Nashville Predators News & Notes
ESPN 102.5 The Game, Preds Expand Smashville Live Coverage this Season | Nashville Predators
That’s great! Just please keep ‘He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’ faaaaaaaaar away from this. …
No, not Voldemort (I, for one, would welcome the Dark Lord’s hockey takes with open arms). You know who I’m talking about.
Should the Nashville Predators be playing Kyle Turris at wing? | On the Forecheck
ICYMI: In which Kate argues against playing Kyle Turris at wing alongside Johansen and Arvidsson.
She’s right, by the way.
Duchene Faces Foote Brothers on NHL Stage for First Time | Nashville Predators
ICYMI: This is a very cool story about Duchene and his relationship with the sons of Adam Foote. Very fun read if you haven’t checked it out yet.
Other Hockey News & Notes
Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews makes statement in regards to disorderly conduct charge | Sportsnet
“I regret any of my actions that would ever put a distraction on the team or distress any individual.”
Oh, Auston…. this doesn’t sound great.
Flames sign RFA winger Matthew Tkachuk to three-year deal | Sportsnet
So $7 Million AAV seems high for a bridge deal (especially compared to what Brayden Point is now getting paid), but honestly I think this is a pretty fair number. Tkachuk has shown steady improvement over his first 3 years in the NHL, and he’s still only 21 years old.
Carolina Hurricanes RFA Saku Maenalanen joins KHL’s Jokerit | TSN
A re-enactment:
SIDE NOTE: Jokerit still has the best hockey sweaters in the world.
BREAKING: Hyökkääjä Saku Mäenalanen ja #Jokerit ovat sopineet 1+1-vuotisesta diilistä.
Mäenalanen saapui Helsinkiin tänään ja tavoitteena on pelaaminen lauantain kotimatsissa.
Tiedote: https://t.co/spGjJY2l7y#KHLfi pic.twitter.com/weKCLtYE5o
— Helsingin Jokerit (@jokerithc) September 25, 2019
Knights’ Schmidt seeking revision of PED testing | ESPN
After being suspended 20 games to start the 2018-19 season, Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt is working to influence the future of PED testing in the NHL.
Hall of Famer Cammi Granato, believed to be the first female pro scout, among NHL Seattle new hires | The Seattle Times
Cammi Granato is one of five professional scouts announced by NHL Seattle on Wednesday and believed to be the first woman to hold that job for an NHL team.
LA Kings looking at long rebuild with McLellan as coach | Pro Hockey Talk
“McLellan, who was named coach on April 15, inherited a roster with five players age 32 or older that had the fewest points in the Western Conference last season, scored the second-fewest goals in the league and was 29th out of 31 teams in penalty killing.”
So, yeah… definitely a LONG rebuild.
NHL Rank – Predicting the best 50 players for the 2019-20 season | ESPN
Only two Preds make the list. Roman Josi at 23 (fourth D-man on the list), and Filip Forsberg at 43.