SB Nation - Dan Hamhuis

Game 33 Preview: Jackets in tough against the Preds

Mike MacLean — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:08:16 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Every year I always seem to say this: those damned Preds! Nashville comes to town for the first time this season, after going 2-0 so far against the Jackets in Nashville. The Jackets have dug themselves in a hole whereby they have to win games from here out, plain and simple. They play in the best division in hockey so intra-division games are crucial.

Some lineup changes of note- Chimmer moves up with Vermmy and Nasher, and there's a new line of Modin, Brass and Torres. That one sounds interesting, a little bit of everything. With Dorsett out with a broken hand, Murray goes back into the lineup on the checking unit with Sammy and Boller. Mase gets the start against Rinne.

I can't stress the importance of these games. The Jackets desperately need to go on a winning streak, why not start tonight?

Fearless Prediction: A win, please.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: On the Forecheck

Game Page: Predators vs Blue Jackets Coverage

TSN Preview: Predators vs Blue Jackets Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

A meeting of polar opposites: The Blue Jackets are a skilled club that lacks resiliency and on-ice cohesion; the Predators make up for a lack of high-end talent with immense resolve. The previous two meetings, both in Nashville, ended in 4-3 shootout wins for the Predators. The Blue Jackets won all three meetings in Nationwide Arena last season.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Jason Chimera	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Kristian Huselius	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Andrew Murray	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Fredrik Modin	Derick Brassard	Raffi Torres

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: Michael Blunden, Mathieu Roy

INJURED: Rostislav Klesla, Derek Dorsett

Nashville Predators

Steve Sullivan	Jason Arnott	Martin Erat
Jerred Smithson	David Legwand	Joel Ward
Patric Hornqvist	Marcel Goc	J.P. Dumont
Wade Belak	Dave Scatchard	Ryan Jones

Shea Weber	Ryan Suter
Dan Hamhuis	Kevin Klein
Alexander Sulzer	Francis Bouillon

Pekka Rinne

Dan Ellis

Nashville Predators battle back before falling to Detroit in OT, 3-2

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:06:14 -0000

More photos » by Kate Humphrey - AP

Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber, right, checks Detroit Red Wings center Kris Draper off the puck in the second period.

Browse more photos »

Tonight's game had all the drama of a roller coaster for the Nashville Predators; lots of ups and downs, and unfortunately the excitement ended all too early, as Todd Bertuzzi scored his second goal of the night, the game winner, just 24 seconds into the overtime period in a 3-2 loss.

It wasn't all bad news, however, as the biggest crowd of the season (16,673) saw the home team fight back from a 2-0 deficit to force the OT. Follow after the jump for video highlights, the recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

This was an odd game for a number of reasons. Sometimes, the officials called things by the book, while at other times they let a lot of back & forth stuff go. We had Dan Hamhuis swiping a puck off the goal line that got behind Pekka Rinne, and Jordin Tootoo limping off the ice after taking a Shea Weber shot off the foot.

You have to love the NHL's non-disclosure rules about injuries, by the way. In the post-game press conference, all Barry Trotz would say about Tootoo was "somewhere on the body, hopefully not broken." Way to narrow it down, coach!

Anyways, the story of the game was that the Red Wings, even though they played an overtime game the night before, came out blazing, outshooting the Preds 14-5 in the first period, but miraculously not scoring. Early in the second they took the lead on spinning backhander by Todd Bertuzzi, then followed it up later when Drew Miller batted in a puck that bounced off the crossbar, and made it 2-0.

From that point on, however, the Preds battled back. A power play goal by Ryan Jones (his first of the season, in what was by far his best game) got Nashville on the board a couple minutes later, and they ended up outshooting Detroit 19-8 in the second period. Early in the 3rd David Legwand tied it up by gathering in a loose puck as J.P. Dumont carried it through the slot and created havoc for the Red Wings defense.

That was good enough to get Nashville to overtime, but a bad turnover by Leggy just inside the Detroit blueline gave Bertuzzi a rush the other way, and Kevin Klein never could catch up well enough to stop his shot. Before folks even had time to settle in for the OT, it was all over, just 24 seconds in.

All in all, though, the Preds should consider themselves fortunate to get the single point in the standings for the OT loss. Over the course of the season, a team needs to eke out a few points on nights when they don't play their best, and tonight they just dug themselves too deep a hole in what was often an emotional game between bitter rivals.

Shea Weber, in particular, seemed especially charged up for Detroit, perhaps a bit too much so. He took 3 penalties on the night, which may not sound unusual for such a physical defenseman. Those were his first penalties, however, since October 22nd at Ottawa, a span of 20 games without sitting in the box. That's a remarkable achievement for a guy who consistently plays anywhere from 22 to 25 minutes a night against elite opponents. A hallmark of the Predators' success in recent weeks has been their ability to avoid needless penalties, and tip the special teams balance in their favor.

Despite taking the loss, Rinne was excellent in stopping 26 Detroit shots. The first Bertuzzi goal looked bad but the shot clearly caught both he and defenseman Ryan Suter off-guard, and he stopped several other dangerous chances for Detroit to make up for it.

Looking at the stats from tonight, Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Jones jumped out as having excellent nights. Not only did they create a number of good scoring chances, but their pure hustle created 3 of Nashville's 4 power plays as Jones drew two calls, and Hornqvist one. Dumont also had a good night helping to set teammates up for shots as he drew the attention of the Red Wing defense constantly.

The Preds' next game is in Columbus on Monday, before returning home to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Martin Erat	R	14:37	1	0	1	0	10	8	2	15	17	-2
Jason Arnott	C	15:11	3	2	1	0	12	10	2	18	18	0
Steve Sullivan	L	14:51	4	0	0	0	12	9	3	16	16	0
David Legwand	C	12:58	1	0	0	0	8	5	3	11	9	2
Jerred Smithson	R	11:29	0	0	0	0	2	4	-2	3	10	-7
Joel Ward	R	12:38	0	0	0	1	2	4	-2	2	12	-10
Marcel Goc	C	11:52	2	0	1	1	6	4	2	7	12	-5
Jordin Tootoo	R	1:19	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	2	-1
J P Dumont	R	11:06	1	2	0	0	11	5	6	14	9	5
Patric Hornqvist	R	9:06	3	0	0	0	9	4	5	13	5	8
Ryan Jones	L	12:16	2	1	0	0	12	5	7	15	9	6
Dave Scatchard	C	6:13	0	0	0	0	5	1	4	6	3	3
Shea Weber	D	17:15	3	0	0	2	15	6	9	21	16	5
Ryan Suter	D	16:57	4	1	0	0	15	6	9	21	15	6
Dan Hamhuis	D	18:15	1	1	0	1	7	9	-2	11	18	-7
Kevin Klein	D	17:57	1	0	0	6	5	9	-4	9	18	-9
Cody Franson	D	8:43	2	0	0	1	8	5	3	8	8	0
Francis Bouillon	D	10:42	1	0	0	0	11	5	6	11	8	3

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Ryan Jones, 1 G, 1 A, 2 penalties drawn

42 votes

Pekka Rinne, 26 saves

17 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

Game 31: Jackets take on the Preds in Nashville

Mike MacLean — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:01:17 -0000

by Jay LaPrete - AP

View full size photo »

This is a good day. I just had a fantastic day at work, the Jackets are coming off a huge win last night, where they looked like the team they should be. Mase was stellar, let's see if Garon can turn his game around tonight against those damned Predators. The Preds definitely have the Jackets number, especially in Nashville. I look for a typical Jackets/Preds game tonight, one with tight checking, maybe a scrap or two (if our guys have the green light to do so) and some timely goals. A score of 1-0 or 2-1 could happen.

The Preds are one of those teams that always gets it done, no matter who is on the ice. I credit GM David Poile and coach Barry Trotz for that. I would love for the kind of long-term consistency from Howson and Hitch that those two gentleman have supplied. Pekka Rinne is the straw that stirs the drink in Nashville. In my opinion he is the future of Finnish goaltending. Backstrom and Kipper are the top dogs now, but Rinne will be a great goaltender for a long time. Add to that a fun rivalry with Steve Mason, and we could be seeing a genuine goaltending battle year-in and year-out between these clubs.

The Jackets aren't making any major lineup changes with the exception of Garon getting the start. The line of Chimmer, Umby and Jake looked dangerous on almost every shift last night, and I look for them to continue that tonight. One guy who really needs to step it up is Rick Nash. Even last night, to me he was the guy who looked the worst. He was committing turnovers, and I think he is really pressing. Seemingly every time he had the puck in the offensive zone he was going with the slapper, very unlike the Captain. I would like to see he and Brass play together for a bit to see if that will spark him. Vermmy doesn't seem to be the right fit for Nasher.

Fearless Prediction: The run of bad play in Nashville has to end sometime right? Jackets win, Chimmer continues his hot streak.

Game Time: 8:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: On the Forecheck

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Predators coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Predators Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Gaylord Entertainment Center. Sommet Center. Nashville Arena. Doesn't matter what it's named, it's a house of horrors for the Blue Jackets, who are 0-10-2 in Nashville since April 3, 2006. The Jackets blew leads of 1-0 and 2-1 and lost 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 21 in Nashville.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Jason Chimera	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Andrew Murray	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Raffi Torres	Derick Brassard	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Mike Blunden, Mathieu Roy, Derek MacKenzie

INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Rostislav Klesla

Nashville Predators

Steve Sullivan	Jason Arnott	Martin Erat
Jerred Smithson	David Legwand	Joel Ward
Jordin Tootoo	Marcel Goc	J.P. Dumont
Ryan Jones	Cal O'Reilly	Patric Hornqvist

Shea Weber	Ryan Suter
Francis Bouillon	Alexander Sulzer
Kevin Klein	Dan Hamhuis

Pekka Rinne

Dan Ellis

Who Should Be Canada's Olympic Defenders?

Chemmy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:29:45 -0000

The question is simple; who are your seven guys to play defense for Team Canada at the Olympics? The defenders invited to the Canada camp are:

Francois Beauchemin, Jay Bouwmeester, Dan Boyle, Brent Burns, Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Dan Hamhuis, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer, Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Robyn Regehr, Stephane Robidas, Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal, and Shea Weber. Click a player's name for stats.

I discussed my picks with Godd Till of Zambonic Youth and PPP, check out our picks after the jump.

Chris Pronger

#20 / Defenseman / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 6-6

Weight: 214

Born: Oct 10, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Chris Pronger	4	14	18	9	41

Pronger can score points, shut down talent even at age 35 and has a documented mean streak. Pronger's the grit and the jam that dominant teams need to make playing against them no fun at all.

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Shea Weber	6	9	15	-4	4

Nashville's Shea Weber is an excellent defender in his own end who can also put up points. He hits as hard as your January credit card bill and isn't afraid to drop the gloves.

Duncan Keith

#2 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 196

Born: Jul 16, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Duncan Keith	5	18	23	6	16

Fresh off of inking a lifetime deal that was well earned Duncan Keith is having a fantastic season. Another guy who can put up points and plays well in his own end Duncan Keith is an obvious lock for this team along with...

Brent Seabrook

#7 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 218

Born: Apr 20, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brent Seabrook	3	10	13	8	15

... his defensive partner Brent Seabrook. In addition to being an excellent player on his own, having Keith's defensive partner will give Canada an elite d-pairing that are familiar with each other. This is a huge advantage in a tournament where players are hastily thrown together.

Robyn Regehr

#28 / Defenseman / Calgary Flames

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225

Born: Apr 19, 1980

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Robyn Regehr	0	10	10	5	23

The definition of defensive defenseman, Regehr hits good hockey players hard and often. He's on this team to hit Ovechkin, Kessel and Parise.

Dan Boyle

#22 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 12, 1976

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Dan Boyle	6	19	25	4	20

Dan Boyle's our pick for puck mover / PP specialist on the back end. If you'd prefer Bouwmeester or Mike Green go ahead, I'm not too concerned with any of the three.

Drew Doughty

#8 / Defenseman / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 211

Born: Dec 08, 1989

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Drew Doughty	7	15	22	9	18

Is Drew Doughty the seventh best Canadian defender in the league? Honestly he might be, but what's important here is the future. Doughty will be the seventh guy and only see action if guys get hurt. Obviously you could do a lot worse than Doughty as an injury fill in which speaks to Canada's enormous depth at defense.

I picked Doughty looking forward to 2014. Doughty will be 25 and about to hit his prime. He got an invite to Olympic camp this year based on his ability as a player and I think bringing him along to Vancouver would be a big step for a young kid in the NHL. Let him have a taste of the team he's going to need to be a big part of in four years.

Those are our picks, let us know yours in the comments.

Nashville Predators pull away in the 3rd, beat Chicago 4-1

Dirk Hoag — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:33:01 -0000

More photos » by Charles Cherney - AP

15 days ago: Nashville Predators' Jordin Tootoo, center, celebrates after he scores the Predators' third goal late in the game as the Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in an NHL hockey game, on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

Browse more photos »

Late goals by Jordin Tootoo and Joel Ward sealed the victory tonight for the Nashville Predators as they won in Chicago tonight, 4-1. Dan Ellis made 34 saves for his second strong effort in a row, on a night when 9 different Preds hit the scoresheet.

You can click above for the photo gallery, and after the jump we've got video highlights, the recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

Early on, it appeared that the Preds would be doing well just to hang around in this game. Jonathan Toews put on a clinic giving the Blackhawks the 1-0 lead, deking through Dan Hamhuis for the score. Hamhuis earned his redemption just minutes later, however, firing a puck that came up the boards past Cristobal Huet to even the game at 1-1 heading into the first intermission. Chicago carried most of the play, however, with a Shots on Goal advantage of 15-6 after the first period.

In the second, the Preds established good pressure early on, despite losing Kevin Klein for a time after he took an awkward tumble into the endboards. As part of several strong shifts by the line of Martin Erat, Marcel Goc and Jordin Tootoo, Toots gathered in a loose puck and fired it towards the front of the net, where it deflected off Erat's skate for the goal (which stood after a brief video review). The Blackhawks poured it on from there, constantly backing the Nashville defense in and getting several good chances which Dan Ellis turned aside.

In the third, that momentum was still largely in Chicago's favor as the Preds kept backing in and defending the core of their zone, trying to keep the Blackhawks to the outside. Ellis made several excellent stops while not allowing any rebound opportunities, something he's been prone to in the past.

On a rare rush the other way in the final minutes, Tootoo scored just his second goal of the season, blasting a shot by Huet, who looked shaky when the Preds did get their chances. Preds fans didn't even have much time to breathe a sigh of relief, however, as Joel Ward banged home a pass from David Legwand just 35 seconds later to push the lead to 4-1, and a surprising runaway victory for Nashville.

Team discipline once again played a critical role; despite playing a division rival and having to deal with speedy, skilled players buzzing around the offensive zone, the Predators only had to kill off one penalty all night, which they did successfully.

Hamhuis, Erat and Tootoo all ended the night with a goal and an assist each, with six other players nabbing a point including Cal O'Reilly getting his first assist of the season on the Hamhuis goal.

Looking at the even-strength stats, it's no surprise to see lots of negative numbers; Chicago is an excellent skating team that tips the shot totals heavily in their favor on a consistent basis (tonight the shots were 35-23 for the Hawks). What jumps out to me is the performance of that Tootoo-Goc-Erat line, which clearly had a great night.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	14:52	2	0	0	0	5	8	-3	9	14	-5
Steve Sullivan	L	14:22	0	0	0	0	4	8	-4	7	13	-6
J P Dumont	R	13:26	0	0	0	1	1	7	-6	3	12	-9
David Legwand	C	16:21	1	0	0	0	4	11	-7	7	14	-7
Jerred Smithson	R	16:34	1	1	0	0	4	9	-5	7	14	-7
Joel Ward	R	16:40	1	0	1	0	5	10	-5	8	14	-6
Marcel Goc	C	14:11	2	1	0	2	10	8	2	12	15	-3
Martin Erat	R	14:06	1	2	0	0	13	10	3	17	16	1
Jordin Tootoo	R	14:01	4	0	1	0	11	8	3	13	15	-2
Cal O'Reilly	C	8:49	0	0	0	0	2	4	-2	4	7	-3
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:24	2	0	0	0	4	2	2	6	5	1
Ryan Jones	L	7:42	0	0	0	1	2	4	-2	4	7	-3
Shea Weber	D	19:37	0	1	0	2	10	11	-1	14	20	-6
Ryan Suter	D	23:02	2	0	1	1	11	12	-1	15	22	-7
Kevin Klein	D	17:19	0	0	1	2	4	12	-8	9	18	-9
Francis Bouillon	D	18:22	0	1	0	0	1	12	-11	6	18	-12
Dan Hamhuis	D	17:46	1	0	0	1	10	11	-1	12	16	-4
Cody Franson	D	12:26	0	0	1	0	6	6	0	8	8	0

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 34 saves

44 votes

Martin Erat, GWG goal, 1 assist

7 votes

Jordin Tootoo, 1 goal, 1 assist, 5 Shots on Goal

18 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

Grading the Nashville Predators' November: the defense

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:22:41 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber continues to play a key role at both ends of the ice.

Browse more photos »

We took a look at the goaltenders the other day, so now it is time to focus our attention on how the Nashville Predators defense played during the second month of the season. For your reference, here are October's grades...

Jump down to the bottom for the Behind the Net stats (which represent the season to date). Within each player capsule, stats reflect performance during the month of November.

Francis Bouillon

#51 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-8

Weight: 196

Born: Oct 17, 1975

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Francis Bouillon	13	1	2	3	-4	6	1	0	0	0	16	6.3

Having settled into a steady job (over 20:00 a night) alongside Kevin Klein, Bouillon is starting to chip in a little bit offensively to go along with his consistent defensive work. He's been rewarded with close to 3 minutes of power play ice time per game, and has also played a large role on the penalty kill. Remember when I said long ago that he'd make people forget Greg Zanon? He's certainly on his way.

And if you look at the 5-on-5 numbers below and are concerned about his team-low GFON/60, keep in mind that it's about twice what it was a month ago, meaning that over the last month that number has been roughly in line with his teammates.

Francis Bouillon's grade: A-

Cody Franson

#32 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 214

Born: Aug 08, 1987

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Cody Franson	13	1	2	3	+2	4	0	0	1	0	26	3.8

Barry Trotz is careful to put the rookie in situations where he's best placed to succeed (see the QUALTEAM and QUALCOMP numbers down at the bottom; the quality of teammates he plays with is the hightest, and the quality of competition he plays against is low), but Franson is acquitting himself well so far. Surprisingly he hasn't really produced on the power play as much as one would expect, and that's where the team needs his talent most.

As seen in the game-by-game recaps, Franson has a strong impact on Shots For & Against; his "Relative Corsi", or the difference between Total Shots For & Against when he's on the ice vs. when he's on the bench, is the best on the team.

Cody Franson's grade:B+

Dan Hamhuis

#2 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Dec 13, 1982

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dan Hamhuis	13	1	3	4	+6	8	0	0	0	0	20	5.0

What a turnaround for Hammer - a disastrous start has been largely reversed, as Goals Against in 5-on-5 have toned down considerably, and the penalty kill has been much better in recent weeks. He plays mostly along Franson, providing the safety net for the rook, and has provided the sort of two-way play Nashville fans have grown to expect over the last few seasons.

Dan Hamhuis' grade: B+

Kevin Klein

#8 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Dec 13, 1984

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Kevin Klein	13	0	1	1	-1	4	0	0	0	0	11	0.0

Just as Hamhuis' play has steadied, so has Klein's. Since his offensive contributions are so limited, the nostrum that people often use for referees applies to Klein - when you don't notice him very much, you know he's done a good job. He too deserves credit for the rebounding penalty kill unit.

Kevin Klein's grade: B-

Alexander Sulzer

#52 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Born: May 30, 1984

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Alexander Sulzer	2	0	0	0	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0

Alexander Sulzer's grade: Incomplete

Ryan Suter

#20 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 194

Born: Jan 21, 1985

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Suter	13	0	4	4	-6	10	0	0	0	0	10	0.0

Remember that post from a few days ago covering the 10 NHL Players Who Should Shoot the Puck More Often? Suter was #3 on that list for good reason, not the least of which is his extensive time (roughly 4:00 per game) on the power play. The Preds need more than just 10 shots a month out of him. His 5-on-5 results have taken a nasty turn for the worse, as well. Suter got off to a good start in October, and needs to reverse this recent slide.

Ryan Suter's grade: C-

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

November totals	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Shea Weber	11	1	5	6	-6	0	1	0	0	0	32	3.1

While the goals have dried up a bit, the shots are still coming fast and furious, so there's little concern on that front. What really jumps out is that despite playing heavy minutes against top opponents regularly, Weber made it through the entire month without a single penalty. That speaks volumes to his hard work on the defensive end.

Shea Weber's grade: B+

Here are the 5-on-5 numbers for the season to date. For explanations behind the numbers, check Behind the Net:

NAME	GP	TOI/60	RATING	QUALCOMP	QUALTEAM	PTS/60	GFON/60	GAON/60	+/- per 60
Shea Weber	25	17.54	0.06	0.07	0.08	0.68	2.05	2.46	-0.41
Dan Hamhuis	23	17.52	0.69	-0.04	-0.04	1.04	2.53	2.53	0.00
Ryan Suter	27	17.49	-0.01	0.06	0.13	0.51	1.78	2.16	-0.38
Kevin Klein	27	17.11	-1.24	-0.02	-0.09	0.26	1.30	2.47	-1.17
Francis Bouillon	27	16.14	-0.89	0.00	-0.17	0.00	0.96	1.93	-0.96
Cody Franson	21	11.59	2.03	-0.08	0.18	0.99	3.20	1.73	+1.48
Alexander Sulzer	5	11.38	2.80	-0.07	0.50	1.05	3.16	1.05	+2.11

Nashville Predators 2010 Winter Olympics Preview

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:31 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

The power, speed and skill of Nashville's Shea Weber are expected to be a big part of Team Canada's blueline at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

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As part of SB Nation's series of previews for the upcoming Winter Olympics, let's take a look at the Nashville Predators who are expected to represent their country this February in Vancouver. We'll break down which players should pack their bags already, which are in a battle for a roster spot, and which have real work to do if they want their shot at Olympic glory.

Pack Your Bags!

The most prominent Predators discussed in terms of the Winter Olympics are Nashville's twin towers on defense, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber:

Ryan Suter - USA

#20 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 194

Born: Jan 21, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Suter	25	2	9	11	-2	16	1	0	0	0	24	8.3

Suter, as has been discussed repeatedly, is the son of Bob Suter, a member of the 1980 "Miracle On Ice" U.S. Mens Team. A steady two-way defender who faces elite opposition every night, Suter's greatest strength is his ability to carry the puck from defensive to offensive zone, and get the attack moving. The U.S. should contend for a medal, and Suter is likely to play a major role on a pretty young American squad.

Shea Weber - Canada

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Shea Weber	23	6	9	15	-2	4	4	0	1	0	66	9.1

The roster selection for Team Canada is one of the most-talked about hockey stories this year. In every online projection for which players will don the Maple Leaf, however, you'll see Shea Weber's name listed as a regular on the blueline. He brings that rare combination of reliable defensive work, outstanding offensive production, and brute physical force that franchises dream of building a team around.

Alexander Radulov - Russia

#47 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 188

Born: Jul 05, 1986

Well, he's still under a valid NHL contract with Nashville, so I guess this counts. Radulov should provide secondary scoring for what should be a dynamite Russian squad led by the formidable trio of Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Evgeni Malkin.

Marcel Goc - Germany

#9 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Aug 24, 1983

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Marcel Goc	23	2	1	3	-2	6	0	0	0	0	36	5.6

Germany isn't exactly stacked with NHL-level talent, and the versatile Goc is sure to be included on Uwe Krupp's team.

Roman Josi - Switzerland

Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 198

Born: June 1, 1990

This smooth-skating young blueliner, Nashville's 2nd-round pick (38th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, plays in the Swiss League, and last season led all players under age 20 in goals, points and assists. Having appeared in the 2009 World Championships, he's expected to suit up in Vancouver for his native Switzerland, which is capable of the occasional upset, having beaten both the Czech Republic and Canada in the 2006 Turin Games.

In A Battle

Patric Hornqvist - Sweden

#27 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-11

Weight: 186

Born: Jan 01, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Patric Hornqvist	25	5	5	10	2	8	0	0	2	0	82	6.1

Sweden is the defending gold medal champion, and while being hailed as "a prime example of someone playing their way onto an Olympic team", the field of potential forwards is a tough one to crack, especially if Peter Forsberg is healthy and ready to go.

Pekka Rinne - Finland

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 206

Born: Nov 03, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Pekka Rinne	17	961	11	5			38	2.37	452	414	.916	2

Finland is turning into a real hotbed of goaltending, and with Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff proclaiming that he'd rather stay home if he's not the #1 starter, Rinne might be able to play himself onto this squad alongside competitors like Nicklas Backstrom, Tuukka Rask, and Antero Niitymaki.

Alexander Sulzer - Germany

#52 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Born: May 30, 1984

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Alexander Sulzer	5	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.0

Originally thought of as a lock for the German team, Sulzer's OIympic dreams have likely taken a hit given his lack of playing time so far this season.

Work To Do

Robert Dietrich - Germany

#50 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-10

Weight: 172

Born: Jul 25, 1986

Dietrich was on Germany's preliminary roster at their summer organizational camp, but is part of a crowded field of players in either North American minor league hockey or European elite leagues. With Milwaukee, he is the Admirals' 2nd-leading scorer with a goal and 13 assists in 21 games.

Martin Erat - Czech Republic

#10 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 203

Born: Aug 29, 1981

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Martin Erat	22	4	5	9	-7	20	2	0	1	0	43	9.3

Perhaps the recent injury to Edmonton's Ales Hemsky opens up a roster spot at forward, but Erat's slow start hasn't helped his chances.

Dan Hamhuis - Canada

#2 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Dec 13, 1982

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dan Hamhuis	21	1	6	7	1	18	0	0	0	0	39	2.6

Hamhuis has represented Team Canada at the World Championships on a number of occasions, and was invited to their Olympic camp this summer. There's little reason to believe he'll crack the lineup for the Winter Olympics, however; that's not a crack on his ability, as the competition there is incredibly tough.

David Legwand - USA

#11 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-2

Weight: 202

Born: Aug 17, 1980

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - David Legwand	25	5	9	14	-1	10	0	1	2	0	53	9.4

Given his stellar defensive work this season in a checking role between Joel Ward and Jerred Smithson, Legwand might gain consideration for a similar job on Team USA. There are few players in the world that can match Leggy's combination of skating ability and size at the center position, and he could help an American team that will hope to win tough, low-scoring games. He'll have to maintain his recent offensive success, however, to get noticed as a hot commodity.

Poll

How many Nashville Predators (including Radulov) will play in the Winter Olympics?

1-3

16 votes

4-6

40 votes

7-9

9 votes

10-12

4 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

Predators get back to their winning ways in 4-1 victory over Florida

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:03:23 -0000

More photos » by Kate Humphrey - AP

21 days ago: Nashville Predators players congratulate Dan Hamhuis after Hamhuis scored a goal against the Florida Panthers in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Nashville, Tenn. From left are Jerred Smithson, Marcel Goc, of Germany, Jordin Tootoo, Hamhuis and Kevin Klein. (AP Photo/Kate Humphrey)

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Dan Hamhuis led all scorers with his first goal of the season along with an assist as the Nashville Predators beat the Florida Panthers in front of 14,120 tonight at the Sommet Center Smashville Arena. Wearing their new 3rd jerseys, the Preds struggled through the first two periods tied 1-1 before finally pulling away in the third in a penalty-filled affair for both teams.

After the jump we've got the video highlights, recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

This was a fun one to enjoy, not just due to the play on the ice, but because I brought my father-in-law to the game. Since he lives in Indiana he doesn't catch NHL action often. In fact, he told me the last live game he saw pitted the Boston Bruins against the St. Louis Blues... back in 1971! As Buddy Oakes observed during the first intermission, the look of the game (especially in terms of advertisements on the boards and ice) sure has changed since those days...

On the ice, the Predators got off to a sluggish start; three power play opportunities came and went with lackluster results, and the crowd started getting restless, anticipating the worst after last night's loss to St. Louis. Late in the period, however, a point shot from Hamhuis with traffic in front from Joel Ward and Jerred Smithson got through Florida goalie Scott Clemmensen to put Nashville up 1-0 heading into the 1st intermission.

The second period saw a steady stream into the penalty box, as Jordin Tootoo squared off for a short fight with Kenndal McArdle immediately after the opening faceoff. Besides three other minor penalties to the Predators during that period (all successfully killed off, by what is looking once again like a typically strong Nashville PK unit), Tootoo got a rematch with McArdle midway through the period. Tootoo didn't want to go, but McArdle wouldn't let go and basically begged for a fight - so Toots basically pounded the stuffing out of him and ended his evening early.

Amidst all those festivities, however, Florida tied the game. Jordan Leopold was the trailer in a 3-on-2 and fired a shot high stick side by Dan Ellis, who was outstanding in his first game action in 3 weeks. Despite his play, however, fans were nervous about a tied game heading into the third, with not much offense to show so far.

Things certainly turned during the final 20 minutes, however. The Preds poured it on with a 12-5 shooting advantage down the stretch, and took a 2-1 lead early on. Steve Sullivan got the puck all alone in front of the Florida net and took his shot, which led to a rebound at the side of the goal for J.P. Dumont. He took the time to lift a backhand over a prone Clemmensen for the goal, his fifth of the season.

David Legwand continued his hot play by adding an insurance goal a few minutes later, powering his way past a Panthers defender to chase a puck into the offensive end and stuff a shot through the 5-hole for his fifth goal as well. Joel Ward added an empty netter in the final minute to ice the game for Nashville.

The Preds conclude this home stand with a game Monday against the Calgary Flames, who boast a 9-1-3 road record after winning in Columbus tonight.

For the Florida perspective on the game, check out Litter Box Cats, SB Nation's Florida Panthers blog.

For discounted tickets to any Nashville Predators home game, you can follow this link and use the special offer code "PREDS".

Looking at tonight's even-strength statistics, note that the overall SOG +/- and Corsi numbers are mostly positive; even the worst results on the team, mostly concentrated on the 4th-liners, are only mildly negative. Up front, the Legwand line had an excellent night, and consistently seemed to have the most jump.

Once again, however, that name down at the bottom of the list, Cody Franson, continues to put up positive results in relatively limited action.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	11:31	2	2	0	2	8	4	4	17	12	5
Steve Sullivan	L	11:24	2	2	2	0	8	4	4	17	13	4
J P Dumont	R	9:55	2	0	0	0	7	3	4	16	10	6
David Legwand	C	12:01	2	0	1	0	12	5	7	19	13	6
Jerred Smithson	R	12:33	2	2	0	1	10	6	4	18	12	6
Joel Ward	R	11:46	3	1	0	1	10	3	7	17	11	6
Marcel Goc	C	12:57	1	1	1	0	4	6	-2	13	9	4
Martin Erat	R	10:39	0	0	1	0	5	7	-2	11	11	0
Jordin Tootoo	R	11:31	0	2	0	0	4	4	0	13	7	6
Michael Santorelli	C	5:57	1	0	0	0	2	4	-2	4	5	-1
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:51	1	0	0	0	4	6	-2	7	8	-1
Dave Scatchard	C	6:56	0	1	0	0	2	5	-3	5	6	-1
Shea Weber	D	14:28	5	2	1	1	11	10	1	22	20	2
Ryan Suter	D	14:09	0	1	1	3	10	10	0	19	21	-2
Kevin Klein	D	13:50	0	0	2	2	7	6	1	17	13	4
Francis Bouillon	D	13:56	0	0	0	0	6	5	1	14	11	3
Dan Hamhuis	D	15:48	0	1	2	0	9	4	5	20	8	12
Cody Franson	D	11:53	0	1	0	0	7	3	4	12	5	7

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 23 saves & 1 assist

22 votes

Dan Hamhuis, 1 goal, 1 assist, +3 in 21:16 TOI

31 votes

David Legwand, 1 goal in 21:14 TOI

12 votes

65 votes | Poll has closed

Predators, Ellis rip Panthers 4-1

Whale4ever — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:55:41 -0000

Jordan Leopold scored Florida's only goal. Not Nathan Horton. Not Stephen Weiss. Not Rostislav Olesz. Not Michael Frolik. Not...you get the point.

Nashville positively owned the Original Cats, leading in SOG (29-24) and just plain solid effort to get back in the win column. Goaltender Dan Ellis was superb when called upon - and that wasn't often - and given support with goals by Dan Hamhuis, David Legwand, Joel Ward, and JP Dumont.

Remember goal support? Neither do I, but it certainly sounds like a winning strategy. Works for Florida's opponents.

Another evening of chasing the plays and allowing the opposition to dictate terms. Sounds like U.S. foreign policy.

Why wasn't Clemmer in net for Toronto on Friday, paving the way for Tomas Vokoun to start this one, against a club he played eight seasons with.

Why was Kenndal McArdle allowed to risk injury - a second time - in another fight with Jordin Tootoo when Steve MacIntyre was standing by with zippo on his schedule?

Why - OH WHY - did defenseman Bryan McCabe lead his team in SOG? Where were the forwards? Oh, here they are: Horton: zero shots. Weiss: two. Frolik: two. Congratulations, Rusty Olesz...you led the forwards with three shots on goal. And a belated thanks to defenseman Bryan Allen and his three attempts.

Another complete and utter waste of time and cash by the Panthers (what does it cost to transport and house these guys for a night?).

A sick and terribly lacking performance.

Wednesday's news: Dan Ellis, saved

Dirk Hoag — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:07:22 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

In an interview on the 700 Club yesterday, Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis talked about the struggles he faced to put his life together and make it to the NHL.

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First of all this morning, I wanted to extend a hearty welcome to Anchor of Gold, SB Nation's newest addition, which covers the Vanderbilt Commodores. It joins this site and Music City Miracles on the Nashville sports scene. Head on over and check them out:

After the jump, however, we've got a feast of Nashville Predators and NHL news for you. There's speculation about a highly-talented winger that might be available on the trade market, an interview with goaltender Dan Ellis on his long road to professional hockey, and the admission by one Preds player that "streaking is fun."

Predators News

Dan Ellis: Saving Grace
Dan Ellis was on the 700 Club yesterday talking about the struggles he went through to make to the National Hockey League.

Streaking is fun - Predators Insider
It's nice that Dan Hamhuis is blogging over at The Tennessean, but somebody needs to teach him about headlines...

Game Night... and an HBR Preview - Paul McCann
Paul previews tonight's game and the latest edition of HockeyBuzz Radio this evening at 6:00. He's got a couple of hockey blog titans on his schedule, and in fine holiday tradition, a turkey as well!

Bobby Ryan on the trade block? Paging David Poile… | Section 303
Jeremy jumps all over the speculation that Anaheim's Bobby Ryan might be available on the trade market. While the Predators would have to clear significant salary to make it happen, there's no question he'd be a great addition to the team.

Road trip to Colorado comes at a good time for the Predators - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond gets Barry Trotz's thoughts on making a quick road trip after the long home stand.

Admirals Win 3rd In A Row, Defeat Rampage 2-1 - Admirals Short Shifts
Milwaukee is on a bit of a roll, and it sounds like Chet Pickard is doing well in net.

Predators are solid with late lead - The Tennessean
Interesting stat from Bryan Mullen; the Preds are 7-0 when leading at the start of the third period.

Chicago Blackhawks soar to top spot in NHL Power Rankings - Allan Muir - SI.com
We all like to see the Preds get respect, but #2 in the NHL? That might be a bit much...

Around the NHL

The 10 best NHL players of the last decade - Puck Daddy
Puck Daddy certainly got #1 right... I'm sure there will be debate about the rest.

Game 23 Recap: Back to Back Nightmares - The Cannon
After getting stomped by the Rangers, Columbus traveled to Montreal last night and lost 5-3.

Shoe now on other foot for Wings - NHL.com
Paul Kukla wonders if the Red Wings are finally taking a significant step backwards this season. I'd wait until Johan Franzen comes back before coming to that conclusion, myself.

Nightmare on Helm Street: Sour Grapes: 11/23 vs NSH
Nice stuff by Animal Drew, taking comments from our Game Thread against the Red Wings as fodder for a "Sour Grapes" post from the Red Wings side. For the record, however, I'll stack my bad rhyming up against Drew's horrid spelling any time!

Andy Murray is longing for answers regarding Blues’ putrid offense - STLtoday
The Blues, who come to Nashville Friday, are foundering after a successful opening weekend in Sweden against Detroit.

The City Lost Its Best Friend " Teds Take
Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis writes about the passing of Abe Pollin, who sold the Caps to Leonsis 10 years ago.

SB Nation's 2010 Olympics Hockey Preview - SB Nation
Each day, 3 SB Nation blogs will provide a preview of which players on their team are likely to play in the Winter Olympics. Today's entries include Chicago, Colorado, and Columbus. Look for Nashville's over the weekend.

Former Habs suitor sets sights on Coyotes - The Globe and Mail
A new party steps up as a contender to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes.

Interview: What happened with the Habs and Latendresse? | Hockey From the Cheap Seats
Matt Reitz interviews Kyle Roussel to find out how a French-Canadian favorite wound up getting traded out of Montreal.

A little Wednesday morning trivia - From The Rink
Try your hand at this toughie that made the rounds on Twitter last evening.

DiPietro speaks after practice. And how are we feeling? - Lighthouse Hockey
Rick DiPietro finally returns to practice with the Islanders, and might be ready for conditioning in the minors soon. Will that force a trade of either Dwayne Roloson or Martin Biron?

The Push Hit MUST GO! - HockeyChats.com
Darren Pang highlights what he considers to be a dangerous practice that needs to be eliminated from the NHL; the two-handed shove that players dish out as they follow through on a check.

Long-rumored AHL outdoor 'classic' comes to Syracuse - Puck Daddy
A great idea for the AHL, an outdoor game to be played in February.

1984-85 Team - Walt Poddubny - Pension Plan Puppets
PPP's "Leaf of the Day" feature is notable today for spotlighting a retired star who passed away earlier this year.

CTV Olympics - Kiprusoff won't play in Olympics unless he starts
The starting goaltender job for Finland's Olympic team boasts a number of decent contenders, but now we have Miikka Kiprusoff saying that if isn't slated for the #1 job, then he'd rather just stay home. While he's off to a decent start, Kipper's performance has been in steady decline, and the Finns have plenty of good options include Nashville's Pekka Rinne, Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom, and Tampa Bay's Antero Niittymaki.

Which was Roloson's best save? There were only 58 of them. - Lighthouse Hockey
Dominik shares the best highlights from Dwayne Roloson's insanely great game Monday night against Toronto.

Inside the Minnesota Wild: Digital and Interactive Group - Hockey Wilderness
Nathan brings us a Q&A with the business side of the Minnesota Wild, and asks about how they are embracing the world of social media and blogs.

Great Ideas Courtesy of VERSUS " Puck The Media
Steve Lepore takes three good whacks at the decision-making at Versus over Monday's Predators/Red Wings telecast.

How Important are Playoff Wins? - Bird Watchers Anonymous
The Falconer looks at how big a factor playoff success is in building a successful NHL franchise.

Leclaire out with fractured cheek bone, will require surgery - Silver Seven
Will the injury parade never cease? Ottawa loses their starting goaltender due to an injury suffered while sitting on the bench.

Brian Duff’s Blog: One-year (deal) wonders
The NHL Network analyst leaves Francis Bouillon off his list (a glaring omission), but otherwise a good roundup of some bargain performers.