Monday's news: Nashville TV tunes out Olympic drama

Is anybody else still charged up from yesterday's Gold Medal Game? That was a rare example of an event that lived up to the hype in every way. Now, can the NHL capitalize on that exposure and draw new fans in, just as the Trade Deadline approaches and the mad dash to the playoffs gets underway?

For local reaction to the Gold Medal Game, check out See Puck City, What the Puck, and the Nashville City Paper, then follow after the jump for example #7,412 of Nashville's local media ignoring the great game of hockey, along your morning news and notes...

Despite yesterday's game drawing an absolutely huge television audience, and the fact that the Nashville Predators were involved on both sides of the action, the reaction in the local media was underwhelming. I checked WKRN news and they didn't touch on it until their sports segment at the very end of their nightly newscast, and neither did NewsChannel 5. In fact, when their Sports Dinosaur Director Hope Hines previewed his upcoming sports show, what did he have to talk about? Titans, Titans, NFL Combine, Titans, golf and NASCAR. Not even a single mention of this fantastic event.

I know complaining about Nashville's media coverage of the Predators sounds like a broken record at times, but last night's treatment of the game was absolutely pathetic. The sports directors around this town should be ashamed of themselves for overlooking a classic game played on the world stage, that featured two Nashville Predators in such prominent roles.

You can bet that if two Tennessee Titans won a sack race at a picnic, we'd have team coverage from all sides.

Where have you gone, Eric Yutzy?

UPDATE: WRKN's Joe Dubin advised fans on Twitter last night that due to rights restrictions, non-NBC stations had no video or audio to use to discuss the Games, hence the lack of prominent coverage. I certainly give credit to him for getting that word out, along with the fact that WKRN's sports guys are pretty much the only ones in town who can confidently discuss the Preds on-air.

Predators News

Preds On The Glass: Canada Wins Gold, Weekend Wrap-Up and POTG Radio Tonight
Buddy's back in action tonight on the podcast, and has a preview of tonight's show at the ready.

Here's the clip! RT @smashville: Holy crap NBC just gave the @cellblock303 #nhltweetup a shoutout. by @dani3boyz - TwitVid
Yesterday after the big game, NBC's analyst Eddie Olczyk recognized a few of the viewing parties going on around the country, and included Nashville in the list. Kudos to Jeremy & Codey from Section303.com, it sounds like their party in Franklin was a massive success.

Preds tix get Olympic boost - NashvillePost.com
J.R. Lind reports that the Olympic Games have given Preds' ticket sales a shot in the arm, the biggest such boost in the NHL.

Predators' Olympians return focus to NHL - The Tennessean
The Olympians who returned over the last few days (Patric Hornqvist, Marcel Goc, etc.) are ready to go...

Predators weigh future as trade deadline nears - The Tennessean
John Glennon sets the table for this week's NHL Trade Deadline, and proposes a list of potential acquisitions.

Dan Ellis expects to leave Predators after season - The Tennessean
You've got to love the way Dan Ellis speaks frankly about the situation here after Pekka Rinne got his contract extension. He knows that he's almost certainly going to play somewhere else next season, but isn't bitter about it.

Around the NHL

Biggest deals of the '09 deadline - 2010 Trade Deadline
Before you get too wound up over the necessity of your favorite team making a splashy trade, take a look back at this collection of deals from last season.

Khabibulin Faces 30 Day Jail Sentence - The Copper & Blue
Edmonton's injured (and aged) goalie might be bound for a stint in the Arizona Penal League...

Welcome To Pro Hockey Talk - ProHockeyTalk
Brandon Worley (formerly of Defending Big D and SB Nation) launches ProHockeyTalk.com, the new hockey blog from NBC Sports.

Trade Deadline Reporting 2010: Rumors, Insiders and Pretenders - Die By The Blade
Dave Davis highlights the bozos that come out of the woodwork at Trade Deadline time.

Raffi's Days Likely Numbered - Puck-Rakers Blog
Add Raffi Torres to the bushel of forwards available on the trade market.

Steve Ott agrees to four-year contract extension - The Dallas Morning News
You can take super-pest Steve Ott off the trade rumor lists, though, as he signs a new deal with the Stars.