Weekend notes: Common sense breaks out in Kovalchuk affair

It's a holiday weekend, so why not toss in some bonus hockey news? Besides, with the Ilya Kovalchuk situation finally getting resolved yesterday, we can say that this truly closes the book on our long hockey-less summer...

Predators News

Predators to host coaching symposium September 25th - Nashville Predators Examiner
Once again, the Preds are offering a free clinic for hockey coaches in the area. You have to register for it, but by all means take a look.

Going Local | Pro Sports Blogging
Chris Rydburg calls this arguably "the best offseason (on and off the ice) in franchise history".

Nashville Predators' Blake Geoffrion happy to be back home - The Tennessean
Blake's living the high life as an NHL rookie, which in his case means home-cooked meals.

Around the NHL

NHL,NHLPA agree to rules on contracts, approve Kovalchuk's deal - TSN
Common sense prevails to some extent as going forward, the rules regarding salary cap calculation will change for long-term contracts. Some may argue that these new rules may not go far enough, but for an "on the fly" change during an existing Collective Bargaining Agreement, any progress is a good thing.

Hilary Duff to attend Pittsburgh games; also, Comrie signs with Pens - Puck Daddy
Sidney Crosby gets to try out another winger this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning hires Steve Thomas - Lightning Strikes
"Stumpy" finds gainful employment coaching the kids.

Red Wings’ goalies under pressure - NHLHotStove.com
The big question in Detroit is whether Jimmy Howard can follow up his sensational rookie campaign. I'm guessing he'll take a step backwards, but not a plummet like Steve Mason did in Columbus.

Puckarinen " Homecoming King
A neat aspect of professional hockey for Europeans is the opportunity to play in their home country after their done with the NHL, as Ville Peltonen returns to Finland.

And lastly, a look at how some of the Preds are getting ready for the new season, featuring Shea Weber on the ice...