The nature of Erat’s injury

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

Yesterday, Predators (and Czech Republic) forward Martin Erat took a hard high hit from Libor Hudacek of Slovakia in the IIHF Hockey World Championship.

Czech Republic General Manager Slava Lener said Erat suffered a concussion. This appears to not be the case. According to Erat’s agent Mike Deutsch, the Predators’ leading scorer from 2011-12 did not suffer a concussion. Deutsch said Erat is ‘fine’ and that he suffered a bit of a ‘stiff neck.’

Either way, the hit raises the question of NHL players, important NHL players to their teams, taking part in this event. If you look at the hit, it was the type of play that would draw the ire of NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan. Hudacek wasn’t looking at the puck — and appeared to never notice that Erat had gotten rid of it. He was targeting Erat’s upper body/head area the whole way. He also used his shoulder to explode upwards into Erat.

What type of discipline did this draw from the IIHF? It was decided after the game that the incident wouldn’t be reviewed by its “Disciplinary Panel” according to the official release.

While it’s good to keep playing hockey — and nobody should ever be discouraged from playing for your country — these situations do happen. It sounds like the Predators dodged a bad situation with Erat. But it could have been a lot worse.

 

I don't even know what to title this

Source: On the Forecheck by Marc Torrence

I don't even know what to title this

OtF enforcer 3DLink's Honey Badger/Predobear creation has made the rounds, but we didn't know it made it THIS far around. (sticktap to Zack Bennett for finding this)

Hockey season is finally over for the Preds: Sunday's notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Thanks to the Czech Republic losing yesterday (and Martin Erat getting knocked from the game with a concussion), all of the Nashville Predators are officially done playing for this season. Sure, there are two junior prospects still competing in the Memorial Cup, but the pros are now able to kick off the skates and heal up for the next three months.

All that's left to do for now is get ready for Mike Fisher's interview with Oprah Winfrey, which airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. Central on

Predators’ Erat suffers concussion after headshot vs. Slovakia at World Championships (VIDEO) (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Martin Erat's Czech Republic team suffered a major blow Saturday when they were upset by Slovakia, 3-1, in the semifinal game of the IIHF World Hockey Championships. But Erat personally suffered a major blow when he was absolutely crushed by Libor Hudacek in the corner midway through the first period. I don't speak the language this clip is in, but that uncomfortable exhalation is the same in any language, and I'm about 99% positive the word "blindside" is uttered at the 0:31 mark. That said, Erat does some high-quality puck-watching here. First he's looking back over his left shoulder. Then he swivels his head and looks back over his right shoulder. Then Hudacek drills him, with the Slovak forward's shoulder connecting with his chin. Erat left the game and would not return, and according to Czech GM Slava Lener, he won't return for the bronze medal game either. The Nashville Predators' forward has a concussion. Here's hoping he's recovered in time for training camp next fall.

Martin Erat suffers concussion at World Championships

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Just when you thought the World Championships weren't worth paying attention to... bad news comes for Nashville Predators fans. While playing for the Czech Republic in a 3-1 semifinal loss to Slovakia, Martin Erat suffered a concussion on a 1st-period hit and left the game.

Martin Erat #10 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 201

Born: Aug 29, 1981

This, from the IIHF's

Boston Bruins at the World Championship Update for May 19: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Boston Bruins fans, our captain and first-line center are trying hard to win some precious metals and some bragging rights for us--Zdeno Chara and David Krejci are both still in the hunt for medals at the IIHF World Championship.

Post Mortem: Part II “The Bright Spots”

Source: Predlines by Dan Bradley

Post Mortem: Part II “The Bright Spots” - Predlines - Predlines - A Nashville Predators blog

Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 Thread

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

With this series tied 1-1, the battle for the Prince of Wales Trophy moves to New Jersey:

Next Game

New York Rangers
@ New Jersey Devils

Saturday, May 19, 2012, Noon Central (NBC)
Prudential Center

Complete Coverage >

2012 Eastern Conference Finals: Rangers Vs. Devils - Another Swing Game - Blueshirt Banter
Joe

New features announced for NHL '13

Source: On the Forecheck by Marc Torrence

If you're like me, you love playing EA Sports' NHL games, even after the season is over. The series is probably my favorite of all the EA Sports games.

EA Sports has already announced a couple of new features for next year's game via a press release, and I already can't wait to get my hands on it.

Follow after the jump for more:

True Performance Skating

It's the little things that make the NHL series so fun, and those little things are only going to get better. They've added more animations that will more accurately reflect the way a player skates, rather than simply making him fast or slow:

A

The 303:30 – Season in Review, pt 2: the Lindback situation and the Memorial Cup

Source: Section 303 by Jeremy K. Gover

In this episode of The 303:30, presented by Brewhouse South, we discuss the back-up goalie situation headed into the 2012-13 season (complete with comments from Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile), we encourage you to vote for Pekka Rinne in the NHL 13 cover vote (CLICK HERE to do so, by the way), we discuss the 2012 World Championships and how Marty Erat is the lone Predator representative remaining in the medal round and we even chat with the voice of the London Knights, Mike Stubbs, as we talk about the 2012 Memorial Cup.

Also, in our USA Baby & Kids in Franklin feature of the week, we answer YOUR Facebook questions.

As always, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter and to subscribe via iTunes. While you’re at iTunes, please rate and review us as well.

To hear the on-air version of The 303:30, keep your radio dial locked to 102.5 The Game this Saturday morning at 8:00am Central.

CREDITS:
Music: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes), Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs), 1-2-3-4 Sumpin’ New (Coolio), Pick Up the Pieces (Average White Band), Footwork (College Boyys), Dirty Black Summer (Danzig), You Be Killin’ Me (Fabolous), Did You Get My Message? (Jason Mraz), Gold On the Ceiling (The Black Keys)

A night without the NHL Playoffs = Memorial Cup time: Friday afternoon notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

The NHL playoffs are going dark for a night before resuming tomorrow, but die-hard puckheads can still catch some action, as Canadian junior's signature tournament, the Memorial Cup, takes center stage. Tonight at 6:00 Central, it begins with the Edmonton Oil Kings squaring off with the Shawinigan Cataractes.

For more on this four-team tourney, check out this article at NHL.com, and keep an eye out for tomorrow's contest (also at 6:00 p.m. on NHL Network) between the London Knights and Saint John Sea Dogs. Nashville Predators prospect Austin Watson is a leading star for London, while 2009 Nashville draftee Charles-Olivier

Oilers torched for Renney firing; Milan Hejduk back; Alex Radulov fallout (Puck Headlines) (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • Look, JGL: "Inception" was the bomb. You were Han Solo in "500 Days of Summer." You probably become Batman when Bane breaks Bruce Wayne's back (/speculation). But please do not wear the Lakers gear to the Kings game. That said, feel free to wear the Kings gear to the Lakers game, if there are still going to be Lakers games this spring. • The Ryan Suter watch begins next week. Hold onto your butts. [ Malik ] • Shea Weber on Alex Radulov's quasi-suspension in Round 2 for the Nashville Predators: "You feel a little bit betrayed, but I am sure he feels bad about it now and he looks back on it and wishes it didn't happen. Those are the things you can't take back and we've got to move forward." [ Examiner ] • Pekka Rinne on Radulov and the curfew issue: "It didn't affect as much as media made it seem like. The way I see it, Radulov joining the team mid-season affected the atmosphere more than the incident that happened in the playoffs." [ On The Forecheck ] • Milan Hejduk is back with the Colorado Avalanche for one year and $2 million. Says Dater: "Yeah, I'm a little concerned about where/what Hejduk's role might be. I mean, it's a little worrisome to think he'll be relied upon perhaps as a top-six forward. And yet, would he really be effective on a third or fourth line? Those are questions Joe Sacco will have to grapple with next season." [ All Things Avs ] • Great work here by Nick Cotsonika on burgeoning New York Rangers star and rookie sensation Chris Kreider. [ Y! Sports ] • Ryan Callahan says his left hand isn't injured, despite blocking a shot with it back in the Ottawa series. [ NYDN ] • Darryl Sutter, on the growth of Los Angeles Kings forward Dwight King: "Growth?" Sutter said. "He's still 232 (pounds). After games, he's 228." [ LA Kings Insider ] • Kerry Fraser on embellishing players in the postseason: "The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs is not the time for the referees to strap on the six guns in an effort to clean up embellishment in Dodge. The refs must however, ramp up their radar and if any doubt is created in their mind as to the legitimacy of a foul, then I would suggest they keep their arm down and play on. I also hope they will seize every opportunity to enforce obvious embellishment by calling a penalty (whether as a 'stand alone' penalty or a coincidental minor when embellishment occurs as the aftermath to a legitimate foul)." [ TSN ] • John MacKinnon torches the Edmonton Oilers for firing Tom Renney. "This move — anticipated as it was — was a long, slow slap in the face to a coach who deserved better. If you're the incoming man, it would be wise to at least ponder the fashion in which the Oilers will ultimately dump you. That might help you decide whether you want to accept the job in the first place." [ Journal ] • David Staples does much the same: "My bottom line on Renney? He  earned a new deal. He made a few big miscalculations, but much more was going right than wrong under his direction." [ Cult of Hockey ] • From Black Dog: "The Oilers are like the opposite of that and maybe this should be their master plan. Howson has already destroyed Columbus. Maybe Messier can take over the Rangers and Prendergast can move to Chicago. Let Tambo move back to Vancouver and Buchberger coach the Avs. Let them go forth and multiply and take their special brand of incompetence to the rest of the league, like the Black Plague, destroying franchises as they alight from their private jets, just as flea ridden rats destroyed cities as they swarmed ashore from ships manned by infected doomed sailors." [ BDHS ] • Ellen Etchingham on the Los Angeles Kings: "These Kings, they just look so brilliant. So clearly and completely and definitively ass-whoopingly eye-catchingly heart-liftingly brilliant. They play the way I'd always hoped a Cup-winning team would play. They play like they are actually so much better than everyone else that they ( *gasp* ) deserve to win. There's still a part of me that can't wholly believe they're for real. There's a part of me that's still tensed for the inevitable fall. But, nevertheless, I hope. I would like to see a team take the Cup this decisively, in less than twenty games. I want to see a juggernaut victory." [ Backhand Shelf ] • Alex Ovechkin was named the 11th most marketable athlete internationally in 2012. [ Alex Ovetjkin ] "A finalized lease agreement with a potential Phoenix Coyotes buyer has yet to emerge publicly but a Glendale City Council majority appears poised to approve a $17 million fee to operate the city-owned arena." [ AZ Central ] • Hopefully, when Daniel Alfredsson says he may have played his last competitive game, he means all 82 games next season for the Ottawa Senators (plus playoffs) are blowouts. [ Senators Extra ] • Finally, the New York Mets all wore hockey jerseys on their road trip to Canada. Expected to see more Islanders sweaters, given that both franchises have been living off the glory of the 1980s for decades… ( Kukla )

Pekka Rinne on Radulov: "a big and colorful character"

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

In an interview with the Finnish site Kaleva.fi, Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne discussed the frustration over his team's second-round exit from the playoffs, how much the whole Alexander Radulov/Andrei Kostitsyn affair affected the Preds, and which member of the Finnish national team he's keeping an eye on as they move on to the

Varying views on suspensions emerge

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

With the Predators season finished for over a week, some varying views on the suspensions of Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal are starting to emerge. The two were also held out for Game 4.

Andrei’s brother, Sergei spoke to the Belorussian news gathering entity, Pressball and announced his displeasure at how management handled the situations involving Radulov and his brother.

“I think the management was too tough on Alexander [Radulov] and Andrei [Kostitsyn]. The punishment for the incident could have been a monetary fine, [they] went too far with the disqualification in the midst of an important stage of the playoffs,” Sergei said, as translated by Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo! “We missed the guys in games three and four of the series.”

Then yesterday on a The Team 1040 radio station in Vancouver, Predators captain Shea Weber gave a rare offseason interview in which he said he felt ‘a little betrayed’ by Radulov. Weber was one of the players on Nashville who was instrumental in bringing Radulov back from Russia in March and fully endorsed the decision.

“You feel a little bit betrayed, but I am sure he feels bad about it now and he looks back on it and wishes it didn’t happen,” Weber said. “Those are the things you can’t take back and we’ve got to move forward.”

You do have to wonder about both statements. For one, what was said to Sergei in his meeting with the team before he left for the summer? There have been some questions on whether the Predators want him back after his play dropped dramatically following the team’s trade for Andrei in late February. Players likely to return the following season don’t often call out management in such a way.

Also, Weber’s statement indicates that he may have been on board with the decision to suspend Radulov and Andrei.

No news on Suter likely this week

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

It sounds like next week will be decision week for Ryan Suter. On breakout day last week, the defenseman, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, if he and the Predators can’t come to terms on a contract by then, said he will take two weeks before deciding his strategy. That’s still the case according to his agent, Neil Sheehy.

“Right now I want to honor Ryan’s request to unwind for two weeks,” Sheehy said. “I want to take two weeks to unwind and it hasn’t been two weeks.”

Predators General Manager David Poile said that he will try to meet with Suter at some point after the two week period.

Voting opens today for Pekka Rinne in Quarterfinals of NHL13 Cover Contest

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Pekka Rinne has stood on his head for the Nashville Predators, and now it's your turn to stand up for him.

Voting has opened this morning in the quarterfinal round of the EA Sports' NHL 13 Cover Contest. The ultimate victor will grace the latest edition of the leading hockey video game which comes out this fall, and it's pretty remarkable that a Pred has made it this far - but now can he knock off a big star from the Big Apple?

Pekka Rinne #35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height:

Shea Weber speaks about Radulov/AK46, too: Friday's notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

After reading the first item in this morning's hockey notes, I'm left wondering if there's a relationship between the physical distance from Nashville, and the candor with which players speak to the media. The Captain kicks things off as he speaks on Vancouver radio...

Follow @Forechecker

Nashville Predators News

Shea Weber feels ‘a little bit betrayed’ by Alexander Radulov - Nashville Predators Examiner
So SK74 didn't like how Trotz & Poile handled things, Weber opens up a little about his disappointment with

Western Conference Finals Game 3 Thread

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

The battle in the West shifts to Los Angeles, as the Kings try to keep the Coyotes on the ropes:

Next Game

Phoenix Coyotes
@ Los Angeles Kings

Thursday, May 17, 2012, 8:00 PM Central (NBC Sports)
STAPLES Center

Complete Coverage >

WCF: Phoenix Coyotes @ Los Angeles Kings Game 3: Road Warriors? - Five For Howling
Can the

Boston Bruins at the World Championship Update for May 17: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Boston Bruins fans will get to enjoy a different kind of deep playoff run as the two Bruins in the IIHF World Championship advance to the semifinals and keep their medal hopes alive. Sure, it's not the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but either Zdeno Chara or David Krejci could very well bring their home country some glory soon.

()

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Finns, Russia go through, Slovaks upset Canada (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Holders Finland advanced to the semi-finals of the world ice hockey championships with a last-gasp winner against the United States on Thursday, but Olympic champions Canada were shocked by Slovakia.

ESPN’s Colin Cowherd vs. NHL writers; longest game record; Roenick, Modano beards (Puck Headlines) (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • In case you haven't heard, Colin Cowherd of ESPN insulted the entirety of the hockey media on Thursday (you can watch the video at the bottom of the post) by calling coverage amateurish and saying, "You're getting a lot of young, cheap people covering hockey and it's not like newspapers send their best people to hockey." He's of course talking about summer interns like Michael Farber of SI, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, Eric Duhatschek of the Globe & Mail, Kevin Allen of USA Today, Jeff Klein of the NY Times and Pat Hickey of the Gazette. Not to mention the scores of writers over the age of 40 in any hockey press box Cowherd's never been in. [ Awful Announcing ] • Here are John Tortorella's 13 minutes of media time from Thursday's conference call. [ NYDN ] • Mirtle makes the case that the New Jersey Devils should be embraced by Canadians: "To many, the Devils are still this no-nonsense, Scott Stevens led defensive squad that celebrated its three Cup wins in the parking lot -- even though they're now full of personality, led by Parise (who talked at length after Game 2 about how DeBoer pushes them to be aggressive in the offensive zone) and have a beautiful new rink that has a read-and-black pavilion out front to potentially parade around in." [ Globe & Mail ] • Glendale's funding of the Phoenix Coyotes has partially led to 49 people losing their jobs. [ Globe & Mail ] • No Adrian Aucoin for Game 3 vs. the Los Angeles Kings. [ Orlesky ] • The Dino Ciccarelli Award for best postseason rookie. Has to go to Holtby, right? [ Backhand Shelf ] • GM George McPhee is going to take his time before naming the next Washington Capitals coach. [ Capitals Insider ] • Sad news: The Dayton Gems are folding. [ Dayton Daily News ] • Big congrats to the 40 men who played hockey for 246 hours and raised $1.4 million for charity in the "world's longest hockey game." [ Calgary Sun ] • Carrie Underwood totally sticks up for her man Mike Fisher during Nashville Predators games, ya'll: "When somebody trips Mike or does something dirty, I'm like: 'Are you KIDDING me?' Yeah, I get pretty heated." [ Metro ]

Predators to host open house on May 23

Source: Preds On The Glass

The Nashville Predators have announced another open house with a free open skate on the Bridgestone Arena ice before it is removed for the summer. There will be plenty of other activities including the always popular Predators Foundation garage sale as well as many other specials.

Here is the full release from the Predators with all the details...

Join us for a night of fun at Bridgestone Arena!


What a great season in Smashville! Though it ended too quickly, the 2011-2012 season was filled with great moments like the clinching victory over Detroit in Game Five of the first round and the franchise record 30 regular and post season sellouts at Bridgestone Arena. As a thank you for your support throughout the season we’d like to invite you to join us next Wednesday, May 23 from 5-8 p.m. for a night of fun at Bridgestone Arena.

This free event includes:

• Open skate with free skate rental. If you plan on skating, please click here to RSVP (even if you have your own skates).
• Free photo opportunity with Schenk Photography (5:30-7:30pm) 
• Concession specials
• Pro Shop specials
• Authentics game-worn merchandise sale
• Nashville Predators Foundation garage sale
• Free parking will be available in the Sixth Avenue (on the corner of Demonbreun and Sixth Avenue) garage for you when you arrive (based on availability).

We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday!

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass

Sergei Kostitsyn criticizes handling of Radulov & AK46: Thursday's nooner

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Our lunchtime hockey notes kick off with an interesting quote in the Russian press from Sergei Kostitsyn, in which he appears to criticize David Poile and Barry Trotz's handling of his brother Andrei and Alexander Radulov following their violation of team rules during the Phoenix series.

You have to wonder how many others on the team may have been thinking the same thing...

Follow @Forechecker

Nashville Predators News

Preds in review: Anders Lindback

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

How can we term Anders Lindback’s 2011-12 season? Frustrating? Difficult? Typical of a backup goalie? Maybe all of the above. With the Predators working Pekka Rinne in almost every game, Lindback got few opportunities. He started just 10 games and was often put in tough situations.

In mid-January he started the second part of a back-to-back against the New York Rangers, a team that was the tops in the NHL at the time. Against Carolina on Feb. 28, Lindback lost, but it was the fifth game in a week for Nashville, and fatigue was likely setting in for his teammates in front of him.

He finished the year on a strong note, winning his last three starts and stopping 89 of 92 shots in those starts.

This offseason, the 6-foot-6 Lindback is a restricted free agent. He’s 24 and has starter potential. Some around the league believe he is further along at this age than Rinne was.

With Rinne locked up for the next seven years in Nashville, Lindback is expendable to a degree. A team like Tampa or Toronto needs goaltending and Lindback could be the answer. The Predators gave up a lot of draft picks at the trading deadline, they can get some back with Lindback.

Devils take Game 2: Thursday's notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

The New Jersey Devils have served notice that they won't just stand aside and give the NHL their dream "New York vs. L.A." Stanley Cup Final matchup, as they took a gritty 3-2 victory last night at Madison Square Garden to even up the Eastern Conference Finals at 1-1. Our morning hockey notes start there, and move on to the latest developments in the Coyotes/Kings series, the growing media frustration with Rangers coach John Tortorella, and the dawn of a new, notable hockey

Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 Thread

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Can the Rangers take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, or will the Devils earn a split at Madison Square Garden tonight?

Next Game

New Jersey Devils
@ New York Rangers

Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 7:00 PM Central (NBC Sports)
Madison Square Garden

Complete Coverage >

2012 Eastern Conference Finals: Rangers Vs.

How the Last 13 Stanley Cup Champions Didn't Repeat, Part 3: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

In the past 13 years, all 13 Stanley Cup champions fell short of raising the Cup another consecutive time. The first part of this series looked at how the champions from 1999, 2000 and 2001 failed to repeat. Last week, part two studied how the 2002, 2003 and 2004 champions missed the chance to win again. This week, part three explains how the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 champions were undone the next year.

A Devilish Plan: Wednesday's nooner

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

It seems like the running theme of these 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been the blocked shot - are there too many of them in today's game, and what, if anything can be done about it?

New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur had something to say on the topic, and it's got tongues a-wagging in response...

Quit wasting money on jerseys, t-shirts, and other NHL fan apparel - get the Hockey Gear HQ email newsletter!

Nashville Predators News

Preds in review: Pekka Rinne - Predators Insider
Josh starts what is presumably a series of player

Preds in review: Pekka Rinne

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

To say Pekka Rinne had a career-year would be both true and false. Rinne did lead the NHL with 43 wins, seven more than the Predators franchise record set by Tomas Vokoun in 2005-06. He also led the league in saves (1,987), shots against (2,153), and appearances (43). By all standards, this was Rinne’s first year as a true workhorse goaltender, and he met expectations.

Some numbers were not quite as sterling as the previous year. His goals against average went up from 2.12 last season to 2.39 this year. His save percentage also dropped from .930 in 2010-11 to .923 in 2011-12.  But he was under heavy fire early in the season, mostly due to a young Nashville lineup, still trying to find its way defensively. In his first 10 starts, Rinne saw over 30 shots in seven of 10 games.

On Nov. 3, 2011 — his 29th birthday — Rinne signed the largest contract in team history, a 7-year $49 million deal. He then shut out the Phoenix Coyotes that night.

Against Detroit in the first round of the playoffs, Rinne was the Predators main reason for winning that series in five games. He stopped 151 of 160 shots and had a 1.81 goals against average.

Against the Coyotes in the Western Conference semifinal, Rinne allowed just three goals in the final three games — the Predators needed wins in all contests — but ended up 1-2 in those games. In that five-game series, he had a save percentage over .900 just twice.

Your Weekly OTF Photo Caption Contest

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

What's Patric Hornqvist doing here? This comes from a recent Sweden/Italy game at the IIHF World Championships...

Coyotes lose cool as Kings take 2-0 series lead: Wednesday's notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

The Los Angeles Kings took a big step towards returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993 last night, taking a 4-0 victory at Phoenix in a game which saw the Coyotes come unglued. The Western Conference Finals will now move to L.A. for Game 3 & 4, giving the Kings a chance to close things out quickly and see what happens in the East.

Our morning hockey notes start from there, and move on to cover the Nashville Predators' roster decisions this summer, a look at the NHL coaching market, and insight from hockey's keenest mind on where all this shot blocking is coming from...

Both players and fans can save big with the Hockey

Western Conference Finals Game 2 Thread

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

The Kings took the opener Sunday night at Phoenix, and another win tonight would give them a real choke-hold on the Coyotes before taking this series back to Los Angeles for Games 3 & 4...

Next Game

Los Angeles Kings
@ Phoenix Coyotes

Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 8:00 PM Central (NBC Sports)
Jobing.com Arena

Complete Coverage >

WCF: Phoenix

Why the NHL Needs the Sunbelt

Source: On the Forecheck by stackiii

Why the NHL Needs the Sunbelt

Good stuff here from Slate blogger Matt Yglesias:

The issue is the bifurcated cable television markets in North America. Right now, hockey has a national broadcast deal in Canada and it has another one in the United States. Losing the national deal in the USA would be very costly to the entire enterprise. But to maintain that national deal, the NHL has to present itself as offering a true nationwide sports league which means you need teams in the sunbelt. Atlanta's departure didn't leave too much of a hole in the map since there are teams in North Carolina and Tennessee. Probably any one of the remaining non-Dallas sunbelt

Chat time: Wednesday at noon

Source: Predators Insider by JOSH COOPER, The Tennessean

Predators beat writer Josh Cooper

303 QUICK HIT: 84% of Preds roster has played in international competition

Source: Section 303 by Jeremy K. Gover

While we take a break after the disappointing conclusion of the 2011-12 Nashville Predators season, we came across an interesting fact that we thought we’d pass along.

Did you know that, of the 31 players on the active roster, only Brian McGrattan, Brandon Yip and Nick Spaling (as well as black aces Chris Mueller and Kyle Wilson) have never represented their country in any kind of international competition? In that light, the Preds have a pretty amazing roster, eh?

The 2012 World Championships are currently going on with Craig Smith and the United States advancing to the quarterfinals against host team Finland on Thursday, May 17. That got us to thinking, “how many players on the current Predators roster have represented their respective countries over the years?” But not just at the Worlds. In the World Juniors or in the Olympics as well. It turns out a staggering 84% of the roster has played in at least one international game during their hockey careers.

How does that compare to other NHL teams? We took the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of the best teams in the league, and did some calculations. Only 14 players on their 23-man roster have suited up in international competition, good for just 61%.

So fear not, Preds fans. Every playoff exit is tough. Some are tough because the season ended too soon and some are tough because success was so close that you could taste it. Nashville has consistently built a competitive team and, if back-to-back second round appearances aren’t enough (the only Western Conference team in the last two years who can say that, by the way), it’s even more evident in the make up of their roster.

A roster that’s chock full of some of the best hockey players in the world apparently.

Canada living the life of O'Reilly at ice hockey worlds (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Olympic champions Canada's impressive form at the world championships continued here on Tuesday as they rounded off their preliminary group campaign with their sixth win out of seven a 5-1 thrashing of Belarus.

Tippett talks Game 2; Torres hearing; Dale Hunter Hockey debate (Puck Headlines) (Puck Daddy)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • All of this has happened before, and will happen again. (via … Continue reading →

NHL: Why the NHL Should Not Abandon Non-Traditional Hockey Markets

Source: Bleacher Report

One of the biggest misnomers around is that an NHL franchise cannot succeed in a non-traditional hockey market.

A prime examples supporting this claim is highlighted by the former Atlanta Thrashers and their current ownership woes. It is true that hockey has a natural disadvantage in those markets because of the locals being unaware of the game of hockey, but the prime reason why a team like the Thrashers failed was because Atlanta was the wrong kind of non-traditional hockey market.

What do I mean by Atlanta being a bad market?

The Thrashers had one main factor going against them, there were too many other teams in Atlanta. The city all ready had an NBA, NFL, and MLB franchise before the Thrashers were formed, and because of the stiff competition from more well established franchises in the area, compounded by the fact that Atlanta has a pretty low population compared to cities like Houston, made it difficult to succeed.

A similar situation could be argued in Phoenix, including the fact that the Coyotes don’t play in Phoenix proper, instead in Glendale.

But for every Phoenix and Atlanta, there are towns that have actually succeeded, the best example being Nashville.

Why has Nashville succeeded in establishing a fan base in a comparatively smaller TV market? Well, the Predators don’t have any direct competition for fans. The only other team in the area is the Tennessee Titans, but for the most part, the Predators and Titans seasons don’t over lap.

By not being in direct competition, the Predators can get a good chunk of the people who attend Titans games to go to Predators games, thanks in large part to the lack of direct competition.

There are a few additional factors which have helped Nashville become a successful franchise— stability at the coaching position with Coach Trotz, as well as simple success on the ice.

By having stable coaching there can be a stable system where the general manager only has to find players to fit one system, as opposed to needing players that could play in any.

In a sport like hockey, many times the reason why a team fails in one location is not because of possible fan support, but because of how little success those teams had. If the Thrashers were able to achieve success, they would have been able to get a large following in Atlanta.

People don’t want to see losers! 

Read more Nashville Predators news on BleacherReport.com

Report: Sergei Kostitsyn injures shoulder at World Championships: Tuesday's nooner

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Hey, remember that Sergei Kostitsyn guy we were just talking about this morning? Well, there's good news and bad news from the IIHF World Championships...

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Nashville Predators News

Canada wins, finishes first - IIHF.com
Good news, Sergei Kostitsyn got the lone goal for Belarus as Canada beat them 5-1! Bad news, SK74 separated his shoulder.

Sergei Kostitsyn would like to stay: Tuesday's notes

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Our morning hockey notes begin with word from one of Nashville's most important restricted free agents, Sergei Kostitsyn, on how he'd like to stay with the Predators for the long haul. While I doubt there's much question that the team would like him back (unlike his big brother Andrei), the question is, what role do you see SK74 playing on this team going forward?

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Nashville Predators News

Mike Fisher meets Oprah

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

Mike Fisher has gone toe-to-toe with some stiff competition lately - Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg... and now, Oprah Winfrey. The Nashville Predators' center and his uber-famous wife Carrie Underwood are the subjects of an upcoming episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter", airing Sunday May 20th.

Can the iconic TV host get him to open up better than Marc Howard doing an in-game bench interview? The topic for discussion here is this - what questions do you

Kings, Coyotes know a little bit makes a big difference heading into Game 2 (Yahoo! Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles was loose and laughing, while Phoenix was already grappling with a "must-win" desperation scenario early in the Western Conference final series.

Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Thread

Source: On the Forecheck by Dirk Hoag

I can imagine they're clicking their heels at NHL Headquarters over this matchup, because even though nationwide it may not be that big a deal, this should draw boffo ratings in New York, the country's largest media market.

Next Game

New Jersey Devils
@ New York Rangers

Monday, May 14, 2012, 7:00 PM Central (NBC Sports)
Madison Square Garden

Complete Coverage >

Kings-Coyotes Preview (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Phoenix Coyotes survived stretches of playing on their heels in the playoffs' first two rounds, absorbing everything the opponent threw at them before counterpunching with a winning goal.

Kings dominate opener of West final (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Phoenix Coyotes survived stretches of playing on their heels in the playoffs' first two rounds, absorbing everything the opponent threw at them before counterpunching with a winning goal.

Record TV Ratings Indicative of Growing Predators Fan Base

Source: NHL.com

The Nashville Predators saw a record number of fans come through the Bridgestone Arena turnstiles during the 2011-12 campaign, with a franchise-record 25 sellouts during the regular season and five more during the playoffs. The growing Predators f...