Predators awarded 4th Pick in NHL Draft Lottery

April 29, 2013April 29, 2013Leave a comment

The lottery has spoken and, after wringing our hands in anticipation of what good news we can look forward to due to a playoff-less offseason, the Nashville Predators drew lucky number four in the 2013 NHL Draft lottery.

Rounding out the Top 5 are:
5. Carolina Hurricane
4. Nashville Predators
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Florida Panthers
1. Colorado Avalanche

The Predators had a 10.7% chance of nabbing the 1st overall pick, but odds were in Colorado’s favor, who are expected to claim the highly sought after defenseman, Seth Jones. However, this is Nashville’s highest draft pick since claiming David Legwand in 1998, so the Preds can expect to add a stellar player to their roster, who David Poile claims will “90 percent” likely be a forward.

The rest of the league follows as (up to 14 as the Stanley Cup finals will determine the rest of the league):
6. Calgary Flames
7. Edmonton Oilers
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. New Jersey Devils
10. Dallas Stars
11. Philadelphia Flyers
12. Phoenix Coyotes
13. Winnipeg Jets
14. Columbus Blue Jackets

Although they may not nab Seth Hones, whose father is from Dresden, Tenn., there are plenty of other top prospects Nashville has a chance at selecting from. Here are the top prospects for the 2013 Draft as chosen by TSN:

1. D – Seth Jones, Portland (Western Hockey League)
2. F – Jonathan Drouin, Halifax (Quebec Major Junior League)
3. F – Nathan MacKinnon, Halifax (QMJHL)
4. F – Aleksander Barkov, Tappara (Finnish Elite League)
5. F – Valeri Nichushkin, Chelijabinsk (Kontinental Hockey League)
6. D – Darnell Nurse, Saul Ste. Marie (Ontario Hockey League)
7. F – Sean Monahan, Ottawa, (OHL)
8. F – Elias Lindholm, Brynas (Swedish Elite League)
9. G – Zachary Fucale, Halifax (QMJHL)
10. F – Max Domi, London (OHL)

We have our eyes set on No. 4, Aleksander Barkov, but that’s just us.

The 2013 NHL Draft isn’t until June 30th, so David Poile and the rest of the staff have plenty of time to decide wether to take or trade (please don’t trade). For interest’s sake, here is a list of all the players Nashville has picked up in the first round:

Draft Position – Year – Player
2 – 1998 – DAVID LEGWAND, F
6 – 1999 – BRIAN FINLEY, G
6 – 2000 – SCOTT HARTNELL, F
12 – 2001 – DAN HAMHUIS, D
6 – 2002 – SCOTTIE UPSHALL, F
7 – 2003 – RYAN SUTER, D
15 – 2004 – ALEXANDER RADULOV, F
18 – 2005 – RYAN PARENT, D
23 – 2007 – JONATHON BLUM, D
7 – 2008 – COLIN WILSON, F
18 – 2008 – CHET PICKARD, G
11 – 2009 – RYAN ELLIS, D
18 – 2010 – AUSTIN WATSON, F

Filip Forsberg to make NHL Debut Tonight

April 14, 2013April 14, 2013Leave a comment

– Image courtesy of Cellblock 303 –

May all of our hopes be saved! Err… so it feels like. Predators fans will finally see the result of the Martin Erat/Mike Latta to the Washington Capitals trade, which is Top Prospect, Filip Forsberg.

To be honest, I did not expect to see Forsberg make his NHL debut until maybe next season, as Nashville’s playoff hopes have been all but dashed. But injuries have plagued the Predators in this shortened season, giving other players a chance at the NHL dream, such as Taylor Beck, Victor Bartley, and Daniel Bång.

Tonight, Filip Forsberg, who has spent his time playing in native Sweden, will step up for a fellow Swede, Patric Hörnqvist, who has fallen with his third upper body injury this season.

Now, about that whole “he’s here to save us” deal: The kid is good, no doubt; but don’t get all cranky if he doesn’t score a Hat Trick or something of the sort tonight. Predators fans haven’t gotten as excited about a player since the Return of Radulov, but this kid is better than Rads ever could have been – just remember this is his first NHL game.

If you don’t have tickets tonight, you need to find some. Forsberg will be sporting the No. 9, so keep an eye out wether you’re against the glass for warmups or against the glass on your television screen.

Austin Watson’s NHL Debut marred by Preds 4th loss to Chicago

April 7, 2013April 7, 2013Leave a comment

Source: Zimbio.com

The post-season train is about to board and Nashville is falling further and further to the back of the pack, with Chicago claiming their ticket and jumping aboard with tonight’s win over the Predators 5-3. As stated in a previous post, the lockout was more than helpful for the Chicago Blackhawks, as they started out the season undefeated through 24 games. Though they have since lost, their record against Nashville thus far remains 4-0.

Don’t laugh off the Predators just yet, though. They fell to the Blackhawks 3-0 in their first meeting, but Nashville has kept the games close against the leader of the NHL. But close doesn’t cut it when the playoffs are on the line and, though they fought a good fight, quality doesn’t always produce quantity when it comes down to it.

Here are the highlights from tonight’s game at the United Center:

BEFORE THE GAME:

Though he played in yesterday’s game, Mike Fisher was pulled from the lineup for safety reasons and an emergency recall from Milwaukee was made. Insert, Austin Watson: Nashville’s first round pick from the 2010 NHL Draft. As Milwaukee’s leading scorer, it was more of a “when is he coming” situation for the Predators.

FIRST PERIOD:

Andrew Shaw drew blood first with a slap shot past Pekka Rinne at 6:34 into the game, his 8th goal of the season.
Nashville would kill any chance of a shutout for Chicago at 17:16 with a wrister from Nick Spaling, his 7th goal of the season. Sergei Kostitsyn would pick up his 11th assist of the season.

SECOND PERIOD:

Similar to the first period, Chicago would start out with a goal first, this time from Bryan Bickell, his 8th of the season.
The Predators would respond at 5:54 with a clean slap shot from Shea Weber, his 8th goal of the season. Nick Spaling would pick up the assist on Weber’s goal, his 4th of the season.

THIRD PERIOD:

David Legwand would give Nashville its only lead of the night at 6:54 for his 11th goal of the season. Matt Halischuk (5th) and Shea Weber (15th) would nab the assists on Leggy’s goal. Legwand is now just one goal away from his 200th NHL career goal.
Chicago would both tie and take the lead within 55 seconds of each goal, the first one nailed by Brandon Saad and the second collected by Jonathan Toews.
With the clock winding down, Patrick Kane collects his 20th goal of the season with an empty netter, sealing the game 5-3 in favor of the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks only needed one point to punch their ticket into the playoffs, but with their win in regulation, Nashville may have unwillingly handed Chicago their possible ticket, too.

The Predators have made the playoffs every year since 2003, spoiling Predators fans who weren’t aware of the franchise before that year. Do fans know how to handle an early off season filled with golf while watching other teams claw for the Cup?

The Predators pack up and head home to welcome the St. Louis Blues to the Bridgestone on Tuesday night. The Predators are just five points behind Detroit for 8th position and just six from St. Louis who sits in 7th. Two things need to happen to help the Predators: everyone else to lose and Nashville to actually win.

Preds aquire Filip Forsberg from WSH for Erat & Latta

April 3, 2013Leave a comment

Image Source: Thescore.com

Wowza. What an unexpected surprise for Nashville, wouldn’t you say? Though I would’ve loved to rush to the blog to get this story out sooner, my employer wouldn’t have appreciated me cussing under my breath at my phone as I fought to get WordPress to work on my phone.

Though you know the story by now, the Predators made a surprise move on the last day of the Trade Deadline in the form of trading both Martin Erat and Mike Latta to the Washington Capitals for a forward by the name of Filip Forsberg. *I beg your pardon? We traded Erat and Latté for who?* Well, we hope that now that most of the story and facts have trickled out, we can get you the full blown information here. Let’s take a look at what Mr. Poile did today and was it worth the loss of a veteran like Erat?

Well, from what we gather in a nutshell: Yes, yes it was.
Filip Forsberg was selected 11th overall by the Capitals in the 2012 Draft, the third Forward to be drafted. Let us also mention that the young Forsberg, born on August 13, 1994 (I feel old), has no relation to Peter Forsberg who played for Nashville for a brief time in 2006. The 18-year-old is not currently with the Capitals, though; he isn’t even floating around their Farm Team. Honestly, he isn’t even in North America at all. No, Forsberg is currently in Sweden (where he hails), filling a roster spot with Leksands IF of the Swedish Elite League. With 15 goals and 18 assists in just 38 games, Forsberg looks like the offensive powerhouse that Nashville has longed to acquire (Hey, Radulov…).

Though he hasn’t proven himself in the NHL yet, it was a risk Poile and Co. were willing to take in order to take Nashville to a Stanley Cup. The young Swede has already signed a 3-year entry level contract and is cleared to play in North America now, if he chooses. Though he has one game left in Sweden, it is not for certain if he will make the jump to the NHL this season or next, but believe us, he’ll be wearing the Predators gold soon. David Poile made the comment today that he does want to see him in the lineup soon.

So, if this prospect is so good, why did the Capitals let the 18-year-old go for a 31-year-old vet?
Truth is, Washington gave up on him. Okay, there was more than that, but that is the reason in a nutshell. He hasn’t seen a second of NHL ice time and risking him for a veteran like Martin Erat wasn’t a tough decision for Washington. Plus, they acquire Michael Latta with the trade, who has been a standout for the Milwaukee Admirals as of late. Though Latta will probably hit Washington’s FT, Erat will join alongside Alexander Ovechkin and former Predator, Joel Ward.

More news trickled out as the trade announcement had been made; one that shook Predators fans to the core. Per David Poile in his press conference to the media, Martin Erat had expressed his interest in being traded. Still sore from the Ryan Suter debacle, fans were not ready to hear that Marty Erat, who has been with the team for twelve years, spoke with Poile two weeks before the Trade Deadline about waiving his ‘no-movement clause’ and search for greener pastures. It was clear Erat was no longer happy here in Nashville, which is a shame, but Nashville was “moving on with a younger team” and he doesn’t “have 6- to 7 years to wait for it [Stanley Cup] to happen”.

You can’t hate the guy for being unhappy and for being honest. Poile expressed his displeasure that the Predators and Martin Erat had to come to an end in a negative way, but I wouldn’t say Erat is leaving in a negative light. He expressed his displeasure and Poile honored his request, nothing more, nothing less.

We wish Marty all the luck in the world with Washington and hope he finds a better fit with Ovie and Wardo. It’s hard to see a leader and veteran like Erat wish to leave and, as a fan, it makes you wonder what went wrong. Why was he so unhappy here? Well, everyone has their own opinion as to why Erat may have been unhappy – as do we – but from his own mouth, he and Nashville were no longer on the same page. His lack of performance this season proved his displeasure here, and that you cannot dispute.

As for Mike Latta, we were looking forward to the feisty enforcer in Nashville, but alas, that ship as sailed to the Hershey Bears (Washington’s FT). He was drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2008 NHL Draft (72nd overall) and has made a name for himself while with Milwaukee as a fan favorite.

Ecstatic, isn’t he?

From fellow teammate and Preds prospect, Magnus Hellberg

To gain is to lose, and in order to aquire the future of the Nashville Predators organization, we had to let go of the past; a part of the foundation that his held Nashville together for twelve long years. It is hard to see Erat go, but again, to gain is to lose. Once Filip Forsberg has joined the Predators, fans will see that David Poile made the right move to push the future of the Nashville Predators towards the ultimate goal: the Stanley Cup.

We wish you well, Martin Erat.