Wednesday woes: Chaos in Phoenix as Reinsdorf pulls out, NHL steps in

Things just get curiouser and curiouser in Phoenix, as the battle for the Coyotes took an unexpected turn yesterday. In Preds news, it's all about the young guys today - we've got profiles of the prospects, along with info about the early games in training camp between Atlanta and Nashville's kids, if you're up for making a short road trip. All this and more, after the jump!

Predators News

Thrashers/Predators Prospect Games - Atlanta Thrashers
Interested in traveling to Atlanta to see the Prospect Games between the Predators and Thrashers on Sept. 14 and 15? The games are at the Thrashers' practice facility, and tickets cost $10, with proceeds to help establish a scholarship for a local youth hockey player.

Best of the West #6: Zach Budish, Minnesota - Western College Hockey Blog
SB Nation's college hockey blog profiles Nashville's 2nd round pick, and discusses where he'll fit within the Minnesota Golden Gophers squad this winter.

Predators Top 20 prospects, Fall 2009 - Hockey's Future
Well-known Calgary blogger Kent Wilson takes a look at Nashville's development pipeline, with a solid assessment of how things look for the Preds' future. I'm not sure that I'd keep Ryan Jones and Alexander Sulzer on the prospect list since they have new, one-way NHL contracts, but it's a very good read.

Around the NHL

Reinsdorf drops Coyotes bid as NHL seeks to buy team - AZCentral.com
At close to the 11th hour, Jerry Reinsdorf backs out of his bid to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. On a side note, how does AZCentral.com not even have a link for Coyotes news on the front page? They list the other professional and college teams, but not the Yotes. Sad.

NHL files bid to buy Coyotes - The Globe and Mail
Is Gary Bettman playing his trump card? With Reinsdorf out, the NHL is offering to buy the team, so that they can eventually resell it to a party they approve of, outside of the bankruptcy process.

Chatting with Nikita Filatov about KHL offers, helping the Blue Jackets and his cherished letter from Gary Bettman - Puck Daddy
Dmitri Chesnokov translates a SovSport interview with someone Preds fans should keep an eye out for; many are projecting Nikita Filatov as a major difference-maker for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season.

Potential 2010 No. 1 Draft Pick in Russian Hockey Kerfuffle - Slap Shot Blog
In the latest round of the NHL/KHL wars, teenage sensation Kirill Kabanov doesn't want to sign a contract with Salavat Yulaev (yes, Alexander Radulov's team). KHL head Alexander Medvedev is open to the idea... as long as he gets a fat check first: "There are no insurmountable barriers to playing hockey in the N.H.L. or any other league," he said, "but certain conditions must be met — in this case, the payment of compensation."

Rip 'A' off Heatley's chest - Don Brennan, Ottawa Sun
One columnist offers some heated advice to Bryan Murray as to how he should handle malcontent Dany Heatley. When, exactly, should the Sens strip Heatley of his "A"? "it should immediately be done in the aftermath of what had to be the first press conference, controlled or otherwise, held by a guy who calls himself a "team player" to tell the world he wants to be traded because the team isn’t playing him as much as he would like." Can't argue much with that!

The mood on Balsillie - From The Rink
Mark from The View From 111 gets a check from James Mirtle on the public perception of Jim Balsillie up in Canada given the ongoing drama in Phoenix.