up in front of the hotel in Times Square, and as Karlis exited, I thought he was going to sprain his neck as he looked up in amazement at Times Square itself, along with the skyscrapers. He wasn’t in Riga any longer!


He was often partnered with Drake Berehowsky, later Mark Eaton and Richard Lintner, defensemen who had more offensive upside. That left Karlis to play the physical role in front of the net. He had the job of contending with players like Todd Bertuzzi (then of Vancouver). By that point in his career, Bertuzzi had perfected a pushing off move to separate himself from defensemen like Skrastins. One night at 501 Broadway, that move resulted in a cross-check to the face, a broken nose for Skrastins, a goal (and no penalty) for Bertuzzi. Skrastins just publicly accepted that as part of the game.

In all, Karlis played 302 games for the Predators, not missing a game in his last three seasons (2000 – 2003), beginning a streak of 495 consecutive games played, and the record for an NHL defenseman. Skrastins also played for Colorado (with whom his record streak ended), Florida, and the last two seasons with Dallas before deciding to sign with Yaroslavl.

Already today, Skrastins’ former teammate in Nashville and Florida, Washington Capitals’ goaltender Tomas Vokoun was reported distraught at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex this morning. Vokoun played parts of seven NHL seasons with Skrastins in front of him.

Perhaps Rene Fasel, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation, put it best in the aftermath of the crash. “This is the darkest day in the history of our sport. This is not only a Russian tragedy, the Lokomotiv roster included players and coaches from 10 nations," said Fasel, "This is a terrible tragedy for the global ice hockey community."

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s sentiments were similar: "Though it occurred thousands of miles away from our home arenas, this tragedy represents a catastrophic loss to the hockey world -- including the NHL family, which lost so many fathers, sons, teammates and friends who at one time excelled in our League. Our deepest condolences go to the families and loved ones of all who perished.”

All of this comes as we near the 10th Anniversary of the Attacks of 9-11-01 and on the heels of what the NHL has had to handle with the summertime deaths of Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien, and the Predators’ own Wade Belak. We can only hope – and feel – that this marks the end of the NHL’s most tragic summer.

NHLPA Video: Reaction to Wade Belak's Death

You can go here to view a video on the NHLPA site with player reaction around the NHL about the death of Wade Belak.

While the video doesn't shed any new light on the facts surrounding Belak's tragic death, it is worth noting the comments from players about the need for improved identification of and assistance for problems that players may have.  I would look for this to be brought up in the next CBA negotiation.

Also note the shot of the outside of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto at the 4:25 mark of the video. Toronto is where Wade spent the majority of his professional career.

A stick tap to my friend @dani3boyz who sent this video to me.