Thursday's news: It's time for the "Skate of the Union" in Nashville

Make sure you make it down to Bridgestone Arena this evening for the Skate of the Union event hosted by the Preds. It includes a used equipment sale, an autograph session with Joel Ward and Ryan Parent, photo opportunities with Blake Geoffrion and the Hobey Baker Award, and of course the panel discussion featuring the leadership of the team along with our newest Nashville Predator, Matthew Lombardi.

Until then, we have a number of reports from the Predators Development Camp (which continues today from 10-noon at Centennial), an assessment from various NHL agents as to how the player market is shaping up this summer, and a whole lot more...

Predators News

18th Annual Charles Davis Foundation Radiothon - 104.5 The Zone
As part of the fund raising effort today coordinated by 104.5, you can bid on items such as a Shea Weber signed jersey, and a stick autographed by Martin Erat.

Nashville’s Shiny New Kids 2010: Rookie Development Camp Day Two | The Hockey Writers
Jas Faulkner walks you through the on-ice festivities from yesterday at Centennial.

Predator prospects were stars on Minnesota high school rinks - Nashville Predators Examiner
You'd be surprised just how many Preds prospects come from the Minnesota high school system, which is by far the most competitive in the U.S.

Preds On The Glass: Predators Skate of the Union Tonight and Thursday Thoughts
Buddy's morning links includes a hint as to where the Mike Fisher/Carrie Underwood wedding will take place...

Nashville Predators prospect Jonathon Blum bulks up to play in NHL - The Tennessean
Jonathan Blum is getting closer and closer to NHL-readiness, and could see part-time duty with the Preds this fall.

Geoffrion brings more than experience to Predators' prospects camp - Nashville City Paper
David Boclair catches up with "Little Boom Boom" about his professional prospects, and what it's like to carry the Hobey Baker Award around (you can see it tonight at Bridgestone Arena).

Around the NHL

NHL Free Agent Confidential: What the agents are really thinking - Puck Daddy
Greg Wyshynski gets a few player agents to anonymously comment on what the market has been like this summer.

Evgeni Nabokov to KHL is Confirmed - Fear The Fin
The former Sharks goalie heads over to Russia for a deal that he wouldn't get over here given the current valuation of goaltenders.

Ilya Kovalchuk's salary demands revealed - From The Rink
When, oh when, will this Kovalchuk absurdity end?

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Brett Lebda - Pension Plan Puppets
A Red Wings defenseman heads to the Eastern Conference.

Canucks' Summer Summit Recap - Nucks Misconduct
They held a similar event to our "Skate of the Union" in Vancouver last night...

Lowetide: Serendipity- Edmonton Oilers
Might Edmonton do well to pick up one or two of Montreal's castoffs?

The Goaltending Picture - The Cannon
Take a look at who the Preds will be schooling in Columbus this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher says more defensemen = more options | Lightning Strikes
An interesting note on how the Lightning will manage their roster this season, likely with 7 defensemen and 11 forwards each night. That allows for specialists (such as on the power play) to dress and focus on their unique role.

Down Goes Brown: Summer reruns: The most popular DGB posts of 2010
Take a walk through the best of the funniest hockey stuff on the 'net this year.

Adding Canadian teams tricky for TV - The Globe and Mail
Bruce Dowbiggin points out that expanding the NHL further within Canada poses challenges in terms of television coverage.

The Drop-Pass Mental Challenge – The Goalie Guild
For those of you interested in the dark arts of goaltending, this is an interesting exercise in which a goalie actively comes out to intimidate inbound shooters.