Smashville News:
What’s in a nickname? Predators’ Hartman, Hartnell seek solution to ‘Hartsy’ dilemma | Tennessean
Personally, I like “Manny” until only Ryan Hartman remains on the team.
Predators appear to be peaking for postseason run | TSN
Some statistical love for our boys. I sure do hope we can make another deep run (like all the way to the Cup).
NHL Power Rankings: Predators climb to No. 1 ahead of Lightning and Bruins | CBSSports.com
Check around the polls this week. They like us, they really like us!
And finally after weeks of Dozer as the star:
Central Division News:
Blackhawks Could Make NHL History With Fellow ‘Original 6’ Teams | NBC Chicago
Cheer up Taser and Kaner! More hockey history could still be added to your resumes this year.
Jets’ Scheifele set to miss Central showdown at Predators | pilotonline.com
Oh, too bad.
PHT Power Rankings: Making sense of the nonsensical Minnesota Wild | ProHockeyTalk
“How do the Minnesota Wild have one of the best records in the league?” A question asked every year. Don’t worry, still plenty of time for, if not an end of season collapse, then a first round exit. (Hey, these guys like us too!)
Other Hockey News:
Capitals’ Ovechkin becomes 20th NHL player to score 600 goals | The Washington Post
A great accomplishment by Alex Ovechkin. Congrats Ovie!
Alain Vigneault among NHL coaches on hot seat | USAToday
“No coaches have been fired during the 2017-18 season.” Yet. Montreal fans can only hope that Alain Vigneault is on the way out. And while I believe that Coach Q should be made to live in the mess he and Bowman created, I wouldn’t mind him moving to the East. Lastly, should Q move on, Trotz to the Blackhawks is a solid “No”.
Super Slow Mo: Week 22 | NHL.com
Prince Filip to Ryan Getzlaf for the Predators goal! Annnnnnndd again only one highlight. Okay, everyone but these guys likes us.
NHL attacks link between hockey, CTE in bid to exclude concussion expert from trial | TSN
Some crazy stuff here. The expert for the players did not consider people with CTE who did not play sports or fight wars, only concentrated on sports. (Seems logical to me, but…) The NHL lawyers want him excluded and for it to be determined that because some people who didn’t play sports or fight wars get CTE, then hockey can’t be linked to CTE. (Run that by me again?) That’s like saying because I caught poison ivy from spores/flakes (whatever) on my dog’s fur, there is no link between you laying in a patch of it and breaking out in sores.
Theo Fleury On How Depression Ended His Career | Grandstand Central
Yet another sad commentary on the “Be A Man” culture of professional sports. Theo Fleury has turned his bad experience into assistance to other victims of abuse.
World’s Longest Hockey Game enduring passion for Oilers optometrist | NHL.com
This was Sunday’s long read and well worth every minute. Major stick taps to everyone involved with this charitable effort.
Fleury keeps Golden Knights loose on way to his 400th NHL win | NHL.com
With a more lighthearted Fleury, looks like the practical joker has not changed his spots. I didn’t know Marc-Andre Fleury started in the NHL at 18. Congratulations to him on the 400.
NHL PLAYOFFS: League should switch to 1-vs-8 format | Toronto Star
I’m convinced that the format I like best will vary every year according to the Predators’ ranking. That said, some wild ones in the letters he encloses.