Friday's news: More ice coming to Middle Tennessee!

While you get ready for Game 7 tonight between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins, don't forget about hockey developments here in Nashville.

Also remember to enter our giveaway celebrating our 1,000th registered reader here at OtF!

After the jump, we have news that another hockey rink is coming to the area (might I finally start playing again?), a Preds prospect has developed into a playoff leader for his junior team, and a look ahead to the Western Conference Finals...

Predators News

$7 million sportsplex approved by county - The Daily News Journal
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! Another ice rink is coming to the Nashville area, albeit a bit far away in south Murfreesboro. According to the developer, the Preds will be involved in promoting ice hockey there, when it opens in spring 2011.

Gabriel Bourque ready to roar - timestranscript.com
The Preds prospect is having a great playoff for the Moncton WIldcats, and is part of an encouraging crop of forwards in the Nashville system.

Twitter / Dan Ellis: Just saved an old couple f ...
What a save by Dan Ellis! And he wasn't even playing hockey...

See Puck City: Beast of 7 - Summer Begins: Random Bits
SPC taking up the pads and learning to play goalie? Awesome!

Around the NHL

2010 NHL Playoff Preview: San Jose Sharks vs. Chicago Blackhawks - Fear The Fin
From the San Jose perspective, they like their advantage in goal but have concerns about the Chicago defense.

Willie Mitchell slams NHL for its disciplinary rulings - The White Towel
The Vancouver defenseman slams Colin Campbell for his lack of consistency in dishing out suspensions, saying that he has too many personal ties to various teams around the league. Mitchell is wrong, of course - the real problem is that Campbell is a witless poltroon who won't even stick to his own pronouncements.

Cherry on Winnipeg NHL team: I'll buy in - CBCsports.ca
Don Cherry as a part-owner of a new Winnipeg team? I can't imagine the uniforms...

What's in a system? - The Globe and Mail
Roy MacGregor tears down the notion of complicated systems being implemented by coaches. Hockey is not like football, so that eliminates most of the opportunity to craft "set plays".

Peter Laviolette’s Brilliant Coaching Performance | PuckUpdate
Stephen Ovadia reminds us of how Laviolette walked into a mess in Philadelphia, and has turned that situation around after a rocky start.

Canes don't hesitate to get youngest Staal - NewsObserver.com
What's the over/under on pre-game wedgies, now that the Hurricanes have united two of the Staal brothers?

Luongo questioning his captaincy - The Globe and Mail
A silly idea is naturally called into question after Vancouver's loss in the second round.

Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger Post-Mortem - From The Rink
Where did it all go wrong for the defending Cup champs? Frank from Pensburgh fills us in.

The Fourth Period :: Lightning turn to other GM options
Dave Nonis and Steve Yzerman have bowed out of the running for the Tampa GM job... hey, I'll take it!

Insight into the philosophy of Thrashers GM Rick Dudley | Atlanta Thrashers
This is why trade speculation abounds when Rick Dudley is sighted in an NHL arena. A really good interview with Atlanta's new GM.

Why That Nobody Might Be Important/Don’t Trust The Memory Of NHL G.M.’s - Hockey or Die
Jonathan Willis picks apart one of the details from Dudley's anecdote above regarding Dan Boyle. It's good that Willis ran down the specifics, but ultimately doesn't change the point Dudley was making.

Irreverent Oiler Fans: Forest v. Trees
An interesting look at whether individual defensemen have much influence on opposing teams' shooting percentage. Ideally I'd like to see this done with Shot Quality rather than save percentage, but this is well worth your time.

Crosby And Ovechkin: So Long, Beloved Clarity - Hockey or Die
More fodder for the never-ending Sid vs. Ovie debates, as Jonathan Willis compares how each fared against Montreal during the playoffs.