Tag: Roman Josi

O Captain, What Captain: Who will be the 7th Nashville Predators Captain?

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While checking out at Publix over the weekend, the kid manning the self-checkout station approached me about my P.K. Subban shirt. Yes, I’ve already purchased a Subban “shirtsey” because I am still giddy about this trade. He asked me about who would replace Shea Weber as captain and I mentioned a few options, but ultimately decided it was worth a post.

While this subject has been up for debate since the millisecond after it was announced Weber was shipping off to Montreal, it has been fun to see all the different speculations as to who might be presented with this significant role and title. But first, let’s talk about the roles of captain and alternate captain. While it is easy to assume that the more veteran players would be on the top of the list, that is not always the case. Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche is a prime example that age and (NHL) experience doesn’t always play a major factor when it comes to becoming the captain. Drafted second overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, Landeskog became the youngest captain in NHL history at the age of 19 in 2012. It should also be noted that – though it’s nothing new to Nashville – being a part of one organization for years doesn’t automatically qualify you for the position (or alternate) either. Sorry Leggy.

Yet another option to consider? How about no captain at all. Yes, believe it or not, there are a few teams that spend their seasons without a designated leader. The Edmonton Oilers did not have a captain last season, just a rotation of four alternate captains. And, in a more wild and unlikely (but possible) scenario, there’s the chance that title could go to Pekka Rinne (who will be featured below). Back in the day (1920s-40s), being a goalie plus the captain wasn’t unheard of. Now? Well, the League hasn’t banned net-minders being the captain altogether, but they will not acknowledge this extended title. The last goaltender to be named captain was actually rather recently in 2008 when the Vancouver Canucks bestowed the title to Roberto Luongo. While the league would not allow him to perform on-ice duties or wear the iconic ‘C’ on his sweater, he did sneak a captain’s ‘C’ onto his mask. Luongo held his captaincy from 2008-2010 before handing the title to Henrik Sedin.

I write this all to say that anything is possible as to who may be the next captain of the Nashville Predators, but I have my beliefs that it will be Roman Josi. However, it’s fun to go through all the possibly candidates because… who knows? Plus, I miss hockey.

Possible Captain Candidates:

Josi

 

  • Why he should be Captain: Uh, because he’s Roman Josi? All kidding aside, Josi has shown an incredible amount of skill and poise both on and off the ice. While we’ve known of his capabilities for years, the rest of the league is finally taking notice. After being selected to the 2016 All-Star festivities this year, Josi was finally getting more attention has a competitive contender instead of just Shea Weber’s linemate. Being an integral part of the Predators organization, this would be the time to give Josi the reins and promote him to captain status.
  • Why he wouldn’t be Captain: While I believe Josi has the greatest chance of becoming the next captain of the Nashville Predators, you cannot overlook Mike Fisher’s leadership and contributions to the team. I believe there is a slim chance they may give it to Fisher for a year and groom Josi into the position once Fisher retires.

 

Fisher

  • Why he should be Captain: Fisher has been an alternate captain since his first full season with the Predators in 2011-12. If you were to go by veteran presence alone, then Mike Fisher’s your guy. He is undoubtedly a leader both on the ice and off, thus transitioning into the captain’s role would make complete sense and would come easy to the center.
  • Why he wouldn’t be Captain: As mentioned, Fisher’s role as captain would make total sense, but there is one thing to consider: his possible retirement. Not every NHL player is a Jaromir Jagr and 36-years-old is getting kind of up there in hockey years. That, and being a new father kind of puts other things into perspective on the family front as well (because we all know Carrie’s not slowing down for a while). If he were to retire after the 2016-17 season, that means the process of choosing another captain would be up for grabs after one year. Not a huge deal, as Kimmo Timonen served as captain for one season (2006-07), but why not go ahead and choose someone that has no plans of retiring any time soon? Now, I have no idea when Fisher plans to hang up his skates, but I believe it will be sooner rather than later (he does only have one season left on his contract).

Neal

 

  • Why he should be Captain: Neal has had a leadership role with the Predators ever since arriving to Nashville in the 2014-15 season and quickly became one of the notable faces of the franchise. Though it doesn’t seem like it, Neal would fall under the veteran status within the organization and this could be his time to step up within the team.
  • Why he wouldn’t be Captain: While I don’t really have a reason as to why he would not do well as the captain, I just believe there are two better candidates on the team at this time. It is also important to note that Neal has a bit of a reputation with the officials and that does throw in a hindrance as well.

Alternate Captain Candidates:

I think it’s obvious that, if Roman Josi is named captain, the two alternate captains would continue to be Mike Fisher and James Neal. However, like last season, Roman Josi and Pekka Rinne were names alternates although they did not wear the ‘A’ on their sweaters (no, goalies cannot wear an ‘A’ either). The players below are who I believe would be good candidates for alternate captain:

 

Rinne

 

  • Why he should be an Alternate: As we are all aware, Pekka is a positive dude and holds himself accountable for situations under his control (and even those not under his control). He keeps his cool and, on the rare occasion he does get upset, you know he’s serious. Goal-tending is an unique position that essentially requires you to have some kind of leadership skills and/or qualities; Pekka Rinne’s got that down pat and it is clear that the rest of team looks to him in times of need.

 

Johansen

  • Why he should be an Alternate: Though he’s facing his first full season with the Nashville Predators, I certainly see him as being a part of the leadership group. Johansen, like Neal, has a bit of an edge to him, but it’s an edge that makes him memorable in a good way. Although he is young, he does have the makings for a great leader and Nashville will be his home to perfect those qualities.

Forsberg

  • Why he should be an Alternate: Before the acquisition of P.K. Subban, there’s no doubting that Filip Forsberg was the most exciting player on the team (and he still could be). He’s young, well-spoken, level headed, and it’s clear that the Predators intend to push him as a franchise player.

Subban

  • Why he should be an Alternate: Not only has he held this role with the Montreal Canadiens, but he is also easily the most recognizable and marketable player on the team (before even laces up with the Predators). Enough said.

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  • Why he should be an Alternate: With an intensity on the ice, Ekholm has a knack for standing up for his fellow teammates in their time of need. This devotion to his team signifies a quality a leadership that his former captain was well known for.

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  • Why he should an Alternate: With the trading of Weber, Ryan Ellis has now found himself in almost a veteran position. As someone who has expressed leadership qualities well before his time with the Predators organization, it would only be natural for the 25-year-old defenseman to move up into a more defined leadership role.

So, to summarize all of this, I believe Roman Josi will be the seventh player to be named captain of the Nashville Predators, with Mike Fisher, James Neal, and Pekka Rinne as the alternate captains. Should I have just said that from the get-go? Probably, but then this post wouldn’t have been so much fun (or taken me nearly as long). Do you have the same predictions or are you thinking something completely different? Well, we will all see soon enough.

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NSH trades Weber to MTL for Subban

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Yes, you read that headline correctly. Just days after winning the 2016 Mark Messier Leadership Award, Shea Weber has been traded in a deal with the Montreal Canadiens for fellow defenseman Pernell Karl Subban, better known around the world as P.K.

For me personally, I am finding myself in a glass case of emotions… On one hand, this is an outstanding trade. Subban is undoubtedly one of the best defenseman in the league and snagging him from Montreal would be insane. On the other hand, in order to snag someone like Subban, you’ve got to have something just as valuable in return. That valuable piece? Either Shea Weber or Roman Josi. As much as we’d all love to imagine having all three together, it’s just impossible on too many levels. And with that, our beloved captain has been traded to Montreal and the rumors of “when will Weber be traded?” have come to an end on this day, June 29th, 2016.

Unlike the laughable trade that came an hour earlier between the Edmonton Oilers and the New Jersey Devils (one-for-one Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson deal), this trade is good for both parties involved. Montreal receives a powerful, veteran defenseman and Nashville gets a younger, more offensive-minded defenseman that will pair well with Roman Josi in return.

Here’s a little info on P.K. Subban from the Predators:

Subban, 27 (5/13/89), is among the most decorated defensemen in the game today. Individually, he won the 2013 Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, was a finalist for the award in 2015, is a two-time First-Team NHL All-Star (2013 and 2015) and a 2011 All-Rookie Team selection. He has helped teams win a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics and a pair of World Junior Championships (2008 and 2009). Over the past four seasons – dating back to 2012-13 – the 6-foot, 210-pound blueliner has amassed 203 points (42g-160a) in 274 regular-season games, third most among all NHL defensemen. He has surpassed the 50-point mark in each of the past three seasons, highlighted by a career-high 60 points (15g-45a) in 2014-15. He has advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his last two appearances in the postseason, ranking fourth among NHL blueliners in points (5g-9a-14pts) in 2014, helping Montreal reach the Eastern Conference Final.

A native of Toronto, Subban started his professional career in 2009-10, being named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and an AHL First-Team All-Star after leading all league blueliners in goals (18) and ranking third in points. The 43rd overall selection in the 2007 NHL Draft (second round) played four seasons with the OHL’s Belleville Bulls from 2005-09, posting 190 points (42g-148a) in 234 games and being named a 2009 First-Team OHL All-Star.

Subban has also become renowned for his charitable contributions, and recently received the 2016 NHL Foundation Award which is presented to “an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community.” In September 2015, he announced a $10 million pledge over a seven-year period to the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation (MCHF), and often employs various initiatives to engage the community and raise awareness about those causes nearest to him.

That’s right. If somehow you missed this piece of information about a year ago, P.K. Subban is quite the charitable giver and will be a huge asset to the Nashville community as well. So you get elite defenseman + all around nice guy. Can’t beat that, right?

Shea Weber will be truly missed. Drafted 49th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft by the Predators, Weber has been an integrated figure in the Nashville community and the Predators organization for nearly ten years. It really hasn’t set in that he has been traded, but I am sure as the pre-season festivities begin, it’ll hit us all pretty hard. As a writer, I am supposed to keep my heart out of moments like these, but I am also still a fan. It is hard not to become attached to players; it’s like a friend moving away. It sucks. But alas dear Weber fans, you will be okay. Trust me, you’ll love P.K. Subban.

Preds Fans: Don’t Cry because It’s Over; Smile because It Happened

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Image Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Well ladies and gents, that certainly wasn’t the outcome we all wanted for the home team by any means but all good things must come to an end at some point. Unfortunately for Nashville, that end came at a 5-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Perhaps it was because we gaffed at the Dallas Stars as they fell to the St. Louis Blues 6-1 in their Game 7 the day before that lead to Nashville’s beatdown from the Sharks. Could it have also been the extra day of rest due to a Selena Gomez concert at the SAP Center, an event that caused almost all Preds fans to become Selenators (yes, I looked that up)? Was it the little black cat adorably named “Joe Paw-velski” that ran across the ice during Game 1? Maybe it was because Nashville has never won a game in a playoff series in San Jose. Whatever voodoo or karma you wish to believe in that caused Nashville to crumble last night, it happened and the history making season has come to a close.

But history for the seventeen-year-old franchise was made and that should certainly not be overlooked. Nashville witnessed its first ever Game 7 in Round 1 against the Anaheim Ducks and sealed their first ever Game 7 victory in the same bout. Nashville would reach its second Game 7 in franchise history last night against the San Jose Sharks. Unfortunately, the history books had shut on the Predators at that point. The Predators hit some amazing milestones for its young franchise this season and postseason, which only means they will have to work to go further in the future.

Also to be noted was how the city of Nashville – and all of Tennessee, for that matter – stood with the Predators on their postseason journey towards bringing the Cup to Nashville. Though the Tennessee Titans and the Nashville Predators have a friendly relationship that only rivals due to business aspects, the NFL home team stood tall next to its professional brethren and the players and coaching staff made sure a side of the sports world that may not be as familiar with hockey got a taste of it.

Nashville’s sports roots do belong to football and baseball; there’s no doubting that. But those football/baseball fans have latched onto this frozen sport quite tightly and, whether it was a PR stunt on the Titans part or not, this relationship between the Titans shown through the playoffs was a beautiful thing indeed. With the torrential badmouthing of the Titans and their output on the field, perhaps this was a way for the Titans organization to not only back a winning team, but show its players what winning does for the growth of a fan base. Don’t get me wrong; no matter how terrible the Titans continue to be, they aren’t going anywhere and you won’t find a decrease in tickets sales either. But seeing the emotional connecting that the Predators organization has with its fans – who are also Titans fans – is definitely something of which a fellow professional team should be mindful. Several Titans players, including Marcus Mariota, Taylor Lewan, Delanie Walker, and crowd favorite Avery Williamson made appearances at several playoff games in Nashville.

The Titans weren’t the only Nashville team to stand with the Predators, either. The Nashville Sounds sent out their best wishes via a video:

https://twitter.com/nashvillesounds/status/729083040908115968

And, being the Music City, the Predators had plenty of musicians cheering the team onto victory including Dierks Bentley, Chris Young, Vince Gill, Tim McGraw, and – of course – Carrie Underwood.

Several Nashville businesses jumped behind their favorite hockey team as well during the postseason push, including the following:

https://twitter.com/fmbakery/status/730503406108979202

Seeing all the love from around the city and state was a beautiful sight for us who love the sport of hockey. Not only does this benefit the Predators, it also sheds light on youth hockey – in a strange way – as well. There’s no doubt that, when a team is winning, its exposure grows exponentially and, since we live in a college football dominated region, even a little bit of exposure goes a long way. So many new fans were born this post season and, while some will drop off, a good number will continue to follow the Predators into the next season this October and their love (because there’s no other word for it) will blossom into a passion for the sport. I would say Nashville’s exposure as a legitimate hockey town was an eye-opener to many outside of the city. Of course, the All-Star festivities this year certainly helped, but the fan base made its point that we should be taken seriously as a hockey-loving Southern city. It’s that college football mentality that makes us so unique; makes us so passionate. It’s what makes Nashville a true contender for the Stanley Cup at some point.

https://twitter.com/TravisSBN/status/729875438928023552

So what do the Predators and its organization do now? Well, relax, for one thing. Relax then begin preparing for next season. Now that the 2015-16 run is over, news on injuries sustained by some of the players is beginning to surface, including the fact that Roman Josi has been playing with both a broken finger and nose. Filip Forsberg, who was rather quite and “un-Forsberg-like” this postseason, revealed to Tre Kronor, the Swedish national team, that he has been nursing a back injury. I have been asked if Shea Weber was injured due to his performance last night but not every bad night is due to an injury. Sometimes, bad nights just happen. Sadly for Weber, that night came last night in Game 7. Again, these injuries definitely do not excuse for a poor performance, but they do add into it for sure. No player – on any team in the postseason – is playing at 100% right now. The endurance of a hockey player is insane; something I feel basketball and soccer players could learn from.

It would b e difficult to overlook last night’s performance and remember what an incredible season and postseason Nashville has had this year, but it is possible. Before you even realize it (maybe even now), you’ll be asking, “Is it October yet?” and the excitement of a new season will turn you into a little kid again.

The Sharks played a clean, tough series and you can’t fault them at that. I just hope they take out the Blues. And remembering that Nashville was one of the Top 5 teams this postseason is something to be proud of, too. As old Dr. Seuss once coined, “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” Yeah, that was cheesy but it’s true… and you know it.

Preds force Game 7 against Sharks

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Image Source: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

After losing 5-1 on Saturday in San Jose, Nashville found itself coming home to a do-or-die situation for Game 6. But this wouldn’t be the first Game 6 of the playoffs where the Predators were facing elimination. In the first round, Nashville jumped up 2-0 over the Ducks, then the Ducks came back and tied the series 2-2. Anaheim would then push ahead and take the series 3-2 in Game 5, but Nashville found the back-burners and won games six and seven. This time around, San Jose jumped forward 2-0 in the series, with Nashville then tying it 2-2 in the next two games. While it’s a little opposite of the first series, it has reverted back to Nashville being on the elimination block. But the home crowd has the magic and, as James Neal mentioned:

“We weren’t ready to go. But we’ll be ready on Monday.” – James Neal

First Period:

So the first period wouldn’t exactly start out in Nashville’s favor, with Chris Tierney notching two goals at 9:55 and 11:51. However, things would finally begin to click for the Predators at 15:27 when Roman found a hole through the crowded net-front to put the Predators on the board.

Interestingly enough, Roman Josi (who tallied 14 goals in the regular season) had 38 shots on goal before finally notching one, the most by an NHL player this postseason. Hey, one was bound to go in eventually, right?

Second Period:

Nashville would come out swinging in the second period, notching 14 shots on goal, ten more than San Jose. Out of the fourteen, one would sneak past Martin Jones; a beautiful backhander from Ryan Johansen, his fourth of the postseason. Ryan Ellis would pick up the assist on Johansen’s goal.

Third Period:

Miikka Salomaki would be flagged for hi-sticking Martin Jones, which would result in a Sharks PP goal from Logan Couture at 10:04. With half a period to go, Nashville was one goal down from being eliminated in front of the home crowd. But alas, the butterfly of the playoffs emerged at 12:44 to tie the game 3-3; Colin Wilson’s fifth goal of the postseason.

Seriously though, where does this kid hide during the regular season? Where ever it is, there’s not denying that while he may be quiet in the regular season, Colin Wilson is a beast in the post season. Someone who has been rather quiet in the postseason, though? Filip Forsberg.

Bonus Hockey:

Overtime. Nashville’s best friend in this series. After three overtime periods in Game 4, Predators fans were prepared to spend another night/morning at the Bridgestone Arena… as long as the outcome was the same as Game 4. Well, the boys in gold had other ideas; ideas to finish the game in one overtime instead of three. Viktor Arvidsson, a young Swede with the heart of lion, would be the one to save Nashville from elimination.

With a beautiful backhand shot, Arvidsson not only notched the game-winner, but his first career playoff goal.

Arvidsson, who has been beaten & kicked down throughout the playoffs (and in the regular season), somehow has always come out with heart & fire. To say he deserved this goal is truly an understatement.

History to Be Made:

The Predators are in business of making franchise history during these playoffs and they aren’t ready to stop. Thursday’s game will be Nashville’s second Game 7 in playoff history with the first being previously against the Ducks in the first round. This will also be the first time Nashville has advanced beyond Game 6 of the second round of the playoffs. More history to make? Nashville has never won a playoff game in San Jose. But, as I have said in the past, there’s a first for everything. Why not this year?

Also, it is amazing to see the support the Predators are receiving throughout the city and the state. Businesses and fellow professional teams alike are standing with the Predators, cheering them onward in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

https://twitter.com/nashvillesounds/status/729083040908115968

https://twitter.com/fmbakery/status/730503406108979202

So rest up and come ready to rock, Preds fans. This is history in the making for the Nashville Predators franchise. Similar to Game 7 against the Ducks, the Predators will be holding a viewing party on the plaza at Bridgestone Arena at 7PM. It’ll move inside to the Lexus Lounge if the nasty weather persists.

Four Preds added to World Cup Rosters

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The World Cup of Hockey, an international tournament set to start September 17th, announced its preliminary team rosters throughout the day yesterday & some of Nashville’s best got the call.

Pekka Rinne (Team Finland), Filip Forsberg (Team Sweden), Shea Weber (Team Canada), and Roman Josi (Team Europe) will be representing their respective countries in this year’s tournament. Below is a full rundown of each team and its participants:

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TEAM USA
 TEAM POSITION
Ben Bishop Lightning G
Jonathan Quick Kings G
Cory Schneider Devils G
Dustin Byfuglien Jets D
John Carlson Capitals D
Ryan McDonagh Rangers D
Ryan Suter Wild D
Justin Abdelkader Red Wings F
Patrick Kane Blackhawks F
Ryan Kesler Ducks F
T.J. Oshie Capitals F
Max Pacioretty Canadiens F
Zach Parise Wild F
Joe Pavelski Sharks F
Derek Stepan Rangers F
Blake Wheeler Jets F

 

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TEAM CANADA
 TEAM POSITION
Corey Crawford Blackhawks G
Braden Holtby Capitals G
Carey Price Canadiens G
Drew Doughty Kings D
Duncan Keith Blackhawks D
Marc-Edouard Vlasic Sharks D
Shea Weber Predators D
Jamie Benn Stars F
Patrice Bergeron Bruins F
Jeff Carter Kings F
Sidney Crosby Penguins F
Ryan Getzlaf Ducks F
Tyler Seguin Stars F
Steven Stamkos Lightning F
John Tavares Islanders F
Johnathan Toews Blackhawks F

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TEAM RUSSIA
 TEAM POSITION
Sergei Bobrovsky Blue Jackets G
Semyon Varlamov Avalanche G
Andrei Vasilevskiy Lightning G
Dmitry Kulikov Panthers D
Andrei Markov Canadiens D
Dmitry Orlov Capitals D
Artem Anisimov Blackhawks D
Pavel Datsyuk Red Wings F
Nikita Kucherov Lightning F
Nikolay Kulemin Islanders F
Evgeny Kuznetsov Capitals F
Evgeni Malkin Penguins F
Vladislav Namestnikov Lightning F
Alex Ovechkin Capitals F
Artemi Panarin Blackhawks F
Vladimir Tarasenko Blues F

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TEAM FINLAND
 TEAM POSITION
Tuuka Rask Bruins G
Pekka Rinne Predators G
Olli Maatta Penguins D
Rasmus Ristolainen Sabres D
Sami Vatanen Ducks D
Esa Lindell Stars D
Mikko Koivu Wild F
Jori Lehtera Blues F
Aleksander Barkov Panthers F
Mikael Granlund Wild F
Jussi Jokinen Panthers F
Valtteri Filppula Lightning F
Leo Komarov Maple Leafs F
Joonas Donskoi Sharks F
Lauri Korpikoski Oilers F
Teuvo Teravainen Blackhawks F

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TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC
 TEAM POSITION
Petr Mrazek Red Wings G
Michal Neuvirth Flyers G
Ondrej Pavelec Jets G
Radko Gudas Flyers D
Michal Kempny Avangard Omsk (KHL) D
Roman Polak Sharks D
Andrej Sustr Lightning D
Michael Frolik Flames F
Martin Hanzal Coyotes F
Tomas Hertl Sharks F
David Krejci Bruins F
Ondrej Palat Lightning F
David Pastrnak Bruins F
Tomas Plekanec Canadiens F
Vladimir Sobotka Avangard Omsk (KHL) F
Jakub Voracek Flyers F

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TEAM SWEDEN
 TEAM POSITION
Henrik Lundqvist Rangers G
Jacob Markstrom Canucks G
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Coyotes D
Viktor Hedman Lightning D
Niklas Hjalmarsson Blackhawks D
Erik Karlsson Senators D
Niklas Kronwall Red Wings D
Anton Stralman Lightning D
Nicklas Backstrom Capitals F
Loui Eriksson Bruins F
Filip Forsberg Predators F
Gabriel Landeskog Avalanche F
Daniel Sedin Canucks F
Henrik Sedin Canucks F
Alexanders Steen Blues F
Henrik Zetterberg Red Wings F

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TEAM EUROPE
 TEAM POSITION
Frederik Andersen Ducks (Denmark) G
Jaroslav Halak Rangers (Slovakia) G
Zdeno Chara Bruins (Slovakia) D
Roman Josi Predators (Switzerland) D
Dennis Seidenberg Bruins (Germany) D
Andrej Sekera Oilers (Slovakia) D
Mark Streit Flyers (Switzerland)
 D
Mikkel Boedker Avalanche (Denmark) F
Leon Draisaitl Oilers (Germany) F
Jannik Hansen Canucks (Denmark) F
Marian Hossa Blackhawks (Slovakia) F
Anze Kopitar Kings (Slovenia) F
Frans Nielsen Islanders (Denmark) F
Tomas Tatar Red Wings (Slovakia) F
Thomas Vanek Wild (Austria) F
Mats Zuccarello Rangers (Norway) F

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TEAM NORTH AMERICA TEAM POSITION
John Gibson Ducks G
Connor Hellebuyck Manitoba Moose (AHL) G
Matthew Murray Penguins G
Aaron Ekblad Panthers D
Seth Jones Blue Jackets D
Ryan Murray Blue Jackets D
Morgan Reilly Maple Leafs
 D
Sean Couturier Flyers F
Jack Eichel Sabres F
Johnny Gaudreau Flames F
Dylan Larkin Red Wings F
Nathan MacKinnon Avalanche F
Connor McDavid Oilers F
J.T. Miller Rangers F
Sean Monahan Wild (Austria) F
Mats Zuccarello Rangers (Norway) F

If you are confused by Team North America because there is already a Team Canada and Team USA, you aren’t alone. This new team consists of the top players from both the United States and Canada that are under the age of twenty-three.

The fun kicks off September 7th and runs through October 1st in Toronto. The final roster will be announced June 1st.

 

2016 NHL All-Star Recap: Weekend of Hockey Heaven

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What a weekend for the city of Nashville and for hockey in general. It’s actually hard to believe, after fourteen months of planning, the festivities are over and all we have left are memories. But good memories they are! Thousands of hockey fans from across the world gathered in the Music City this weekend, packing the Music City Center, the Bridgestone Arena, Demonbreun Street, and everywhere within walking distance. Although we are fully aware of how great our city is, it was humbling to hear how much fun people from elsewhere were having and the great praise they had for Nashville.

https://twitter.com/JeffAdams/status/694229781680910337

NHL FAN FAIR:

NHL Fan Fair, which opened Thursday at 4PM, had more than enough activities to keep you occupied for hours on end. While my STH Rep said – without kids – you could knock everything out in one day, I ended up going Thursday and Saturday (and could’ve gone Sunday if I felt like spending another $40 to get in). Merchandise booths to spend money, hockey-related activities, autograph hours, Jell-O molds, and a leaning tower of Velveeta kept everyone on their toes. Oh yeah, and the music. Music outside and music inside; hope you like it!

I am actually glad I went Thursday night because Saturday was just as crowded as I figured it would be. Thursday was busy, but you averaged 5 minutes per line compared to 15 to 20 minutes per line on Saturday.

NHL WINTER PARK:

The NHL Winter Park, which was opened back in December, kept fans busy with an outdoor skating rink, plenty of vendor booths, giant light-up hockey pucks featuring the All-Stars, and music. If you did not have tickets to the All-Star events or wanted to buy tickets for Fan Fair, the Winter Park area still provided plenty of hockey entertainment without breaking the bank.

I wish I had taken more pictures of all the pucks. I got a little busy checking everything out.

NHL ALL-STAR SKILLS COMPETITION:

What is arguably the most entertaining event of the All-Star Weekend, the Skills Competition didn’t fail to impress the hockey masses. With appearances by Chewbacca, Jaromir Jagr’s “brother”, and Shea Weber’s epic slapshot, Saturday night’s festivities were ones to remember.

https://twitter.com/MCHisTweeting/status/693598035868303361

As no surprise, Shea Weber held onto his ‘Hardest Shot’ contest streak, notching a slapshot clocked at 108.1 MPH. A little less than last year, but 108 nonetheless. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin also made headlines, breaking the fast lap challenge record, one that has been in place since 1996.

 

NHL ALL-STAR GAME:

In what is normally considered the lesser of the two main events of the weekend, with the new 3-on-3 format, things got a little more interesting. The Atlantic Division knocked out the Metropolitan Division in the first round. Then, the Pacific Division surprisingly bumped out the Central Division in the second round. Even though the home team was knocked out, the final round between John Scott’s Pacific Division and Jaromir Jagr’s Atlantic Division was still pretty spectacular. But, while the Central was still in the game, all four Predators All-Stars ended up with at least one point (Rinne, assist; Josi, goal; Neal, two goals; Weber, assist). And the Man of the Hour John Scott? He notched two goals.

https://twitter.com/DanDBradley/status/693918380110319617

While the League didn’t start out with John Scott as an MVP choice for the All-Star Game, the fans made it very clear that if he didn’t win… Well, there’d be rioting equivalent to Vancouver’s epic Stanley Cup loss riot.

Well, the League listened and named John Scott MVP of the NHL All-Star Game. Smart move, NHL.

In what started out as a write-in vote turned into the highlight of the entire NHL All-Star Weekend. After the League tried to pressure him to drop out of the All-Star contention, John Scott not only won the hearts of Nashville but the hearts of the hockey world as a whole. As P.K. Subban said, “Everything he got at the end of it, he deserved”. You can’t even write stories as well as this played out. In fact, we hear he has already been approached about selling the movie rights. Okay, that’s a little crazy but hey, Hollywood’s struggling for some fresh material so you never know.

https://twitter.com/pengellyink/status/693994626471063552

A successful weekend for the city of Nashville? You bet. Success at pointing out that Nashville is a hockey market? Amen. While we all soak in what’s left of our All-Star Weekend high, it’s time to focus on the second half of the 2015-16 season. Did this break help or hurt the Predators or anyone else? We’ll all find out soon enough. But I have to admit, it was refreshing to enjoy all things hockey with fellow hockey lovers from around the League and world. We were essentially one big happy hockey family. Now, it’s back to the real world.

https://twitter.com/rjosi90/status/694215847309656065

Preds Sweep Western Road Trip with 2-1 Win over Flames

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carterhuttonnashvillepredatorsvnewjersey_ospx5ftrpbl

Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

No one can argue that Nashville looked like a completely different team this time around when it came to a road trip; especially compared to the previous one. Perhaps it was a change in the lineups, a stern lecture from the coaching staff, or a combination of a multitude of factors. Whatever it was, something connected within the team out in Western Canada and the Predators now have a record to prove it. After losing 4-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks last Tuesday, the Predators hit the skies for Manitoba to take on divisional opponent the Winnipeg Jets. In their first meeting with the Jets back on November 14th in Nashville, the Predators dominated the former Atlanta Thrashers 7-0. After that? The Jets returned to Nashville on January 5th, crushing the home team 4-1. And after that? The Predators nabbed their only point in their previous road trip, losing to Winnipeg 5-4 in OT. Despite a blaring concern in the goaltending department, the Predators pulled themselves together and started to dig – as a team – out of the hole they currently find themselves in, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 4-1.

Next on the schedule was Taylor Hall and his Edmonton Oilers. Nashville and Edmonton have only met once this season, which was back on October 10th in Nashville when the Predators defeated the Oilers 2-0. For some reason, the Oilers have always been a team that, despite their not-so-great record over the years (they currently sit in last in the Western Conference), a team that the Predators have struggled to beat. That wasn’t the case on October 10th nor was it the case Saturday when Nashville claimed victory in Edmonton, winning 4-1.

The Vancouver Canucks were Nashville’s next opponent on the schedule, another team that has held Nashville back many times before. Strangely enough, this was Nashville and Vancouver’s first meeting of the season. Though Nashville is ahead of Vancouver in the standings, that means nothing to the Sedin twins. Thanks to a first minute of the game goal by Craig Smith, the Predators held onto that momentum, even after the Canucks tied it shortly thereafter. It would be James Neal who sent the Predators up 2-1 early in the third period that would seal the game in favor of Nashville.

And lastly, we come to last night’s game against the Calgary Flames. In their first meeting of the season, back on December 15th, the Flames barely slipped by with the 2-1 OT victory. Nashville, high from winning their past three games, were no doubt itching to claim victory. Pekka Rinne was given the start in the previous three games, but last night was Carter Hutton’s time. And boy, did he shine. It is no secret that Predators fans are a bit hard on their team’s goaltenders. Despite a terrible game from the rest of the team, if a loss happens, somehow, someway, the blame falls to the goaltender. Sometimes though, it is an issue with goaltending. There’s no denying that Rinne has been in a rut lately and Carter Hutton, who is usually the subject of ridicule, has been playing rather well. However, this road trip undeniably showed the strength of both goaltenders and boy, was it something to behold.

Just six minutes into the first period, Mike Ribeiro notched his sixth goal of the season with assistance from Craig Smith (6) and Mattias Ekholm (16). Surprising that Ribeiro would score, as he tends to drop pass more than anyone in the league it feels like, but Nashville would hang onto that 1-0 lead through the remainder of the first period. Calgary would get the upper-hand three times alone in the first period due to penalties on the Predators, but Carter Hutton and the defense held their own to remain in the lead.

In the second period, however, Calgary would be at the disadvantage the most, taking four penalties throughout its course. Perhaps Calgary was called for so many penalties because of… this:

Dennis Wideman, apparently a little ticked that the officials missed the hit Miikka Salomaki jarred him with, cross-checks a linesman in retaliation. The more you watch it, the less case Wideman has to say it was “an accident”. There’s a good chance he’ll face a ten-game suspension at minimum. It’ll be interesting to see what the League does… or does. Wideman was not penalized during this game for this hit, by the way.

But, thanks to so many penalties, Shea Weber was able to launch one of his signature slapshots Karri Ramo to give Nashville the 2-0 lead on the power play. Weber’s 12th goal of the season, he was assisted by Roman Josi (25) and Ryan Johansen (27).

The Predators would continue to hold onto that 2-0 lead until about five minutes left of the third period when Flames captain Mark Giordano and his team crowded the net, finally catching Hutton off guard. Similar to Tuesday night’s showdown in Vancouver, Nashville would take a last minute penalty to give Calgary at 6-to-4 man advantage. The defense did what it does best and Hutton kept his cool, holding back the Calgary Flames to seal the 2-1 victory and to sweep the Western Canada road trip 4-0-0.

The Predators and the rest of the NHL have descended upon Nashville for this weekend’s All-Star festivities and holy crap am I excited. As are you, I bet. It was just recently announced – as I was writing this – that James Neal will now replace the sick Jonathan Toews in the All-Star lineup. Yay! We have four All-Stars now! Another injury to note, Alexander Ovechkin, will not make the trip here either and has been replaced with Evgeny Kuznetsov who also plays for the Capitals.

Four victories in a row. It’s a nice feeling, isn’t it? Very reminiscent of last season, yes? Now the question is, will Nashville lose its strength and momentum with this All-Star Break? Honestly, it’s not that big of a break. They are technically missing one day in which their could be a game (normally); they’ll be back at it against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. I guess we’ll just have to see. But for now, we’ve got some sure fire goaltenders and a spot in the wildcard for the playoffs.

 

2016 NHL All-Star Week: FYI

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Image Courtesy: Nashville Predators

Image Courtesy: Nashville Predators

SEE ALL-STAR TAB FOR MORE RECENT UPDATES

It’s Monday and that means it is officially NHL All-Star Week in Nashville! The city has been preparing for this event for over a month now, but if you walk around SoBro before this weekend, you’ll see most of the changes happening right in front of you.

Winter Park Public Outdoor Rink:
Of course, you are fully aware of the outdoor ice rink that’s been up and running since December 12th, but do you know it’s schedule? As a STH, you are given two complimentary tickets to skate on the Winter Park ice rink, but I have completely forgotten – and I bet a lot of you have, too. The rink will be torn down after all the festivities have packed up on January 31st, so this is your last week to get out there.

Ice rink hours: Opens:
 Closes:
Monday 3:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday 3:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday 3:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m.

I only mentioned through this Wednesday because there’s a good chance (because Fan Fair starts Thursday) that public skate times may be altered. For good measure, contact @PredsNHL on Twitter (or call, if you don’t tweet) to make sure you’re good to go before heading out there. $15/adult, $10/child and that includes skate rental.

NHL Fan Fair:
Ah, the NHL Fan Fair. The event my season ticket rep told me I could knock out in one day. Of course, I don’t have children, so it is feasible for me to do so. However, if you’ve got little kids, you might want to grab passes for two days so they can wear themselves out. Honestly, I’ll probably buy another day ticket just in case because of the player/alum meet-and-greets. If you are a STH, you missed your deadline to buy tickets at a discount, but they are only $20/piece, so it won’t break the bank if you choose to go last minute. Here is the breakdown of the schedule:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 – 4PM to 9PM
TIME EVENT LOCATION
6:00pm Mascot Showdown (Musical Chairs & Bowling) EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
7:00pm LOCASH Honda Stage
7:00pm Brent Burns (SJS) Discover Theater
8:15pm Lonestar Honda Stage
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 – 4PM to 9PM
TIME EVENT LOCATION
3:00pm Craig Wayne Boyd Honda Stage
4:45pm Ryan Hurd Honda Stage
5:00pm Patrice Bergeron (BOS) Discover Theater
6:00pm Mascot Showdown (Relay Races) EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
6:30 pm Matt Duchene (COL) presented by Reebok Autograph Stage
6:30pm Aaron Ekblad (FLA) Discover Theater
7:00pm Steven Lee Olsen Honda Stage
7:45pm Cliff Ronning (NHL Alumni) Autograph Stage
7:45pm Justin Faulk (CAR) Discover Theater
8:15pm Lewis Brice Honda Stage
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016 – 10AM – 6PM
TIME EVENT LOCATION
10:45am John Gibson (ANA) presented by Upper Deck Autograph Stage
11:00am Cory Schneider (NJD) Discover Theater
11:30am Lennon & Maisy Honda Stage
12:15pm Clare Bowen Honda Stage
12:30pm Brandon Saad (CBJ) Discover Theater
12:30pm Dylan Larkin (DET) presented by Upper Deck Autograph Stage
1:15pm Charles Esten Honda Stage
1:30pm Brandon Saad (CBJ) Autograph Stage
1:30pm Roman Josi (NSH) Discover Theater
2:00pm Mascot Showdown (Broomball & Dodgeball) EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
3:00pm Luc Robitaille (NHL Alumni) Autograph Stage
3:45pm Pat LaFontaine (NHL Alumni) Discover Theater
4:00pm Russell Dickerson Honda Stage
4:30pm Pat LaFontaine (NHL Alumni) Autograph Stage
4:45pm Kimmo Timonen (NHL Alumni) Discover Theater
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 – 10AM – 4PM
TIME EVENT LOCATION
10:30am Danny Gokey Honda Stage
11:00am Shea Weber (NSH) Autograph Stage
11:00am Pekka Rinne (NSH) Discover Theater
11:30am MercyMe Honda Stage
12:00pm Pekka Rinne (NSH) Autograph Stage
12:00pm Shea Weber (NSH) Discover Theater
1:00pm Mascot Showdown (Dance Competition) EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
1:00pm Roman Josi (NSH) Autograph Stage
1:00pm Cliff Ronning (NHL Alumni) Discover Theater
2:30pm Tracy Lawrence Honda Stage
***PLEASE NOTE ALL APPEARANCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE***

If you are a STH, you can access the NHL Fan Fair from 2PM to 4PM on Thursday. Not so nice for us folks who work during those hours, but hey. Late lunch, right? Can’t make it to this special time for STHs? No problem. There will be an area only accessible for Preds STHs where you can access drink specials and meet Preds alumni, broadcasters, and whoever else shows up. Not all diehard Predators fans are STHs, so there will be a special area called “Preds Land” that will have special Nashville-related displays and – you guessed it – Predators stuff. As for what (or who) will be there is still TBA.  As you can see, you can meet some NHL Alum and current players (I like how some players are presented by products) and there will be a mascot competition each day. Oh yeah, and music. Lots and lots of Country music.

Outdoor Concert Series:
As I mentioned, one of the unique features of Nashville hosting this year’s NHL All-Star festivities is the music. There will be music inside the Music City Center (NHL Fan Fair) and outside at the Winter Park. If you just want to peruse downtown and just want free music, this will be your best bet:

IntelliCentrics outdoor concert series:
Big & Rich Thursday, Jan. 28
Lee Brice, Aaron Lewis, John Hiatt Friday, Jan. 29
Chris Young, Tara Thompson Saturday, Jan. 30
Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, Kelsea Ballerini Sunday, Jan. 31

Beyond the controversy of people not knowing the musical acts (we’ll get to that momentarily), there are some rather big names in Country music here that you can see for free. Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Chris Young, etc. If you are like me and live here and don’t see these people randomly show up at Tootsie’s on a Tuesday night, then you’ll enjoy this (I don’t go to the “honky tonks” period unless someone from out of town demands it).

Parking:
There are plenty of places to park downtown, especially if you are used to being in Nashville all the time. However, as a frequent downtown parker, you also know that Nashville does not have a regulation to control parking fees. Needless to say, the Music City Center may charge $25.00 whereas, across the street, the Baptist Church may charge $14 every four hours. It’s an ugly mess and no one wants to waste $25 to park when you want to use that money to buy something or eat. Ticketmaster is offering parking in the Pinnacle Building for just $12/day. Of course, with fees, it turns out to be like $15, but at least you’ll know you are in a safe parking lot, it won’t go up after two hours, and it’s within walking distance of the SoBro. The parking will go fast, so jump on it while you can or face driving around finding one:
Saturday Parking
Sunday Parking

Celebrity Coaches:
celebritiesKnow these faces? Apparently, the rest of the country does not. So that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it did make for some good laughs on social media when it was first announced. Just for those who are not from the Music City, a lot of locals couldn’t name these fellas either because – news flash – we listen to more than just Country here. But two guys on here (that I know from experience) are big Preds fans: Dierks Bentley (first picture) and Vince Gill (last picture). Vince Gill has had season tickets since the get-go and Dierks? I’m not sure, but I’ve seen him at a more than a few games over my fandom. I’ve seen Charles Kelley, too (second picture) and I’m sure Chris Young (third picture) has made it to the ‘Bridge a time or two for a game.

Source: Google - Big Ben and Vince Gill

Source: Google – Big Ben and Vince Gill

So, if you don’t know these guys, just know that two are big supporters of the Nashville Predators and the other two could possibly be – and that’s what really matters, right?

Skills Competition Format:
Team Captains Patrick Kane, Alexander Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr, and John Scott have yet to choose from the lineup of players who made the All-Star roster as to who will be on their teams & as to who will perform in which competition, but that’ll come soon enough. Right now, we have the All-Star Skills Competition format and I’ve complied some videos to help if you have never seen it before:

Bridgestone Fastest Skater:

Four players from each team will test their speed, facing off against an opponent in a two-skater race. The race track for the head-to-head match-ups is the border of the rink split in half lengthways. Timing devices will record each skater to determine the winner of each match. If a race ends in a tie, each of the teams will be awarded one point. The skater with the fastest time in the head-to-head match-ups will skate a full lap of the outside border of the rink, in the direction of their choosing, in an attempt to break Mike Gartner’s record (13.386). If, at the completion of the event, two skaters are tied for the fastest overall time, both skaters will skate a full lap of the rink in an attempt to break the historical best record.

Points Available: 6 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the fastest skater scores a bonus point; if the fastest skater is successful in breaking Mike Gartner‘s record an additional bonus point will be awarded.

Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge:

Fans will have two opportunities to exercise their vote in the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge. While five spots will be determined by team captains, one guaranteed spot in this event will be determined by the fans, who will vote on Twitter as part of the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge Fan Vote campaign.

The eligible candidates are forwards Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings and Brandon Saad of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Fans can vote via Twitter for their favorite eligible player by including his hashtag – #NHLBreakawayDuchene, #NHLBreakawayLarkin or #NHLBreakawaySaad. Voting will open on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 12 p.m. ET and close on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. ET.

Each team will provide one goalie to participate in this challenge. Each shooter will attempt two shots, and teams will alternate after each shot. Style, creativity, and flair are encouraged. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply.

As soon as the last competitor completes his routine, fans in-arena and watching on television in the U.S. and Canada will get another opportunity to make their case on Twitter by casting their vote using the hashtag that corresponds to the player of their choice. The shooter with the highest fan vote will be crowned the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge winner and score one point for his team.

Points Available: 1 – The shooter with the highest percentage of fan votes scores one point.

DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting:

Four shooters from each team will participate, with two additional players serving as passers. This event will consist of four head-to-head match-ups, with one shooter from each team per round. The goal is to hit four 15-inch diameter targets located in each corner of the net. The teams will be situated at opposite ends of the rink, and will alternate attempts. The first shooter to hit all four targets wins.

Points Available: 5 –The winner of each match-up scores one point; the player who hits all four targets in the fastest time scores the bonus point.

Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6g0x_MECZ8

This timed relay event – involving 14 skaters and two goalies from each team – will consist of four relays with five challenges each: One Timers, with three shooters and one passer per team; Passing, with one passer per team; Puck Control, with one skater per team; Stick-Handling, with one skater per team; and Goalie Goals, with one goalie per team.

Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next challenge with the exception of one timers, passing and goalie goals in which a maximum of forty-five seconds will be allocated. The goal is to finish all five challenges faster than the opponent.

Points Available: 3 – The team with the fastest time in each heat scores one point; the team with the fastest overall time scores one bonus point.

Amp Energy Hardest Shot:

Four shooters from each team will test their slap shot skill in a head-to-head match-up. Each player will attempt two shots, with teams alternating after each player. One puck will be placed 30 feet from the center of the net. Each shot will be calculated in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded.

Points Available: 5 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the player who has the fastest speed scores one bonus point.

Discover NHL Shootout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9iBt-M1NAU

18 skaters and three goaltenders from each team will participate in the three-round shootout. During each two-minute round, six skaters and one goalie from each team will take the ice. Teams will alternate after each shot with each player having a maximum of 10 seconds to take a shot. Players one and three from each team will be designated Discover puck players, each goal scored by these players will count as two points. NHL shootout rules apply to each scoring attempt.

Points Available: 1 point for every goal scored; 2 points for every goal scored with a Discover puck.

If you aren’t a seasoned NHL vet or normally watch the All-Star weekend on television every year, you may think the actual game is the real winner here. Wrong. The Skills Competition is the most entertaining, as you get to see your favorite players (and not so favorite) in a more casual setting where it’s more about having fun than taking everything so seriously. If you can’t make the Skills Competition, it’ll be on NBC Sports at 6PM January 30th.

2016 NHL All-Star Game:
So you may have heard there is a new format to the game than previous years. In the past, the two team captains would conduct a draft, choosing which players to add to their roster. The last guy would end up with a car.

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Our own Filip Forsberg won a car last year because he was picked last. How nice. Well, the League has done away with the draft and the two-team system. Now we have four teams and 3-on-3. What? Here, we’ll let the League explain:

* The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game will be a three-game tournament played in a 3-on-3 format with a prize pool of $1 million to be paid in its entirety to the tournament’s winning team.

* The tournament will feature four teams, one team representing each NHL Division: the Pacific, Central, Metropolitan and Atlantic.

* Each team will be made up of 11 players: six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.

* The 2016 NHL All-Star Fan Vote will allow fans to vote for one All-Star player from each Division, without regard to position. The top vote-getter from each Division will be named NHL All-Stars, as well as Captain of his respective team.

* The remaining 40 NHL All-Stars will be named by the NHL Hockey Operations Department for a total of 44 All-Star players, with at least one player selected from each NHL team.

* The 2016 Honda All-Star Skills Competition™ returns to a matchup between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars on Saturday evening, with the winning conference earning the right to select when their semi-final matchup will be played; first or second on Sunday.

* Each game in the three-game, 3-on-3 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Tournament will be 20 minutes in length.

* Teams will change ends at the 10-minute mark of each game. Games that are tied after 20 minutes will be decided by a shootout.

* The Central Division All-Stars will face the Pacific Division All-Stars and the Atlantic Division All-Stars will face the Metropolitan Division All-Stars in the two Semi-Final games.

* The winners of each Semi-Final game will play each other in the All-Star Game Final to determine the overall tournament champion.

* The four division-leading NHL coaches (best points percentage following the completion of games on Jan. 9, 2016) will be named coaches for each of the four All-Star teams

Make sense? Well, we’ll all see how this will work on Sunday, January 31st at 4PM.

All-Star Roster:
I could just link my old post with the roster in it to this post, but that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? In case you haven’t seen who made the list – or you just need a refresher – behold:

Atlantic Division

F Patrice Bergeron (BOS)

 Central Division

F Jamie Benn (DAL)
F Jaromir Jagr (FLA) F Matt Duchene (COL)
F Leo Komarov (TOR) F Patrick Kane (CHI)
F Dylan Larkin (DET) F Tyler Seguin (DAL)
F Ryan O’Reilly (BUF) F Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)
F Steven Stamkos (TBL) F Jonathan Toews (CHI)
D Aaron Ekblad (FLA) D Dustin Byfuglien (WPG)
D Erik Karlsson (OTT) D Roman Josi (NSH)
D P.K. Subban (MTL) D Shea Weber (NSH)
G Ben Bishop (TBL) G Devan Dubnyk (MIN)
G Roberto Luongo (FLA) G Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Metropolitan Division Pacific Division
F Nicklas Backstrom (WSH) F Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)
F Claude Giroux (PHI) F Taylor Hall (EDM)
F Evgeni Malkin (PIT) F Joe Pavelski (SJS)
F Alex Ovechkin (WSH) F Corey Perry (ANA)
F Brandon Saad (CBJ) F John Scott (ARI)
F John Tavares (NYI) F Daniel Sedin (VAN)
D Justin Faulk (CAR) D Brent Burns (SJS)
D Kris Letang (PIT) D Drew Doughty (LAK)
D Ryan McDonagh (NYR) D Mark Giordano (CGY)
G Braden Holtby (WSH) G John Gibson (ANA)
G Cory Schneider (NJD) G Jonathan Quick (LAK)

Are you excited? You should be! Also, if you like beer, two local breweries have concocted some hockey brew just for this special occasion in our city:

Yazoo Brewery and Jackalope Brewery have both released special edition brews for your tasting pleasure. Yazoo’s “Winter Park Wheat” and Jackalope’s “All-Star Citra Pale Ale” are available in their taprooms. Check their Twitter handles for more info on where you can grab these puppies.

 Okay, so I hope I covered everything. If not, you can always visit the official NHL All-Star site for more information. Actually, do check that website or the Predators because events are subject to change if something happens. Also, if you are not from Nashville and have questions regarding the city or whatnot, please contact me via @Lady_Preds on Twitter & I’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Nashville falls to Colorado 5-3

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Image Source: Nashville Predators

Image Source: Nashville Predators

Everyone likes Fridays, but this one was a little extra special for Predators fans as newly acquired “savior of all things offense” Ryan Johansen would be making his debut in Nashville gold against the Colorado Avalanche. While we certainly didn’t expect Johansen to come out guns a blazing, the kid had other plans:

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Ryan Johansen decided 2:35 was the best time to show off his skills, notching his first shot as a Predator and his first goal (7th of the season) on the power play. Mattias Ekholm (10) and Mike Ribeiro (22) notch the assist on the new Predator’s goal. What beautiful patience.

  • Roman Josi would block a shot from captain Gabriel Landeskog shortly after Johansen’s goal, sending him to the locker room. Luckily, Josi would return to the bench.

  • Jarome Iginla would collect his 601st goal of his career (12th of the season) at 14:50 on the power play, tying the game at one.
  • A few minutes later, at 17:45, Cody McLeod would notch his seventh goal of the season, ending the first period 2-1 in favor of Colorado.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • Ryan Ellis would light the lamp early at 2:45 with a wicked wrister, tying the game at two. Mattias Ekholm (11) and Colin Wilson (12) collect the assists on Ellis’s fifth goal of the season.

  • Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog would give the Avalanche another lead at 7:40 for his 10th goal of the season.
  • Filip Forsberg would notch his 11th goal of the season at 16:37, tying the game once again. Roman Josi (22) and Ryan Johansen (21) would pick up the assists. Note, this is Johansen’s first assist with the Predators.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • Pekka Rinne would make some Pekka-esque moves – along with the help of Eric Nystrom – to keep the Avalanche from scoring early in the third:
    https://twitter.com/MCHisTweeting/status/685675180870471681
  • Despite Rinne’s exceptional moves, Tyson Barrie’s power play goal at 11:00 gave Colorado the lead once again.
  • Jack Skille would notch the empty-netter with just two seconds left in the match, sealing the game in favor of Colorado.

Despite the back-and-forth scoring between both clubs, the Predators could not regain the lead after Ryan Johansen’s initial goal in the first period and fell to the Avalanche 5-3. Though Johansen’s goal should have given Nashville a boost, it seemed as if the team did not respond well to the advantage. Penalties ravaged both clubs, with the Predators managing to tally six of the nine during the match. Within those six penalties, Colorado was able to score on three, essentially costing Nashville the win. However, looking at the bright side, Ryan Johansen looked great in his debut, collecting two points overall (1 G, 1 A).

Nashville will have to lick their wounds on the way to the airport as they take on the Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night in Phoenix.

Johansen Trade: The Day After

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johansen-ryan-12315-usnews-getty-ftr_c1l9p0g858hi197xaphtivcnj

Now that the dust has settled (for the most part), both Columbus and Nashville can rest easy – at least when it comes to the smoothness of said trade negotiation. In an interview today, General Manager David Poile noted that, “if Roman Josi wasn’t doing as good as he is, we wouldn’t have made this trade”. There no doubt this was a very difficult decision for GMDP; as a team possibly best known for its development of elite defensemen, it certainly wouldn’t be easy choosing which guy would be on the trade block.

Of course, Shea Weber is not up for debate (despite many throwing his name out there – it’s not going to happen) and, with the Norris-caliber performance Roman Josi has been displaying recently certainly meant he wasn’t going anywhere. Yes, trading off the budding 21-year-old who has plenty of potential and time to grow that is Seth Jones (and the fact Poile loved the kid) would be a difficult move to make. However, the success of this trade – a simple him-for-him – shows the urgent need of both teams. As stated in my previous post, Columbus is in desperate need of defense; Nashville is in serious need of some offense. The trade between both teams was a no-brainer. Now, decided who to let go (who could potentially boost an opposing team and cause an issue later on down the road) is the tricky part.

If you have done any digging on Mr. Johansen, or you’ve just been following current events relating to the subject, you’ve probably heard he and the Columbus organization – namely head coach John Tortorella – had some disagreements, so to say. Nothing major or involving off-ice behavior, just normal coach-to-player disconnect. Tortorella, who was hired in October, believed Johansen’s performance decline was due to being out of shape and essentially marked him as a healthy scratch a few times. It was later determined that the center had an “undisclosed illness” that was attributing to his negative performance.

I’ve come across a few comments from fans regarding Johansen’s performance once the trade was announced, including “good luck. Johansen is a lazy player” to “well, Columbus clearly got the better end of the deal”. Now, I must take the comments with a grain of salt (and so should you) as these are fans with some serious bias. Nashville is no different, with fans bashing Jones’ performance as well. To see an in-depth, detailed look at Jonansen’s numbers, check out OnTheForecheck’s assessment here. But, from what I gather, Ryan Johansen and John Tortorella simply did not mesh well and, let’s be honest, it is Tortorella we are talking about. The man is a bit on the nutty side, to put it nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5xpI_oaK_M

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Again, I shall take those comments from Blue Jackets fans with a grain of salt and you should, too.

However, we shall be the judge of Ryan Johansen’s “laziness” starting tomorrow when the Predators take on the 20-18-3 Colorado Avalanche in Denver. Of course, Johansen is not going to come flying onto the ice with a golden halo with angels tooting horns behind him; he’ll need time to get used to a new system. This kid has spent his entire professional career under the Blue Jackets organization so it’ll take a bit to see which line he pairs best with. According to Adam Vingan of The Tennessean, Peter Laviolette stated that Johansen will start with Colin Wilson and James Neal.

Ryan Johansen practiced with the team today and is expected to suit up for tomorrow night’s bout in Denver. Debate as to what number Johansen would choose was floating around yesterday as his current number 19 belongs to Calle Jarnkrok. It was announced earlier this morning that Johansen would go with #92 in recognition of his birth year, 1992. The 23-year-old center is confident in his abilities and, to quote GMDP, “We accomplished something we haven’t been able to do in 18 years. We got a first line center.” That tells you right there that GMDP is confident with this trade. Of course, offering up Seth Jones, who will likely become a defensive star within a few years, was enough of an example of Poile’s confidence as any.

Again, the most that you need to take away from this post is that don’t expect him to come out guns a blazing tomorrow night, though that would be awesome. However, Johansen has proven himself in more ways than one that projects a confidence that will result in great success for Nashville. As long as I didn’t just jinx it.

Also, for those wondering who are too afraid to ask, Ryan Johansen is from Vancouver, Canada. Needless to say, his name is pronounced JOE-Hansen, not YO-Hansen. I’ll be the first to admit I immediately thought it was YO-Hansen, but I blame Jarnkrok, Josi, and Juuse Saros for that. I just want more Scandinavian players, okay. You’ll hear various versions of how to pronounce Johansen as he settles in with the club (even David Poile has been calling him Yo-hansen), so just note that it is JOE, not YO.