Friday's notes: A sour sports summer in Nashville
by Dirk Hoag on Aug 12, 2011 9:59 AM EDT
in Nashville Predators News
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PrintWhat is it about Nashville this summer that has the town's two biggest sports stars caught up in squabbles with their teams? First, Shea Weber and the Preds ended up in salary arbitration, and now Chris Johnson's holdout drama with the Titans is taking things to another level, as he still hasn't even shown up at training camp.
Was it the cicadas this summer or something? What's gotten into these guys?
That's just an odd thought that struck me while compiling this morning's hockey notes...
Best of Nashville 2011 - Nashville Scene
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Nashville Predators News
The Next Legwand, Only More Cost Efficient | The Predatorial
Here's my question - is a "two-way player" who doesn't contribute hardly at all offensively really a two-way player? Spaling's an "effort" guy who we all love to watch out there, but I want to see further development (which is entirely possible, given his young age) before labeling him as more than a PK/checking specialist.
Tied to the Whippin’ Post | The Predatorial
Kudos to Jeremy for giving Kevin Klein some due. The guy took a big step forward last season, and was the team's top PK man.
Preds On The Glass: POTG Friday Headlines, News, and Links
Forget the Titans, Buddy's ready for some roller derby.
Are the Titans on the brink of losing the fans? - Nashville Scene
J.R. Lind looks at the Titans' relatively slow ticket sales and points to the Colorado Avalanche as a potential comparison should things turn worse. I enjoy a good dig at the Titans (heck, we're having a "Titans Day" at work today, and I'm wearing a Preds shirt), but they've got plenty of time to sell out their games.
Around the NHL
NHL 12 Overnight Update: The First Three Official Legends - Cluster Pucks
News is leaking out about the "Legends" to be included in EA Sports NHL 12
Leaf won't rush Lombardi - Toronto Sun
Toronto is getting more and more hopeful that Matthew Lombardi will play this season.
Boston Bruins’ Alternate Captain Tango | The Hockey Writers
Stepping into a leadership role on a defending champ can be a tough task, but the Bruins need to back-fill Mark Recchi's old spot.
Season Series Preview: St. Louis Blues | The Predatorial
While I doubt the Blues are playoff material yet, they should certainly make for a tougher opponent this season.
Blues chat: Any heat on Davis Payne this year? - STLToday.com
Are expectations rising in St. Louis? And if they don't make the playoffs, could their young coach walk the plank?
Zetterberg would like to see Nylander in the NHL - Hockey Expressen
After playing an exhibition game in Sweden (along with Patric Hornqvist, who scored twice), Henrik Zetterberg talks up Michael Nylander's ability to possibly make an NHL return.
The Strange Case of Keith Ballard | The Hockey Writers
Just last summer, Keith Ballard was seen as a big free agent pickup by Vancouver, but now he's seen as a boat anchor. Can something be done to reverse the trend there?
Welcome Raleigh Center Ice: Grand Opening August 13 - Canes Country
Those lucky dogs in North Carolina are getting a spiffy new ice rink, something SORELY needed around Nashville.
Obscure Moments in Senators History: Jani Hurme vs. Felix Potvin - Silver Seven
Good old Jani Hurme! Back when my wife & I were dating, we used to see him play for the IHL's Indianapolis Ice.
2012 WHL Draft Outlook | The Scouting Report
Here are some names to keep an eye on in anticipation of next summer's draft.
CHL Countdown: Who’s most likely to go to The Show? - Buzzing The Net
A review of five high draft picks who may bypass this year in junior hockey to go straight into the NHL.
Bourne Blog: How to pass so your teammates won’t hate you - Puck Daddy
Celebrating the under-appreciated art of making, and receiving, a crisp pass.
Is it October yet? Part 2: Trent McCleary " Puck, that hurts!
More outstanding detail on what severe hockey injuries can be like, in this case a fractured larynx suffered by Trent McCleary when he took a shot to the throat.
Ohio State to play Michigan in hockey at Indians' Progressive Field - NHL.com
Nice, another outdoor game coming up, this one on January 15.
And lastly, a little non-hockey related video for you - I just saw this bit about an upcoming documentary on Ayrton Senna, who was far and away the greatest racer I've ever seen. I was a HUGE Ayrton Senna fan back in the 80's & early 90's before he died on the track, crashing while leading the San Marino Grand Prix. Watching this trailer just gave me chills:
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Here’s my question – is a “two-way player” who doesn’t contribute hardly at all offensively really a two-way player?
I’m not sure who you’re referring to here. Legwand or Spaling.
David Legwand: 71gp – 13g, 15a, 28pts, -6
Nick Spaling: 74gp – 8g, 6a, 14pts, -10
Pretty comparable numbers, and Spaling is better on the PK.
Legwand had 64 GP, 17g, 24a for 41 points and a +13 rating. Were you look at Leggy’s numbers from 1999-2000?
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and HockeyGearHQ, a site devoted to news, reviews, and deals on hockey equipment and accessories. Catch me on Twitter, or join OTF on Facebook!
The numbers Predaceous used were from Legwand’s rookie season (he got them from the article).
"Next time someone tells you Nashville’s not a hockey town, tell ‘em to come to Smashville and try some of the home cookin’." - TSN Broadcaster
by Go_Titans_Preds_USC on Aug 12, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
She..
got them from the article..
by HardCorePredFan316 on Aug 12, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Oops!
Sorry, I didn’t know she was a she!
"Next time someone tells you Nashville’s not a hockey town, tell ‘em to come to Smashville and try some of the home cookin’." - TSN Broadcaster
by Go_Titans_Preds_USC on Aug 12, 2011 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Good morning...
Yeah my numbers were from the first full year they played in the NHL…kinda starting point. I was just pointing out that Spaling, if put on the top lines could put up the same numbers as Legwand. Spaling really started coming into his own towards the end of the year. Spaling also turned it on like Leggy does in the playoffs. Their first year numbers are a bit off, but I believe barring any setbacks that with Spaling’s hustle and defensive-mindedness, he could become a solid two-way player.
And I thought the Klein article was going to start all the discussion today. ;)
by HardCorePredFan316 on Aug 12, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
The problem for Klein is that when he’s doing it right, it’s almost invisible, but when he makes a mistake, everyone can see it. Someone here called him the most frustrating player on the team because he was capable of doing really great stuff but also of making some really awful moves. I kinda have to agree with that.
Plus the pointy beard made him look like someone’s villainous henchman. You just knew Adam West was about to “POW!” him across the rink.
"I'm a firm believer that in life, if you're happy then happy things will happen for you."--Bernie Parent
Part Predator, part Lightning.
Agreed on the "could become" part
Lots of folks seem to place him in that category already, however.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and HockeyGearHQ, a site devoted to news, reviews, and deals on hockey equipment and accessories. Catch me on Twitter, or join OTF on Facebook!
Okay, now I can’t get rid of the image of Shea Weber being controlled by evil cicadas. Thanks a lot, Dirk! ;)
"I'm a firm believer that in life, if you're happy then happy things will happen for you."--Bernie Parent
Part Predator, part Lightning.
One of the reasons that I prefer to have us play as a swarming team of like-minded players is that we avoid the super-star crap that has shown its ugly head, this Summer.
Maybe it’s a necessary evil, to win a Cup………but considering the trouble and turmoil it creates and the constant attention that one or two players garner, during the whole off-season AND the microscope that they are under during the whole regular season, it makes my game experience less enjoyable.
I’m happiest when we are picked LOW in the pre-season polls and have that under-dog chip on our shoulder, as we struggle to gain true offensive/defensive consistency, through the year………taking the momentum into the play-offs.
It’s a tricky Catch-22, I admit.
I've always been a fan of the chip, too...
…however, as always, we can point to a certain division rival who’s name may start with an “R” and end with an “ed Wings”. These guys have super stars that they’ve managed to still get them to buy into the “team before money” mantra. Imagine the price Datsyuk would command on the open market, July 1st.
This is also, in my opinion, why their fans are such tinfoil hat wearing Wing nuts. They literally have nothing else to bitch about, so they just make it up!
Gonna miss you Joel Ward...
Go Predmirals!
Team first my ass...
Datsyuk signed a 7 year 46.9 million dollar deal back in 2008!
Zetterberg signed an extension for over 6 mil a year from 2009-2021!
In the the 2007-2008 season, Lidstrom signed a 2 year 15.2 million dollar contract (7.6 mil a year 3 years ago!) and he’s STILL pulling in over 6 mil a season…
What happens on the ice...stays on the ice...
You don’t think any of those mentioned could squeeze out an extra million a piece anywhere else? Maybe not Lidstrom, because he’s “Chelios – 4” years old, but the other two? Just because they’re paid well, doesn’t mean that they’re not team oriented guys. Put it this way, would Ken Holland keep them around if they each asked for $1 Mil. more? I’d say probably not… maybe one of them until he found a suitable replacement.
Gonna miss you Joel Ward...
Go Predmirals!
New Ice
agreed – we need another rink like that shiny new rink in NC – hopefully somewhere near Wilson County ….
They took Chattanooga's only ice rink away years ago...
…we need one here too. =(
Gonna miss you Joel Ward...
Go Predmirals!
There was talks a few years back of building one in Lebanon. It was more a convention center/hockey arena with the thought of getting a minor league team to play there and help keep money coming in during the winter, you know AFTER the Wilson County Fair is over and all
Yeah, that new horse barn can only be used so many times … BTW, the WIlson County Fair is over Aug 20 … Please come visit. My opinion is that the County Commission sees little use in anything, unless it is linked to the WCF, or agriculture/horse barns … I mean, I guess they could be confused into contributing $$ if we refer to a new hockey rink as “the Barn” ….
Living in Lebanon
Trust me ill be at the fair this year just hope the heat holds off this year it would be a nice change from status quo. It would be nice to see them build it up some more and actually do that but I dont think the fairgrounds would be the right place. I was at the meetings the City Council had when they were looking at the designs and then the one where they were trying to find the right location. I think the best place would be across from Home Depot on South Hartmann. You are right though the County and for that matter the City are way to reliant on the Fair now granted when you draw 500,000+ the last couple of years and still growing it brings a lot of money to the Fair but not as much for the hotels or restaurants. The Super Speedway would help with hotels but I think with it being out in the middle of no where it didnt help near as much as they thought it would. It helped Smyrna and the Boro more then anything with most race teams flying into the Smyrna airport rather then Lebanon’s. But the economy right now I dont think we will be seeing anything like that in the next 5 years or more.
Weber is NOT Johnson!
First of all, Shea Weber used the appropriate channels provided by the NHL to dispute his contract. And all he really did was give David Poile a 7.5 million dollar cup of coffee -“Wake up, Poile! If you’re going to develop elite players you will be paying elite salaries!”
Secondly, Shea Weber’s deal is for 1 year which is actually best for everyone. Why? Because Weber has to prove that he’s worth the cash this season. If he’s not, Poile can deal him. Poile’s got an official “appraisal” from the NHL to aid his wheeling and dealing. And because Shea used the appropriate channels to settle his contract dispute, he does not get labeled an “attitude” problem like Johson does.
You know I can remember plenty of people on this blog saying the Preds should go after Semin, and Semin is notorious for taking 1 year/high dollar deals. It’s not a bad thing. We’d all be better off if Poile had signed the mediocre duo of #10 and #11 to 1 year deals.
Okay, enough ranting in defense of our elite Captain. And if you’re reading this, Shea Weber, how about putting me on your Christmas list…not like you can’t afford it.
online 24/7 at www.chas-e.net
THANK YOU!!!!!
I was looking around and couldn’t find if it was showing around here…
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and HockeyGearHQ, a site devoted to news, reviews, and deals on hockey equipment and accessories. Catch me on Twitter, or join OTF on Facebook!
Dirk – Have you read “”http://www.amazon.com/Art-Racing-Rain-Garth-Stein/dp/0061537934" target="new">The Art of Racing int he Rain" ? It’s very good (though it sounds weird from the description), and senna is an important background figure throughout.
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Aug 12, 2011 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I haven't read that
But I’d be interested to, Senna was unbeatable in the rain.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and HockeyGearHQ, a site devoted to news, reviews, and deals on hockey equipment and accessories. Catch me on Twitter, or join OTF on Facebook!
Check it out then. Not sure what happened to my link there. Apologies, that’s ugly.
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Aug 13, 2011 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Wake Up Nashville to the fact that...
Professional sports are a BUSINESS for both the player and the team. We are getting a double shot of it this summer. Shea’s deal was business. He is an elite defenseman, he will be paid as such. I have said in the past on this blog every canadian color commentary guy has a man crush(no sexual of course) on Shea. CJ 2000 yard rusher, elite running back, wants to be paid a such. Unlike Shea though, his best years are right now. Were Shea is at the beginning of his best years. CJ has about three maybe four years at this level. At age 30 running back begin a rapid decline in their abilities. CJ will be 26 in September. As a fan of both, I’m not mad at these guys. I want OUR CAPTAIN to stay in gold and #28 to stay in two tone blue.
"Just because there's an absence of evidence doesn't mean there's an evidence of absence.
What I'm saying is there known knowns and known unknowns but there's also unknown unknowns.......... things that we don't know we don't know. "
NHL 12
Anyone play EASHL mode on NHL and plan on getting NHL ‘12? We should make an OtF NHL’12 team. Reply if you are interested.
Gotta specify XBL or PSN.
I play on XBL, but am already on a team of 6. I look forward to playing against team OtF though!
Gonna miss you Joel Ward...
Go Predmirals!
I play ps3, and that all kind of fell apart quickly this year when it was tried. Hard to get everyone together all the time for games. I am up for it, but can’t get on for hours every night. I have a life… well, at least I have other games to also play…
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
Most definitely. PSN.
Twitter: @OTFMarc: (NHL)
@MarcTorrence: (everything else).
by Marc Torrence on Aug 12, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
XBL
wasn’t sure if anyone already had this idea. if anyone is looking for another player, i’ll play forward or defense!
was kind of hinting on what it actually is too....
…. bad hints!
So, at the end of that Senna video above, they have a schedule for the upcoming races.
My question:
Is The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen the best or worst race name ever?
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
Much better than the Chili’s Guac ’n Roll Weekend at Sonoma
by HardCorePredFan316 on Aug 12, 2011 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions
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