Thursday's notes: Preds getting silly
by Dirk Hoag on Oct 7, 2010 10:29 AM EDT
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PrintAre you ready, folks? At long last, hockey season opens today, with an 11:00 a.m. Central opening game between Carolina and Minnesota over in Helsinki, Finland.
Follow after the jump for all the news to kick off your season, along with a pair of hilarious radio segments featuring some of your favorite Preds...
Celebrate the start of hockey season, and use this special offer to save money on Nashville Predators tickets.
Nashville Predators News
60 Silly Seconds with Ryan Suter - Woody & Jim on 107.5 The River
Woody and Jim of 107.5 The River get Ryan Suter to open up about the name he gives to his hockey stick, and where he keeps his Olympic medal.
60 Silly Seconds with Kevin Klein and Steve Sullivan
Who is the stinkiest player in the post-game locker room? Another great segment here. Woody & Jim get huge marks for steering clear of the cliches and busting these guys wide open, and as they continue these segments (they had one this morning with Shea Weber & Joel Ward at 8:30), they've been giving away Predators tickets, so give 'em a listen.
Preds On The Glass: "Summer Sucks, Drop the Puck" Season Ends Today and Thursday Thoughts
Buddy's ready for the opening faceoff...
Preds On The Glass: POTG Western Conference Predictions
Buddy sees some real upheaval coming in the Pacific Division.
Paul McCann - Prediction Time!
Paul likes the L.A. Kings to take over the Pacific Division.
Nashville Expectations Never Higher As Puck Drops On 2010-11 Season - Predlines
I understand the enthusiasm, but "never higher"? That 2006-7 team was a recognized contender right from the start.
The View from 111: SOB! Predators Add Gritty Defenseman
Mark digs the addition of a big thumper on the blueline.
Nashville Predators preview " The Ryan Coke Experience
14th in the West? Really? I have no idea who this guy is, but yeesh.
Hockey Night in Nashville: Radulov, Game 1, and Random Notes
Robby reflects on Alexander Radulov, and looks ahead to Saturday night's opener.
Predators make final, 'difficult' decisions, set roster for Saturday's season-opener | Nashville City Paper
Barry Trotz sounds confident that the current lineup has enough depth to withstand the inevitable injury issues that crop up over the course of a long season.
A pair of Predator prospects to play in Ice Breaker Tournament this weekend - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond brings word of two collegiate prospects getting ready for action in St. Louis.
Nashville Predators center hopes to stay put - The Tennessean
Josh does the dead-tree version of Chris' post yesterday about Cal O'Reilly's opportunity this year.
2010 BEST OF NASHVILLE READER'S POLL - Nashville Scene
Shea Weber won "Best Predators Player" in the annual reader poll.
Around the NHL
NHL, Spider-Man creator Stan Lee join on new superheroes project - NHL.com
This is interesting... Stan Lee is going to be involved in developing a superhero tied to each NHL team. I told my 7 & 8 year-old sons about it this morning, and they got all excited thinking about various options.
5 years of playoff parity in the NHL - CBC.ca
Nashville comes in #5 on the list of post-lockout points leaders, right behind another small-market team with front office stability, the Buffalo Sabres.
Blackhawks remain atop 2010-11 Central Division preview - SI.com
Allan Muir's preview is another that has St. Louis passing the Preds. Methinks that's a rivalry we'll need to keep an eye on this season...
Meet the 2010-11 St. Louis Blues - NHLHotStove.com
Go through this roster and ask yourself... really? What's everybody getting so excited about?
Expect the first season of Hall, Paajarvi and Eberle to be "a very complicated and painful process." - Cult of Hockey
Some exciting kids will take the ice in Edmonton this season, it'll just take some time before they develop into a solid team.
Sheldon Souray to Hershey | Off Wing Opinion
Edmonton has loaned high-priced defenseman Sheldon Souray to the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. No, this doesn't mean he's Caps property, it's just good business for the Oilers, writes Eric McErlain.
3 Legitimate Scoring Lines - Fear The Fin
Interesting stuff in San Jose, where the Heatley-Thornton-Marleau line will be broken up for now.
A big year for Ron Wilson - The Globe and Mail
How long will Ron Wilson have to turn things around in Toronto? Not much longer, I would think...
Working Out With Jesse Demers: Part One | Islesblogger
A nifty look behind the scenes at what the players go through. This is exactly what I need!
To keep up with all of our coverage of the Nashville Predators, you can subscribe to the RSS feed, follow us on Twitter (@Forechecker, @predatweeter, @SLakePreds & @Short_Shifts) or catch the site on Facebook (now at www.facebook.com/OnTheForecheck). You can also email me at the.forechecker@gmail.com.
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My friend back in MN
Is a Sabres fan. I have to say, I like that team too – built on a lot of the same philosophy. There unis are some of the best in the league too now.
Nashville Predators preview " The Ryan Coke Experience
14th in the West? Really? I have no idea who this guy is, but yeesh.
Why do you care what this guy thinks? He confuses your team with the Coyotes, get’s his trades confused, and doesn’t know the difference between “approved” and “improved”.
If we don't get our sauce, we ain't watching the game!
...
Okay, so I’m getting a little weary of hearing how good the Blues are going to be. Let’s take a look at this:
Perron-Backes-Boyes vs. Erat – Lombardi – Wilson
Now, we don’t know what kind of jump Wilson will make or how Lombardi will do – but I’m inclined to believe both players will be in the 50 point range. Edge: push.
McDonald-Berglund-Oshie vs. Hornqvist-O’Reilly-Sullivan
The wild card is obviously O’Reilly, but Sullivan is good for 50-60 and there’s no reason to believe Hornqvist doesn’t score 40. McDonald is aging quick and Oshie’s not a dominant offensive player. Edge: Nashville.
Steen-McClement-Crombeen vs. Dumont-Legwand-Ward
Not even close. Edge: Nashville.
Winchester-D’Agostini-Janssen vs. Smithson-Goc-Tootoo
Bit of a wash but Goc’s 30 point year + no enforcer puts Nashville on top here. Edge: Nashville
Jackman/Johnson vs. Weber/Suter
There’s only one pairing in the league today that can keep up with Batman and Robin and its in Chicago, not St. Louis. Edge: Nashville by a mile.
Brewer-Polak vs. Bouillon/Klein
Klein’s a hard one to peg since he spent most of last year with Hamhuis, while Roman Polak is one of the league’s better shutdown D. Edge: St. Louis
Colaiacovo-Pietrangelo vs. Franson/O’Brien
A rookie and a power play specialist against…a power play specialist and a glorified thug. O’Brien tilts this one in our favor. Edge: Nashville
Pekka Rinne vs. Jaroslav Halak:
People tout Halak’s performance in last year’s playoffs, and there’s no doubt he was very good – but Rinne was equal or better in 4 games against Chicago. Halak has had one good year; Pekka two. Edge: Nashville
Okay, so I wrote a bit of a book – but I think its crazy to think STL will finish ahead of the Preds. You?
Not really. I want him to play – but who are you (and more importantly Trotz) going to scratch? Not Smithson, that’ll kill your FO% and PK. Not Goc, same problem. Probably not Tootoo, too many intangibles.
by Chris Burton on Oct 7, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I would too, depending on SK’s play because Kostitsyn is better defensively and offensively. Toots is proven, though, and has gotten really good at drawing penalties.
by Chris Burton on Oct 7, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Hometown bias
I think your views are skewed a bit.
Line 1:
Their top line has a former 40 goal scorer,
and both Backes and Boyes have each topped 30. Don’t know much about Perron,
but
but for our guys, a 30 goal season for anyone would be a
1) pleasant surprise; and
2) career high, by a good bit.
Line 2: sullivan is good for 50-60 is a joke. At this stage, we should be happy with 50 and if he equals what madonald does.
O’reilly is an uknown, and there is plenty reason to think Hornquist doesn’t score 40.
For the same reasons Brad Boyes likely won’t top 40.
Oshie and Berglund have their best years ahead.
I don’t have too much of a problem with your line 3 and 4 comparisons, but how does Goc’s career best, 30 point year count as something special (with better linemates than he will have this year), and Steen’s career year (47 points, including 43 in his last 49 games when he got elevated) get washed over?
Their bottom 4 D are also considerably better (you rather have O’brien/Franson lumbering out there instead of Colaiacovo-Pietrangelo? Have you seen Pietrangelo ever play?), but that is washed out by the Suter/Weber advantage on the top pair.
I don’t think is crazy. I think the difference between the clubs is small. I just hope that we take more than 6 of the 12 possible points head to head to make sure that small diff is in our favor.
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t have time to reply to this whole comment blow by blow, but I will address the Sullivan bit. Consider: in the last ten seasons, Sullivan has scored 65, 64, 75, 60, 61, 73, 68, 60, [back injury], 32 (comeback year), and 51. He’s healthier than he’s ever been and has one of the league’s most prolific shooters on the other wing. 50 should be the floor for Sully.
by Chris Burton on Oct 7, 2010 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
And what is the floor for Macdonald?
Similar player, younger, faster, won’t have Kariya and Tkachuk sucking the life out of him this year…and still managed to get 57 points, though 7 of the other top 9 forwards (without the aforementioned Alex Steen, who you apparently have never seen play, either)
had comedown years.
I worry what would happen if even half of the top skaters perform moderately well.
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Barry Trotz > Davis Payne
that should settle it.
for all the talk of player vs. player, as close as it is, it will all come down to systems and coaching. where Trotz has the advantage.
"It's gonna be fun on the bun."
You’re allowing for the Blues’ top players to perform moderately well, but at the same time discounting the Preds’ ability to do so. I don’t believe for a minute that Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist won’t improve this year and that Lombardi won’t score more than Arnott.
And as flyalder mentions below, the gap in coaching ability is even larger than the gap between the two teams’ top D-pairs. Barry Trotz is the 2nd best coach in the league for my money.
by Chris Burton on Oct 7, 2010 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions
And you are doing the opposite
penciling in HornQ for 40, Sully for 50-60, and giving bonus points to Goc,
and crediting Franzen and O’Brien
while writing off their compable players Backes, Boyes, Macdonald, Steen,
Colovaccio and Peitrangelo.
Wilson and Honrquist will undoubtedly improve (the former sure, but the latter?)
I understand giving credit to Trotzie, but if having the better or even best coach trumps all, why do we keep packing our bags shortly after game 82?
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions
You’re expecting hornqVist to not improve? Inless his season was a complete fluke there is no reason he shouldn’t do better. Especially considering the time it took him to start rolling last year, if he starts the way he finished last year there will definitely be an increase in points.
In the end we could debate this till the cows come home, or we can wait till next Thursday and actually find out.
"It's gonna be fun on the bun."
by flyalder on Oct 7, 2010 2:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
improving on a 30 goal season
that comes out of nowhere is hard to do.
Ask Brad Boyes.
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Big, big congratulations for your well deserved honor.
by Hockey Hillbilly on Oct 7, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Parity link
Positive: It shows how we are consistently performing near the top of the league, from October to early April.
Of course, the chart highlights the obvious negative come April: only Calgary and us can’t win a lousy series, of the top half of the post-lockout teams.
I have a feeling, if this is the year we do, it will be pekka stealing it for us, instead of us outplaying somebody (though I do think we will make the dance, I am worried we won’t do anything with the invite).
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 12:08 PM EDT reply actions
I’ve seen a few stats analyses (don’t have the links handy) which basically argue that the hot goalie usually wins in the playoffs.
The problem is, there’s just about no way to predict who will be a hot goalie over such a short stretch.
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators. Catch me on Twitter at @Forechecker.
Lets hope then
That Pekka from Games 1-3 last year shows up in April (and not Pekka from Games 4 to Period 1 of Game 6). Or, in other words,
let’s hope he is this year’s Halak.
by DontfeedtheBelak on Oct 7, 2010 12:16 PM EDT reply actions
question
for these opening games that take place across the ocean, are they played on NHL or European style rinks?
"It's gonna be fun on the bun."
I believe they're playing on the big ice
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators. Catch me on Twitter at @Forechecker.
That same guy who has Nashville 14th puts St. Louis as #11 in the West and #4 in the Central (http://theryancokeexperience.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/st-louis-blues-preview-2/), because “they needed offense and they traded for a goaltender”, and he doesn’t believe in Halak (shocking!). It seems like he just decided to swap Columbus and Nashville in the Standard Prediction List for some inconceivable reason.
Then again, he is a Habs fan who doesn’t believe in Halak, and any Price bounceback theory gets boosted if Steve Mason also has a turnaround, so…
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