My View

Random thoughts from a warped and fevered mind...


Many employees work for companies that provide a pension plan. The company contributes funds to the plan, which are then invested, and there is a promise of a payout to the employee upon completion of certain terms of service and at retirement. The liability for this type of retirement plan resides solely with the sponsoring company. They have to fund the plan each year according to an acturarial standard which proscribes the total amount of money that goes into the plan based on such factors as the number and ages of the participants. Additionally, the company is responsible if there is an investment shortfall, meaning that if investments don't perform as expected, they must fund the plan back to the acturarial standard. The best single indicator of a pension plan's health is what is called the "funding percentage". A plan with a funding percentage of 100% is fully funded and can meet their obligation to their retirees. A lower percentage means that the plan will have difficulty in meeting these obligations. Want to know a little secret? According to Moody's, every one of the 108 active pension plans in this country are underfunded and could collapse. The best funded pension plan is the Alaska Restaurant and Hotel Employees Pension Plan at 79% funding. This simply means that the best pension plan in the United States lacks 21% of the funds necessary to meet its obligations to its retirees. And this will be a very big problem for our country and for pension plan particpants.

They say that the most beautiful things in life can't be seen or touched. At least that is what my restraining order says.

So given that so many of the union pension funds are so severely underfunded and in financial trouble, is it any wonder that the unions are the loudest proponents of socialized medicine? Why, you might ask? The hope is that if Obamacare passes, pension particpants from the various unions can be moved under this program to lessen some of their financial liability. A good indicator of how important this is to the unions is the fact that Andy Stern, the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), has been practically living at the White House as the Obama adminstration has crafted their program for socialized medicine. And if you can plow through some of the verbiage in that proposal, you will see that there are numerous concessions made to the unions and their members. Oh, by the way, the SEIU pension is underfunded by 35%, according to Moody's. Always follow the money, good people.

I practice "safe lunch". I use a condiment.

Non-farm payrolls fell for the 25th time in the past 26 months, as February saw another 36,000 jobs lost. The stated unemployment rate is 9.7%. When you factor in the under-employed and those that were employed and have now stopped looking for work, our real rate of unemployment in the U.S. is closer to 17%. The unemployment problem is not intractable but at the same time, there are no easy solutions. Until businesses get a sense of what Washington is going to do with tax policy and other legislative initiatives such as socialized medicine, they will not be hiring in great numbers. Stimulus programs are superficial, akin to putting a band-aid on a severed artery. This country must address the structural causes of unemployment and address those effectively for this economy to get moving. Lower taxes; removing unnecessary regulatory costs of doing business; and a consistent free trade policy are some of the basic steps necessary that will allow companies to have the confidence to begin hiring again.

I was once arrested for assault at a toy store. Battery not included.

And that, my friends, is my view.

Predators Knock Down the Kings 4-2

Sometimes, it is the little things that make a difference in a game. In a tight playoff race, little things become big things. Tonight, the Predators did the little things well and the result was a 4-2 victory over the L.A. Kings, a team that had won 11 of their last 13 games.

The Predators consistently won battles along the wall. They aggressively forechecked all night. They controlled play in the neutral zone and stymied L.A. at the blue line. Little things that don't show up in the score sheet, but can swing the tide of a game.

Once again, the Predators found themselves in an early hole as they lost a defensive zone draw. Alexander Frolov controlled the puck, split two defenders, and beat Pekka Rinne with a backhand. An inauspicious start against a team that, like the Predators, is battling for a playoff spot. A start that could dictate the momentum of the game. A little thing like winning a draw and the result is a score for the opposition.

However, a little thing would bite the Kings. Goalie Jonathan Quick went behind the net to handle a simple dump in, and in the process of routing the puck back to his defenseman, completely missed him. J.P. Dumont was cruising in, following the play, and gathered in the misplayed puck and fired it into the open net. A little thing that turned out to be huge. A little thing that swung momentum back to the Predators.

Tied at one after the intermission, the Predators started to dominate. They outshot the Kings in the second period 15-4. They controlled play in the neutral zone. They won puck battles. And they little things that the Preds did well started to wear down the potent Kings squad.

After three rather impotent power plays, the Predators finally converted. With Wayne Simmonds in the box for hooking, Jason Arnott rifled a shot over the glove hand of Quick and into a small area short side top corner. A goal scorers goal by a player that has to start scoring more goals. This was Arnott's second goal in as many games, and it is good to see the big guy start to tally some points.

The third period began with the Predators holding the one goal lead, but that would change just 2:30 into the period. Marcel Goc took a pass from Marty Erat, and rather than attempt a weak backhand, moved the puck to his forehand a fired a shot over the shoulder of Quick from the low slot. The little thing that Goc did- showing patience in a scoring area- resulted in the Predators extending their lead to two goals.

The Kings converted a 4 on 3 power play four minutes later to make it a 3-2 game. Drew Doughty was able to get the puck past Rinne, and Predator fans knew that the Kings were going to turn up the intesnity in the remaining 14 minutes of the contest.

The Predators refused to wilt and stayed the course with their game. The forecheck was relentless tonight, a L.A. was rarely able to enter the neutral zone with speed. The Predators won puck battles and kept the puck deep in the L.A. zone. Little things that don't show up on the score sheet, but little things that can decide the outcome of a game.

Jerred Smithson iced the game with an empty netter with :54 seconds remaining, and the Predators secured another win and two precious points.With this win, they now have 75 points and sit firmly in the 7th spot in the Western Conference playoff race.

Little things that decide the outcome of the game, like the top line of Arnott, Dumont, and Sullivan not only scoring but playing solid two way hockey. They played with jump tonight. They controlled the puck. They showed they could still be a dangerous line. Little things that make a huge difference.

Little things like all four lines playing solid offense and defense. Winning puck battles; being strong on the walls; relentlessly forechecking and frustrating the Kings offense. Little things that don't get much notice, but build to a huge win.

For the Predators to continue winning and solidifying a playoff spot, they will have to continue to do the little things well. They will have to continue to play this way every time they step on the ice.

This team is not flashy or fancy. Never have been. But when they do the little things well, like they did tonight, they can capture more huge wins.

Big victories are built on little things. Keep doing the little things well, like you did tonight, and you will pile up a lot of big wins.

Predators Trade Day Post Mortem

The Nashville Predators added two players after the Olympic break to bolster the roster for a run at playoff positioning. Defenseman Dennis Grebeshkov was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers and forward Dustin Boyd was acquired from Calgary.

Grebeshkov was acquired for second round draft pick while the Predators gave up a fourth round pick for Boyd.

Predator fans had hoped for a bigger splash from General Manager David Poile, especially after the acquisition of Grebeshkov on Monday. Many surmised that this was the trade necessary for the Predators to market D-man Dan Hamhus, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The hope was that Hamhuis could be marketed for additional scoring up front.

Apparently, Hamhuis was shopped by the Predators, with Poile entertaining as many as ten offers during the course of the day on Wednesday. The offers for Hamhuis were not sufficient to induce a trade, and he remains on the roster and in the defensive mix as one of the top four defensemen.

Poile stated that he would attempt to assemble the best roster for the push to the playoffs and that Hamhuis was a known commodity that will continue to contribute to the playoff effort.

It remains to be seen whether a contract can be negotiated with Hamhuis after the season, but he has stated that he likes being in Nashville and would like to remain with the Predators.

The other Predator that was rumored to be on the trading block was goalie Dan Ellis. With the signing of goalie Pekka Rinne to a two year, $6 million contract, many assumed that Ellis would be on his way out. Ellis had gone as far as to say that he wanted to be a number one goalie and did not expect to remain with the Predators.

While much speculation swirled as to the fate of Ellis, the Predators chose to retain a very capable goalie that can step in and give the team quality starts. With the compressed schedule and the Predators playing 17 games in the month of March, it is critical that the team have two goalies that give them an opportunity to win each night. While the Predators risk losing Ellis to free agency in the off season, the risk of playing numerous games without a proven number two goalie was far greater for this team.

So what do the acquisitions of Grebeshkov and Boyd bring to this team?

Grebeshkov has played one game for the predators, and the first impression that he made was excellent. Playing against his former team, the Oilers, he contributed a goal and an assist and looked very steady on the ice. He was paired with Francis Buillon on the third D pairing, and the two exhibited good chemistry for the first time on the ice together.

Perhaps more importantly for the Predators, he brings a quality, veteran presence to the blue line. With Cody Franson still out of the lineup with broken rib, Grebeshkov will be called upon to log some quality minutes.

This will also allow the Predators the luxury of not rushing rookie Alexander Sulzer into playing critical minutes during this stretch run. In fact, the presence of Grebeshkov has allowed the Predators to send Franson down to Milwaukee for conditioning and playing time. Sulzer has also been reassigned to Milwaukee where he will get more minutes than he would with the Predators.

The acquisition of Boyd is a bit more of an unknown for the Predators. He languished in Calgary, where he spent much of his time on the third and fourth line and never really developed his game. Boyd is a versatile forward who can play any position up front and contribute quality minutes on the PK. He has 8 goals and 11 assists in 60 games for the Flames this season.

The Predators have a need for additional scoring, and Boyd is not the name that many Predator fans wanted to see coming to the team. However, Boyd can contribute solid minutes, and depending upon his position in the lineup, could blossom into a quality secondary scorer for the team.

The book on Boyd is that he needs an opportunity to develop his game, and the Predators are a team that can provide that opportunity. While not a headline acquisition, Boyd could prove to be valuable to this team.

The Predators made a run at Alexei Ponikorovski of Toronto, but failed to swing a deal. The fact that this team did not take draft picks for potential trades is indicative of the confidence that management and the coaching staff has in the players they are putting on the ice every night.

It is now up to those players to prove that confidence is justified.

The Predators have the pieces to make a strong run for playoff positioning. Proven veterans like Jason Arnott, Steve Sullivan, J.P. Dumont, Marty Erat, and David Legwand have to produce consistently for this team to be successful. They have twenty games to show that this confidence is well placed.

Two new players to be integrated into the lineup, additions that should add depth and quality to the lineup.

Twenty games to show that they can contribute and be productive.

Twenty games to prove that the judgment of General Manager David Poile is right.

It will be an interesting twenty games.

Predators Slide Past the Oilers

The final push to the playoffs started tonight in the newly christened Bridgestone Arena as the Nashville Predators eked out a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers. On paper, the Predators should have dominated this game. However, this game is played on ice, and the Predators were fortunate to escape with a win.

Once again, the Predators had to dig themselves out of a hole, as the Oilers opened the scoring with Mike Comrie (Mr. Hillary Duff) finished off a 3 on 1 break by swatting in a rebound past Pekka Rinne. Rinne was able to make the initial stop on a shot by Shawn Horcoff, but was unable to control the rebound. Comrie, alone at the side of the net, knocked the puck home past a sprawling Rinne, who had no chance on the goal.

The Preds tied the score as Colin Wilson gathered in a puck in the slot and fired a puck past Jeff Deslauriers. Jordin Tootoo was in front screening, and Deslauriers appeared not to even see the puck. The tally was Wilson's third goal of the season, and the young forward seems to be settling in to a full time NHL role. Newly acquired Dennis Grebeshkov, fresh from the Oilers, was credited with the assist on Wilson's goal.

Grebeshkov made his presence felt just over two minute later when he corralled a puck at the blue line and waited until traffic got in front of Deslauriers. His shot from the blueline went past the screened goaltender to give the Predators a 2-1 advantage that they would carry in to the first intermission. Good acquisition, Mr. Poile.

Gilbert Brule tied the game at two 11:53 into the second period as he redirected a shot by Theo Peckham past Rinne. Although the Predators had controlled much of the play, the pesky Oilers continued to hang around.

Shea Weber rocketed a blast past Deslauriers with Patric Hornqvist screening in front at 15:12 of the second period to give the Predators a 3-2 lead. It was obvious that Deslauriers was having difficulty with the Predators parked at the top of the crease. Hornqvist, Tootoo, and Joel Ward did a great job tonight creating traffic in front of the net.

Unfortunately for the Predators, they could not maintain a lead as Marc Pouliot tied the game at 2:54 of the third on a shot that Rinne should have been able to stop. Predator fans had an uneasy feeling about this game as a team that the Predators should dominate kept putting pressure on the home team. A game that the Predators needed to bolster their playoff hopes hung in the balance.

Jason Arnott gave the Predators the lead for good when he drove hard to the net and shoveled the puck at the goal. Deslauriers made the initial stop, but in attempting to control the rebound, kicked it into the goal with his skate. A flukey goal, but a goal that the Predators would welcome. A goal that would provide the final margin of victory.

This win was not pretty by any stretch, but it was a win. A game that hung in the balance until the third period. A game that would have been easy to wind up on the wrong end of the score. A game that the Predators battled until the end to come away with the win.

As the team faces a busy March, it is going to be important for this team to continue to battle, to compete for each point that is on the ice. Tonight they competed. Yes, there are things that this team has to do better. The big players have to step up. Arnott needs to heat up. Sullivan and Dumont have to start producing consistently.

Shots must be taken when there is an opportunity. In his post game remarks, Head Coach Barry Trotz mentioned that players were continuing to pass up shots in an attempt to make an extra pass. Shoot the puck, boys. Good things happen when you do.

This team, however, continues to find ways to win. The month of March is going to be a grind, with 17 games in 30 days. Time to dig deep, boys. Everyone has to contribute. Time to go all in.

Tonight, you slid past a team that is struggling. The competition is going to get tougher, the points harder to amass. No more sliding.


It's time to go all in.

Freeman Steps Down as Chairman of the Predators

David Freeman announced today via a letter from his attorney that he is stepping down as the Chairman of the Nashville Predators. The letter was delivered to the Nashville Sports Authority mid-morning by Freeman's counsel, J. Allen Roberts of the firm Wyatt, Tarrant, and Combs.

At first blush, this appears to be bad news for the Predators and the ownership group. However, further examination of this action by Freeman is both practical and prudent on his part.

The point of contention between the Sports Authority and David Freeman is whether he is in default on his personal guaranty to the City because of an unresolved tax lien placed on Freeman for his 2007 taxes. Freeman signed the guarantee to the City in August of 2008, and according to his attorney, was not in default at the time of the execution because the IRS had not disputed his 2007 tax filing.

Because of the subsequent dispute with the IRS and their filing of a lien on his personal property for $3.3 million, the Sports Authority is now attempting to to claim there was an "immediate breach" of the guaranty. This fact is disputed by Freeman's attorney, and common sense would side with this position. How would Freeman, or anyone, know they were in a breach or violation of the terms of the guaranty if the IRS had not filed their lien, which was not filed until 2009?

Freeman has publicly stated that there is a dispute with the IRS, and without providing specific details, has intimated that it is related to his business dealings with convicted felon William "Boots" Del Biaggio and his (Del Biaggio's) financial investment in the team. Freeman has also said that he has deposited a substantial portion of the disputed amount with the IRS and is awaiting a hearing with the IRS to resolve the matter.

There are two salient points here. The first is that Freeman is exercising his rights under the tax code for a hearing and a ruling on this matter. Every taxpayer in this country, including those members of the Sports Authority, have a right to do so. These disputes arise from legitimate disagreements over interpretations of the tax code, and during the course of resolving these disagreements, the IRS will oftentimes file a lien on the assets of the party involved to protect their interests. Regardless of the filing of the lien, there is recourse for a taxpayer to resolve a dispute.

Freeman has deposited a substantial portion of the disputed amount into an account with the IRS. This is evidence not only of his good faith efforts to comply with the tax code but of his ABILITY to pay the amount in question. Don't lose sight of that fact.

The second critical point here is that the Nashville Sports Authority is asking Freeman to give up his rights as a taxpayer to resolve this dispute. The Sports Authority has demanded that Freeman pay the full amount of the taxes to the IRS. Freeman has refused, saying that he is not going to waive his right to a hearing.

So I would ask any member of the Sports Authority, would YOU waive your right to a hearing- essentially give up- if you were in a dispute with the IRS? How about it, Chairman Bodenhamer? Rusty Lawrence? What's that? No? I didn't think so.

In his letter to the Sports Authority, attorney Roberts states that many of the issues between the Sports Authority and Freeman seem to driven "as much by politics and media relations as by legal issues..." Furthermore, he goes on to state "Mr. Freeman respectfully declines to waive his right to await a ruling from the IRS or set a deadline for a process that he does not control."

Good for you, David Freeman.

And shame on you, Nashville Sports Authority. By your actions, you are fast becoming an embarassment to the City of Nashville.

I understand that the Sports Authority is charged with, among other things, protecting the interests of the taxpayers that have financed the Bridgestone Arena and LP Field. That is understood and appreciated. The stance taken with David Freeman, however, has bordered on the absurd. As his counsel has stated, he does not control the process with the IRS, and is therefore unable to meet an arbitrary deadline. And to ask him to waive his rights in a dispute with the IRS involving substantial amounts of money is ludicrous.

The relationship the Sports Authority has with Freeman, and by extension, the Predators, would lead a reasoned person to ask what is the end game for the Sports Authority? This team is growing deep roots in the city, and they are an exceptional business enterprise and corporate citizen. No hint of this team relocating exisits (hear that, Rusty?), and yet they are treated as if they are a pariah.

Local business people stepped up and pledged personal wealth to keep a valuable asset here for the good of this city. To be treated this way is an affront to the partners in this endeavor and to the citizens of the city who have entrusted you to excercise judgment and wisdom in running the Sports Authority.

The actions of the Sports Authority are petty, and they are uncalled for. These actions and demands are not protecting the taxpayers. In fact, I dare say the taxpayers of Davidson County might be more than a little bit perturbed with an empty arena sitting at 501 Broadway rather than with the viable tenant that presently occupies that facility. It is time for the Sports Authority to act with responsibilty and reasonableness and stop behaving like children.

David Freeman had the courage to invest significant personal wealth into a valuable asset for the city of Nashville. He had the courage and the ability to assemble a group of individuals that not only believed in the Predators but in the vibrancy of Nashville. He has been rewarded with a slap in the face by the Sports Authority.


David Freeman is not out of the ownership group and he still has considerable personal wealth at stake in the Predators. He is, however, removing himself as a lightning rod for the Sports Authority so that his situation does not cloud the ownership group's relationship with the city.

So now let's see how the Sports Authority deals with the owners and the team. Will they deal in facts, or will they continue to be driven by politics and media relations?

A Look at a Potential Trade

It’s time for hockey’s silly season to begin- that period of time just before the trade deadline where rumors run rampant and GM’s run amok. This year hockey fans get the march to the trade deadline in two doses. First was a flurry of activity that occurred leading up to the roster freeze for the Olympics. The second period will be from the end of the Olympics on the 28th of February until 3:00 March 3rd. In the interim, GM’s have an opportunity to stew over their roster and discuss particular roster moves with their coaches and other potential trading partners.

With the signing of Pekka Rinne to a new two year contract, the Predators have two very marketable unrestricted free agents that could draw interest from other teams: goaltender Dan Ellis and defenseman Dan Hamhuis. In particular, Hamhuis has been a player about which the rumor mill has been buzzing. Teams that need help now on the blue line are looking for players that they can plug into the lineup for their push to the playoffs.

Hamhuis is a player that could be very marketable for the Predators, who could chose to give up the defenseman for scoring or bring in another defenseman that is under contract. I think the second scenario occurs if the Predators sense that Hamhuis is going to test the free agent waters and they risk losing him. The first scenario is one that many Predator fans covet, a consistent scoring threat up front to complement our existing forwards.

So if Hamhuis is on the market, what would an acquiring team get? Hamhuis was the 12th overall pick of the 2001 entry draft, and his first full season with the Predators was the 2003-04 season. Here are “Hammer’s” stats since he has been with the Predators:


2003-04  80 GP   7G 19A   26 PTS   22:08 ATOI   +/- -12

2005-06  82 GP   7G 31A   38 PTS   22:34 ATOI   +/- +11

2006-07  81 GP   6G 14A   20 PTS   21:20 ATOI   +/- +8

2007-08  80 GP   4G 23A   27PTS    22:44 ATOI   +/- -4

2008-09  82GP    3G 23A   26 PTS   22:50 ATOI   +/- -4

2009-10  57GP    4G 12A    16PTS   21:07 ATOI   +/- +2


Looking at his career in the NHL, one sees a durable, steady defenseman. He is not going to light up the scoreboard with goals, but he moves the puck well and is able to distribute the puck in the offensive zone. Recently, Hammer’s power play time has become non-existent as the team has gone with four forwards and one defenseman on the power play unit. He has solidified his position on the number two D pairing for the past several years, and although in the shadow of his more notable blueliners Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, has played some quality minutes for the Predators.

Hammer is not without flaws. He has been prone over his career to the occasional and sometimes egregious turnover that leads to a quality scoring chance for the other team. Although this season he is a +2 in the 57 games he has played, he has struggled at times with his defensive partner. Breakdowns with this pair have cost the Predators some goals as coverage lapses when Hammer is on the ice have oftentimes left opposing forwards alone in front of the net.

One of the teams that is rumored to have interest in Hammer is the Boston Bruins. Since this is a team that Predator fans see only on occasion, I have asked C.J. Shepard, a good friend and fellow writer at Hockey Independent, to give us a scouting report on players from the B’s that could potentially come back to the Predators were a trade to happen. Remember, dear readers, this is purely speculation, both about Hammer being traded and Bruins coming back to the Preds, but it is instructive to see what potentially could occur if Peter Chiarelli and David Poile have been talking over the Olympic break. Here is CJ's take:

"From Beantown there are a couple of options at forward that the Bruins might consider packaging. Depending on how much GM Peter Chiarelli covets “Hammer” the options are varied. The Bruins have struggled to score goals, and if the Preds want a forward under contract, with a sniper’s touch the primary candidate would be Michael Ryder. Ryder was a reclaimation project, having worked his way solidly into Bob Gainey’s doghouse with the Canadiens. He came to Boston a year ago, and united with former coach Claude Julien finished the season tied for the NHL lead with 7 GWG’s. Ryder’s 27 goals and 26 assists (also +/- plus 27) were in part due to a dynamic chemistry with linemates David Krejci and Blake Wheeler. Ryder does not create his own goal scoring opportunities, and is recognized as a streaky scorer. He was, no doubt, acquired by the Bruins to compliment top playmaker Marc Savard, however in two seasons no spark between the two has been created. Ryder has a quick release, and loves to snipe the top shelf. The Bruins openly discussed moving Ryder before the Olympic break, and he responded with a multi-goal game.


Last season the Bruins made a deal for Mark Recchi, parting with two prospects (Matt Lashoff and Martin Karsums), as Chiarelli said his trade philosophy was to move players who could not crack the line-up, but would benefit from a new start in another organization. If he stays with that mindset then speedy forward Vlad Sobotka could be on his way to Smashville. Sobotka earned a bit of a cult following after bursting on the scene in the playoffs two years ago when rookie Phil Kessel was benched due to his uninspired play. Sobotka came up big with a couple of goals in that series, created by his dangerous speed and his willingness to throw the body and crash the net. Sobotka’s natural position is center and with injuries to Bruins forwards, in particular Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron this season, Sobotka did get another look, but is appears frustrated by Coach Julien’s defense first system and line juggling. Sobotka is a fearless player, and his speed is most certainly his biggest asset however he is not a sniper – but scores goals from the dirty areas and is a threat on the forecheck.

Sobotka will be a RFA at the end of the season, as will be Bruins forward Blake Wheeler. Wheeler had a breakout rookie season in 08-09 21 G, 24A and a staggering +/- PLUS 36. Wheeler did fade at the end of last season, and struggled in the playoffs, and seemed to be mired in a bit of a sophomore slump until the Bruins acquired Miro Satan. Message received by the young winger who scored a highlight reel 1v4 shorthanded goal versus the Blues last season. In 60 games this season Wheeler has 13 goals and 18 assists, among the Bruins leaders in points. Wheeler is a bit ahead of schedule, many expected him to start last season with the Providence Bruins in the AHL, but he made the big club right out of camp. Wheeler has also been a valuable penalty killer for the Bruins, often paired with linemate David Krejci. The only question with Wheeler is his lack of physical play, despite his size. Sobotka plays much bigger than he is and is an agitator. Wheeler is still learning to use his body and while he absorbs hits and generally protects the puck well along the wall, he does not initiate contact consistently.

Those would be the forwards that in my mind are most likely to be moved in exchange for Dan Hamhius. Given the Bruins are thin on the blue line I can not imagine they would move a d-man, but Dennis Wideman’s struggles might make him a candidate. Wideman could use a change in scenery as the Garden faithful are not enamored with the puck moving d-man’s admission of lack of focus, and resulting sloppy play. A year ago Wideman score 13 goals and added 37 helpers, so perhaps adding a defenseman who has the ability to provide punch from the blueline might be of some appeal for the Preds. Dark horse d-man to be dealt in a swap for Hamhius on the blueline would be Derek Morris. Morris has not provided the punch on the powerplay that was advertised, but while he was never billed as a stay at home defenseman, he has been serviceable in that role. I could see Morris included with a player like Sobotka in exchange for Hamhius and perhaps a pick/prospect.


The Bruins are known for their conservatism, especially at the trade deadline. Most believe they have the pieces necessary to have a strong end run this season, if players are healthy and performing to their level of expectation. Neither circumstance was at play in the first 60 games, the Bruins suffered injuries to Marc Savard, Marco Sturm, Steve Begin, Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, Mark Stuart, and Andrew Ference causing all to miss long stretches in the first 2/3 of the season. Unfortunately many others struggled to perform well in the wake of those injuries, and the team chemistry that was so apparent last season has been notably absent. So while I expect the Bruins to make a deal, I expect it will be a subtle but critical move, much like the addition of Mark Recchi last season.

If there is a deal to be done between the Bruins and the Preds the added plus is that both teams play a hardnosed style and players moved will likely adapt and make an impact quickly."

So, Pred's fans. What do you think? Are the players mentioned they type of players this team needs? And are they a good return for Hamhuis?
 
Again, this is purely a speculative post, but it is interesting to get the perspective of someone on the Bruins side of any potential trade.
 
My thanks to my friend and colleague, C. J. Shepard, for her contribution to this post and her insight.

Hockey Tonk in Smashville

The Nashville Predators held their annual gala to raise funds for the Predators Foundation at the Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night. The theme of this year's gala was "Hockey Tonk" and players, coaches, and guests were dressed in their finest western regalia to enjoy good fellowship and food for a wonderful organization. We in Nashville are fortunate to have a team that places such a high priority on community involvement and the betterment of life. This year, according to Jack Diller, the President of the Foundation, over $300,000 will be distributed to various charitable enterprises in Middle Tennessee.

Here are some photos from the event:

Pete and Claudia Weber with the View

J.P. Dumont and the missus, Laura

Dan Hamhuis, Jordin Tootoo, Peggy and Mark Blake at the blackjack table

With assistant coach Peter Horachek and his wife, Stacy. Notice the pistols that Coach Horachek has. Fortunately, no shots were fired during the course of the event.

Coach Horachek along with Sheila and Terry Crisp.

Predators video coach Robert Bouchard. Bouch is from Montreal. He and J.P. Dumont are the first French Canadian cowboys I have ever met.

The ladies on the floor of the Arena during the event

Wade Belak and the View. We threw down shortly after the picture was taken. (uh, not really)

Predators forward Joel Ward was our guest at our table. A genuinely friendly and down to earth guy.

Scott and Kristie Roland with Joel

Predators play by play announcer Pete Weber and his wife Claudia. Notice the lasso I have with me. I used it on several occasions to rope my wife away from bidding on too many silent auction items.

With Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz. Trotzy always gets into the spirit of these events.

All of the Predator players were there with the exception of the Olympic athletes. All of them are very personable and gracious. Here, forward Ryan Jones is with Kristie and Scott Roland.