Tag: Minnesota Wild

Where has Jordin Tootoo’s Passion Gone?

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Tootoo salutes the Nashville crowd after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks.

There’s no doubting who the most recognizable Nashville Predator is. Although Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Mike Fisher and Pekka Rinne are pretty familiar faces, there’s one player that everyone – even someone who’s never seen the Predators play – recognizes instantly: Jordin Tootoo.

Maybe it’s because he’s Nashville’s go-to fighter. Or, maybe, it’s because his last name is the same as his number (easiest player to remember). Either way, Jordin Tootoo is as popular as the day he joined the team back in the 2003-04 season. From the get-go, Toots was a born fighter, trying to make a name for himself in the league the best way he knew how. As the first Inuit hockey player to be drafted into the National Hockey League, Jordin Tootoo needed to be memorable. Oh, how far he’s come in these last eight years.

We won’t delve into Tootoo’s past (you have the ‘Tootoo on 2’ segments for that), but if you aren’t aware, Nashville’s Right Wing as fought a few demons in his young life, including alcohol abuse and his overall appearance and demeanor to the rest of the hockey world. Although loved and admired in Nashville as a strong community leader, the rest of the hockey world still see him as an inconsiderate punk of a player, not fit for society.

Despite these trials and tribulations, Jordin Tootoo’s passion for the game has never faltered, always keeping his game a top priority. After taking a step back to reflect and making the decision for rehab last season, Jordin Tootoo has not only improved mentally, but physically as well. He quickly surpassed his career-highs early in the season with 29 points and 23 assists this season. With so much tenacity and velocity, where did his passion suddenly fizzle out?

Jordin Tootoo’s last goal with the Predators was on December 28th at home against the Minnesota Wild, where the Predators won 2-1 in a shootout. Toots has accumulated many assists since then, with his last recorded assist on February 28th against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. Since then, Jordin has seemed to be on the iffy side, making horrible passing mistakes and tacking up foolish penalties along the way.

Even though he one of the faces of the Nashville Predators, that one factor won’t save you from the bench and Jordin Tootoo found himself scratched last Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets, his first healthy scratch since, well, we can’t even give you an exact date. With younger guys such as Gabriel Bourque and Ryan Ellis playing with level heads and making cleaner, more accurate plays, Tootoo’s inconsistency had no room for ice time. That, and the recent return of Russian phenom, Alexander Radulov meant someone would be taking a seat in the press box.

Although he was back on the ice the next night against the Chicago Blackhawks, it was clear his frustration got the best of him, taking on the 6’2″ Left Wing, Brandon Bollig. Before the game, Tootoo had expressed his frustration of being scratched to the local news media, but due to his unfortunate loss to the Blackhawk, Toots will now find himself on the scratched list even more. During the fight, Bollig clocked Tootoo in the ear, causing it to bleed. Although we do not know the details of his injury, it was announced that he has an upper-body injury due to the punching match.

Since late January, Jordin Tootoo has been slowly losing steam, and last night’s fight looked as if he were merely trying to show off, not necessarily fight Bollig for a particular reason. There usually always an explaination for Tootoo’s fights, like this one, for example:


Toots took on Mark Fistric on January 5th in Dallas, their first meeting since Fistric put Shea Weber on the IR list with a concussion.

Whether it be an issue involving his personal life, or simply a fluke in his game, Jordin Tootoo has been suffering as of late, and both fans and opposing teams are starting to take notice. Depending on the severity of his upper-body injury, Jordin Tootoo could either spend the remainder of this regular season on the scratched list, or he could end up playing tomorrow against St. Louis.

We love Jordin Tootoo just as much as the next Predators fan, but it was about time someone brought to light the subject that everyone has been whispering about. Rumors of what has slowed Tootoo down have been circulating amongst the fans and others, but until the truth is presented directly from Jordin’s mouth, we won’t go into details of what those rumors were.

We don’t have any doubt Toots will rejoin the Predators organization next season, but hopefully the remainder of the regular season and playoff series will bring back the all-familiar Jordin Tootoo we all have come to love.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

Bitter Beginning ends in Unbelievable Comeback for Preds, Win 5-4 over Wild

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Matt Halischuk has become a leader amongst the Preds this season.

What a bittersweet way to return from the All-Star Game week-long hiatus! If you missed tonight’s game (or changed the channel during the second period), you missed a win that was definitely in true Predators fashion. The first two periods were sluggish and disappointing for the Predators, but the third period truly heated up for the lazy Preds and hung a nice embarrassment over the heads of the Minnesota Wild, who clearly should have won this game. Here are the highlights from tonight’s game:

KEY POINTS:

  • Francis Bouillon and Jerred Smithson were both scratched tonight, still suffering from their upper-body injuries. Brian McGrattan was, of course, the healthy scratch for the night.
  • Both the Predators and the Wild started the game out sluggishly, but unfortunately for the Predators, the Wild woke up at 8:04, with a snap shot from Dany Heatley passed Pekka Rinne.
  • Minnesota would continue to outplay the sleepy Preds with another goal at 12:36, Heatley’s second goal of the night and 17th for the season.
  • The second period had many Preds fans turning the channel, as Cal Clutterbuck nailed a wrist shot passed Peks at 1:29, putting the Wild up 3-0.
  • Matt Halischuk was the first Predator to wake up, realizing their was a hockey game going on at 9:33 with a tip-in, his 12th goal of the season. Halischuk has become a silent, but deadly key player amongst the Predators this season and we expect even more to come as the season continues. Halischuk was assisted by Kevin Klein and Brandon Yip.
  • When Predators fans began to think their team might have a chance, Kyle Brodziak all but wiped that hope from many with a wrist shot just 16 seconds into the third period.
  • When all seemed lost for the Predators, the entire team woke up at 9:22 when the new kid, Brandon Yip sent a wrist shot passed Josh Harding. The goal was put under review for Toronto to check out. Thankfully, the big wigs played in the favor of the Preds and gave Yip his first goal as a Nashville Predator. Yip was assisted by Matt Halischuk and Craig Smith.
  • Patric Hornqvist gave fans hope at 16:39 with a wrist shot, his 15th goal of the season. He was assisted by Sergei Kostitsyn and Shea Weber.
  • Before the Wild announcers could even announce Hornqvist’s goal, Mike Fisher tied the game at 4-4 at 17:00, his 13th goal of the season. Fisher was assisted by Colin Wilson and Martin Erat.
  • Mike Fisher sealed the game (and sending almost ever Predators fan into a frenzy) at a lone wrist shot, his 14th goal of the season.
  • The Predators out-shot the Minnesota Wild 30 to 25, with 12 of their shots taken in the third alone. Although Peks was a little off during the first and second periods, he was able to 21 of 25 shots on goal (not bad from being away for a week).
  • The Predators and the Wild also faced two penalties a piece, but the Wild was the only team able to capitalize on the penalty. Here are the two Preds who sat out in the box:
  1. Shea Weber – 12:15 1st Period – Holding
  2.  Jordin Tootoo – 6:02 2nd Period – Roughing (with Cal Clutterbuck)

Again, terrible first two periods, but outstanding third by the Nashville Predators. But hey, we expect the pesky Preds to make these out-of-nowhere turnarounds every now and then, don’t we? The Predators lucked out against the Wild, who obviously thought they had the win in the bag when they were up 5-2 in the third period. However, the Philadelphia Flyers probably won’t be as oblivious to the Predators comebacks (the Wild really shouldn’t be surprised, either) and hopefully this was the wake-up call the Preds needed before getting back on a winning schedule.

The Predators head to Philadelphia on Thursday and take on the Flyers at 6:00PM.

Until then,
GO PREDS.