We hit the middle of the week with a host of Nashville Predators and NHL news for you, so settle in comfortably.

After the jump we've got a party scheduled downtown to watch the Preds as they play in Minnesota tonight, Barry Trotz showing up on a 10 Best Coaches list, and another heart-related episode for Toronto's Monster...

Predators News

Game Night and Flying Saucer Watch Party! - Paul McCann
There's no HockeyBuzz Radio tonight, but Paul is hosting a Predators Watch Party downtown at the Flying Saucer.

Once More Into the Breach... - Paul McCann
Paul also takes David Shoalts of the Globe & Mail out to the woodshed for some mis-characterizations in his article on the Preds from earlier this week. The facts, actually, indicate that the Preds are giving away far fewer free tickets.

Tight schedule keeps Predators busy - The Tennessean
A favorite topic this year, coaches complaining about the Olympic effect on the NHL schedule...

Around the NHL

The NHL's top defensive defencemen - From The Rink
Mirtle fires up his "Rod Langway Award" competition...

The top 10 NHL coaches of the past decade - Puck Daddy
Nashville's Barry Trotz deservedly makes this list.

U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame Inductees - KuklasKorner
Video highlights from the latest induction ceremony for the US Hockey Hall of Fame.

Howard turning the corner for Red Wings - Winging It In Motown
Is young Jimmy Howard the answer to Detroit's problems in goal?

Hits to head, Philadelphia Flyers' woes and the points system - ESPN
Pierre LeBrun answers his mail, and includes some kind words for Preds coach Barry Trotz.

If Wayne Gretzky Were A Central Banker … - Real Time Economics - WSJ
Not really hockey related, but this includes excerpts from a speech by the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, encouraging policymakers to think like Gretzky. I hope they understand that he meant the player, not the coach.

Rise in Canadian Dollar Has Positive Effect on N.H.L. - NYTimes.com
The New York Times digs into the impact that a rising Canadian dollar has on the league. Keep in mind, however, that currency swings can reverse quite quickly. In late 2007 the Loonie hit parity with the Greenback, and then later on ducked back down to 75 cents within a few months.

Irreverent Oiler Fans: A Brief Look Into the New Jersey Devils’ Official Shot Totals
Sunny Mehta advocates for better data collection by NHL official scorers; it's mind-numbing that a multi-billion dollar enterprise that relies so heavily on this data doesn't do a better job of standardizing how it gathers information.

Ovechkin gets 2 game suspension; next time, 'repeat offender’ - Puck Daddy
Does AO have some NHL "street cred" now that he's got a rap sheet?

Edmonton's Greatest Hockey Hero (and it's not who you think) - The Copper & Blue
Another great historical piece by Bruce McCurdy.

Today in Colorado Avalanche History - Mile High Hockey
One of my all-time favorite games to watch; the night the Red Wings lit up Patrick Roy, who then threw a hissy fit and demanded a trade out of Montreal as a result.

Revisiting The Summer’s Goaltending Decisions - Hockey Or Die!
Jonathan Willis looks at the free agent goalies from last summer, and how they're performing for their new teams.

LIGHTHOUSE PRIMER: POST-SUOZZI EDITION · islanderspointblank.com
The New York Islanders arena saga continues to drag on, but the kicker here is at the end of Chris Botta's piece. "Brooklyn is very much in play. Queens is very much in play, although it’s a close second to Brooklyn now."

Cox: Uncertainty clouds Gustavsson's future - thestar.com
"For the second time in less than three months, Jonas Gustavsson has been forced to seek emergency medical attention for his heart." Disturbing news from Toronto regarding the Monster.