Friday's news: Demolition derby meets hockey

Yesterday we looked at the growth of ice hockey south of the border in Mexico, and today we have something special from across the pond in Jolly Old England.

Follow after the jump for your usual news, along with one of the most unique hockey videos you'll ever see!

Predators News

section303.com named 2nd best blog in Nashville! | Section 303
Congrats to the gang over at the 303, who took 2nd at the Toast of Music City awards last night. It's great to see a hockey blog make noise in Nashville like this. Their "We Are Nashville" post certainly hit a nerve in the aftermath of the May flood, and extended their reach far beyond the hardcore Predators fan.

A confident Linus Klasen looks forward to training camp - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond profiles the career of a the high-skilled winger who impressed many at Development Camp earlier this month. There's a big difference between dipsy-doodling your way through the Swedish Elite League and the NHL, however.

Preds On The Glass: Travelogue to Chaco Canyon and Friday News Round-Up
Today, the Preds On The Glass Travel Agency takes us away to New Mexico...

Seven candidates for a breakout season in 2010-11 - NHL.com
One young Pred makes this list of players to watch from around the league.

Rockets honour Weber, Keith - Castanet.net
The Kelowna Rockets celebrate two of their most prominent alumni, including our new captain.

Around the NHL

S&P: Sports Leagues Have Weathered Recession Well, But Watch Out For CBAs - Forbes.com
Expect the owners to fight to the death to maintain the salary cap and revenue sharing provisions in the next CBA. Standard & Poors lauds them for the financial confidence those cost-control measures bring, and that means everything when it comes to financing teams.

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2010 - USA Hockey
It's pretty cool to see the Hatcher brothers go into the US Hockey Hall of Fame together, along with Jeremy Roenick.

Is Sunbelt Hockey Working? Part III - Hoosier Hockey
Peter concludes his series with a look at how the southern NHL markets have developed over time, and what that means for the years ahead.

Restricted free agent hardball with Bobby Ryan, James Neal - Puck Daddy
Here's to hoping that the Patric Hornqvist negotiations run more smoothly than those in Anaheim and Dallas.

NHLPA review calls for change - The Globe and Mail
The players' association may give their next executive director a bit more autonomy than was previously allowed. Hopefully, they hire something who justifies that trust.

Panthers acquire Reasoner from Blackhawks for Taffe - Litter Box Cats
Chicago dumps $1.15 million in salary cap hit in a minor deal.

Are the Avs being too conservative with money? - Mile High Hockey
Colorado shouldn't just rely on Craig Anderson carrying them into the playoffs again, but they haven't done much since July 1.

The Battle of Alberta: Cost certainty
Daryl Katz is crying poor in his quest to get Edmonton to help him build a new arena. Is the CBA to blame?

Pavelec Contract: A Thrashers Dudley Do-right - The Grinder
Chris Mason gets a backup in Atlanta, Ondrej Pavelec.

Ray Shero Talks About Building a Team in the Salary Cap Era -- NHL FanHouse
Interesting stuff from the former Preds assistant GM, who runs the show now in Pittsburgh. When you have All-World talents like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to work with, that changes the ballgame quite a bit.

Lastly, to get your weekend started off right, check out one of the most amazing hockey videos you'll ever see, as pointed out by From The Rink yesterday. As a kid growing up in Michigan we had a nice-sized pond across the street from our house which froze over every winter, and there was one guy who used to go out there in a VW Beetle and slide all around the ice, throwing the car through doughnuts and and such. I can't imagine getting 10 cars out there together!