SB Nation - Marcel Goc

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

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

Predators lay an egg on home ice, lose to Minnesota 5-3

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:06:47 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

11 days ago: Minnesota Wild players celebrate a goal by James Sheppard against Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis (39) in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 in Nashville, Tenn. From left are Predators defenseman Ryan Suter (20), Ellis, Wild defenseman Nick Schultz (55), defenseman Shane Hnidy (34), center Eric Belanger (25), and right wing Owen Nolan. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Browse more photos »

The final score didn't really reflect the play as the Nashville Predators put up a poor performance on home ice against the Minnesota Wild tonight, losing 5-3. Late goals by Jason Arnott and Marcel Goc made things look better than they were, as the Preds failed to take advantage of a first period in which they received four power play opportunities, converting on one, but gave up two late goals to the Wild to head into the first intermission losing 2-1.

You can click the picture above for the photo gallery, or follow after the jump for video highlights (not for the faint of heart), recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

Trust me, you don't the recap on this one. It was nasty.

In short... too many wide-open forwards left in dangerous areas (especially the Sheppard goal late in the 1st - nobody within 20 feet of him). I have a very big question coming out of this game, which I'll share with you tomorrow in its own post...

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

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	16:09	4	1	0	0	9	11	-2	19	14	5
Steve Sullivan	L	15:27	2	1	1	0	9	12	-3	18	14	4
J P Dumont	R	11:59	0	0	0	0	2	11	-9	9	15	-6
David Legwand	C	12:12	2	0	0	0	8	4	4	16	7	9
Jerred Smithson	R	12:43	5	1	1	0	9	7	2	16	11	5
Joel Ward	R	11:28	0	0	0	0	6	3	3	12	9	3
Marcel Goc	C	10:33	0	1	0	1	5	10	-5	12	18	-6
Martin Erat	R	12:06	0	0	0	1	12	8	4	20	13	7
Jordin Tootoo	R	13:45	2	2	0	0	4	12	-8	13	24	-11
Wade Belak	R	5:45	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	4	4	0
Cal O'Reilly	C	8:23	0	0	0	0	1	6	-5	1	13	-12
Ryan Jones	L	10:09	2	0	1	0	2	7	-5	4	14	-10
Shea Weber	D	15:13	1	1	3	3	14	7	7	26	15	11
Ryan Suter	D	14:43	1	1	1	3	12	9	3	22	17	5
Kevin Klein	D	15:10	0	1	1	2	6	15	-9	13	19	-6
Francis Bouillon	D	17:50	1	1	0	1	5	18	-13	11	28	-17
Dan Hamhuis	D	15:16	0	3	1	0	7	5	2	16	8	8
Cody Franson	D	15:34	0	2	1	2	4	8	-4	10	17	-7

Friday's notes: Major moves among Nashville's minor-league players

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:13:21 -0000

We polish off the work week this morning with not just your usual helping of Predators and NHL news, but also a few tributes to Montreal's 100th anniversary celebration, which concludes tonight with their game against the Boston Bruins.

After the jump, we also have word of some surprising moves within Nashville's minor league system, and one Central Division rival living the high life, while two others are down in the dumps...

Predators News

Preds' Goc gets to notch some scoring opps - Nashville City Paper
David Boclair highlights Marcel Goc's recent production.

Predators' unveil third jersey, then watch their fortunes change - Nashville Scene
Did the Preds' recent winning streak end because they debuted the new 3rd jerseys?

Major Shakeup for Ads Roster - Admirals Short Shifts
Besides Ryan Jones getting called up, there was a surprising move made with Mark Dekanich heading down to the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones, with Jeremy Smith coming up. I don't know which is weirder - that, or the fact the Section 303 guys noticed that Jeremy Smith was just added to the Admirals' roster in EA Sports' NHL10 in their latest patch as well.

Around the NHL

Our begrudging tribute to 100 years of Canadiens hockey - Puck Daddy
Greg brings you everything you need to know about 100 years of hockey in Montreal...

The Birth Of The Montreal Canadiens: From Humble And Tenuous Beginnings, Came Hockey's Greatest Franchise - Habs Eyes On The Prize
Robert takes us back to how it all began for the Habs.

85 Reasons to Hate the Canadiens - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Given their rivalry with Boston, it also makes sense today to celebrate reasons to despise Montreal's club...

Blackhawks prove again they are what Bears aren't: winners -- chicagotribune.com
Rick Morrisey is downright giddy at how things are going for the Blackhawks these days. Can the Preds ruin the good vibes tonight, like they spoiled Chicago's red-carpet opener last season? (hat tip to Kukla's Korner)

Game No. 28 (Puck-rakers)
Meanwhile, the mood is darker in Columbus, where the sputtering Blue Jackets where manhandled by the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on home ice.

Oilers beat Red Wings 4-1 - Winging It In Motown
If the news about Columbus wasn't good enough, the lowly Oilers came into Detroit and beat the Red Wings, too.

Chris Pronger Commits Mutiny Against Mike Richards | PuckUpdate
Strange stuff coming out of Philadelphia, where Pronger spoke with the media about Mike Richards' leadership as the Flyers' captain.

Stevens on the hot seat in Philly - From The Rink
Coach John Stevens is also in hot water, given the enormous expectations the Flyers had heading into the season.

Jiri Tlusty Traded - Pension Plan Puppets
The Maple Leafs faithful are scratching their heads a bit over yesterday's trade of prospects with Carolina.

Acquisition Of Jiri Tlusty About More Than What’s Been Said - Canes Country
When first-round draft picks get swapped like this, speculation abounds as to what the GM's motivations really are.

User-controlled camera debuts on Hockey Night - CBCSports.ca
The next step in televising games online, as Hockey Night in Canada will offer online viewing with a 360-degree camera that users can manipulate themselves. This sounds pretty awesome...

6 Sports/Hockey Related Predictions For the Unholy Matrimony of NBC Sports & VERSUS " Puck The Media
Steve Lepore with some thoughts on how Comcast's pending purchase of NBC might impact the NHL.

Down Goes Brown: When teammates attack: Other teammate-inflicted NHL injuries
DGB brings the funny like nobody else...

Do Goalies Need to Face Shots in Order to Stop Shots? - Behind The Net
A nice piece of myth-busting by Hawerchuk.

Rangers Analysis: Grading the Blueshirts thus far - Blueshirt Banter
Joe hands out interim reports on the New York Rangers....

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.

Browse more photos »

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

Nashville Predators beat Colorado 4-3 in overtime, stretch winning streak to seven games

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:57:19 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

21 days ago: Nashville Predators center David Legwand, front, digs the puck out of the corner while holding off Colorado Avalanche left winger Wojtek Wolski, of Poland, in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

In an oddly back-and-forth contest that saw Nashville dominate the first period and Colorado the second, David Legwand scored the winner in overtime for the Predators, giving them seven wins in a row and continuing the team's rise through the Western Conference standings.

After the jump you can view the video highlights...

J.P. Dumont and Marcel Goc scored in the first period to put Nashville up 2-0, with Dumont's coming on the power play. During the opening period, the Preds held a 10-3 shooting advantage. That got turned around in the 2nd, as Colorado answered back with three straight goals by Wilon, Hejduk (on the PP) and Svatos.

Nashville tied it back up at 3-3 on a Shea Weber power play goal late in the 2nd, and the teams were scoreless in the third before heading to overtime. In fact, they weren't just scoreless, but until the final minutes of the period, Colorado had only two shots on goal to Nashville's one.

The power play has now scored in six straight games for the Preds, and their record is now 12-0-0 when they score a PP goal. Interestingly, after rolling all four lines for many recent games, the Thuresson-Santorelli-Hornqvist trio all got less than six minutes tonight.

Pekka Rinne stopped 19 of 22 Colorado shots for his 11th win of the season.

The Predators return home for three games in four nights after Thanksgiving - Friday against St. Louis, Saturday vs. Florida, and Monday against Calgary. For discounted tickets to these or any other Nashville Predators home game, you can use this link and the special offer code "PREDS".

No advanced stats for you tonight, folks - have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Jason Arnott, 2 assists, 4 SOG

4 votes

David Legwand, GWG in OT

37 votes

Shea Weber, PP goal, 1 assist

29 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

Carey Price's Record Tying Performance Under The Microscope

Robert L — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:14:40 -0000

Seven days ago, Chris Boyle's in depth analysis of the Canadiens goaltenders was a true eye opener on several fronts. Following Carey Price's record tying performance last night in Nashville, I asked Chris if he would put this one game under his microscope so we could all have a similar analysis on how good a game Price played. Down below, the graphs illustrate the story of Saturday's game quite clearly. Following Chris' take, there is a historical recap on where Price's marks fit in with other great one game performances in the team's history.

WHO FIRED WHAT:

In the order of shots on goal, shots blocked and missed shots.

Forwards Shots: 11 (0-0) - Steve Sullivan, 5 (0-0) - Martin Erat, 4 (1-1) - David Legwand, 4 (2-0) - Andreas Thuresson, 3 (0-0) - Michael Santorelli, 3 (1-1) - Jason Arnott, 2 (1-0) - Marcel Goc, 2 (0-3) - Jordin Tootoo, 1 (0-1) - Jerred Smithson, 1 (2-1) - Patrick Hornqvist, 1 (1-2) - Joel Ward, 1 (0-0) - J.P. Dumont

On goal: 38 / Blocked: 8 / Misses: 9

Total directed from forwards: 57

Defense Shots: 5 (0-1) - Dan Hamhuis, 4 (1-2) - Shea Weber, 4 (1-1) - Cody Franzen, 3 (0-0) - Kevin Klein, 1 (0-0) - Francis Bouillon, 0 (0-0) - Ryan Suter

On goal: 17 / Blocked: 2 / Misses: 4

Total directed by defense: 23

Team Totals:

On goal: 55 / Blocked: 10 / Misses: 13

Total directed shots by Nashville: 78

SHOT RANGE

Chris notes that of the 55 shots faced by Price, 22 were fired from a distance of 40 feet or more, another 19 came from within the 20 to 40 foot range, and 14 (including Steve Sullivan's 2 goals) came from up close, within 20 feet of the goal.

SAVE %

Price stopped all 41 shots directed at him from a distance of more than 20 feet out. Of 14 chances within the 20 foot parameter, Sullivan beat Price in close at the crease's lip and from 15 feet out on a rebound, uncovered both times.

Price faced 6 shots registered from less than 10 feet, which according to NHL.com gamelogs, is a total that Tim Thomas took 6 games to register.

Prior to Saturday's game against Montreal, Steve Sullivan had 2 goals and 3 assists in 17 games for the NHL's lowest scoring team. His 11 shots in this game bring his season total to 41.

Chris Notes:

I was reminded of Dryden while watching this game. Not because of Price's goaltending, but because I thought I saw the 6'5" Pekka Rinne engaged in his classic pose watching all the action.

In regards to the Nashville game, I found the following article at Puck Prospects.com very interesting.

In the "more shots" category, I was not surprised to find Nashville and Florida. I’ve always found something fishy about Florida’s inflated shot totals, both during the old Luongo days and more recently with Vokoun. Likewise, Nashville always seems to have a goaltender with a 0.920 save percentage (Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne). Though the most remarkable bias comes on the "less shots" side and is found, unsurprisingly, in New Jersey.

As soon as I saw the first period shot totals I thought of this article from Tom Awad that discussed that Nashville has a tendency to overreport shot totals. Also, Boone referenced it in his live game log when he said NHL.com had registered 17 shots, while RDS was reporting 21. It is an interesting tidbit considering the circumstance.

Also the game in question in which Price almost broke the record for shots faced was March 10, 1974. Wayne Thomas was in goal and faced 57 shots against the Penguins in a 5-4 Win (23 in the first period, 15 in the second, 19 in the third) 2 goals in the first, 1 in the next 2 periods. Gary Innes was in goal for the Pens and gave up 5 goals on 18 shots! 1st period the Habs had 8 shots and 3 goals, followed by 5 shots and 1 goal in each of the next 2 periods.

A look at Price's saves against Nashville from Chris' You Tube compilation.

HISTORY AND PRICE'S RECORD

Previous Canadiens Goalie Records:

For a historical point of view, here is a look back on other noteworthy performances by Canadiens goaltenders. For time and perspective, make use of the hyperlinks provided.

Most Shots On Goal Against - One Game: 57

March 10, 1974, Wayne Thomas in goal, in a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh.

Canadiens lineup / Penguins lineup

Most Saves - One Game: 53

November 14, 2009, Carey Price in goal, in a 2-0 Nashville win

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

March 10, 1974, Wayne Thomas in goal, in a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh.

Canadiens lineup / Penguins lineup

Most Shots On Goal - One Period: 24 (3 times)

2009 - November 14: Carey Price vs Nashville (1st), 2-0 Nashville (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

1976 - March 19: Ken Dryden vs California (1st), 4-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Seals lineup Game Summary

1970 - March 15: Rogie Vachon vs Toronto (3rd) 3-3 tie (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Maple Leafs lineup/ Game Summary

Most Saves - One Period: 23 (5 times)

2009 - November 14: Carey Price vs Nashville (1st), 2-0 Nashville (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

2002 - October 26: Jeff Hackett vs Ottawa (1st), 5-3 Ottawa (stopped 23 of 23)

Canadiens lineup / Senators lineup

1993 - March 10: Andre Racicot vs Islanders (2nd), 5-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 23)

Canadiens lineup / Islanders lineup

1976 - March 19: Ken Dryden vs California (1st), 4-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Seals lineup / Game Summary

1970 - March 15: Rogie Vachon vs Toronto (3rd) 3-3 tie (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Maple Leafs lineup/ Game Summary

With the performance against Nashville, Carey Price now owns or shares six Canadiens goaltending records including the two listed above.

CAREY PRICE CANADIENS' GOALTENDING RECORDS

Most Shots Faced In One Shootout: 8

October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins 3 / Game Summary

Most Saves In One Shootout: 8

October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

Most Shootout Shots Faced In One Season:

22: October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

Most Shootout Saves In One Season:

18: October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

For more on this game from the Nashville Predators angle, check out On the Forecheck.

Grading the Nashville Predators: the forwards

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:16:52 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

about 1 month ago: Nashville Predators right wing Patric Hornqvist (27) shoots the puck over Dallas Stars goaltender Alex Auld, right, to score the game-winning goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Frederick Breedon)

Browse more photos »

It's been delayed a bit, but I wanted to wrap up the early-season grades for the Nashville Predators by concluding with the forwards. If you want to read about the defense and goaltending, those posts went up last week.

Let's get on with it then, how have the Preds forwards done so far?

All the detailed stats are down at the bottom for those interested; I'll keep the analysis and grades up top. Starting with the top line guys and working our way down...

Jason Arnott

#19 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 220

Born: Oct 11, 1974

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jason Arnott	9	3	2	5	0	2	1	0	0	0	34	8.8

The season started off well for the team captain, as he potted a power play goal just two minutes into the first game, and appeared to have picked up right where he left off at the end of last season, when he carried the Preds offensively down the stretch. An arm injury cost him a few games, however, and he has yet to round back into top form since returning to the lineup last Tuesday in Anaheim. One encouraging sign is that Arnott has only taken one minor penalty to date; given the team's struggles to score goals, they need to tilt the special teams balance in their favor as much as possible.

Jason Arnott's grade: B

J.P. Dumont

#71 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 219

Born: Apr 01, 1978

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - J.P. Dumont	9	3	8	11	3	4	0	0	0	0	19	15.8

When healthy, Dumont has been a dynamo, and despite missing a few games, leads the team in scoring. Some may point to his 5-point night in Ottawa as padding his stats, but since the Preds won that game 6-5 I'd say they needed every last contribution that J.P. provided. When he get knocked out of the opening game by Stephane Robidas, there was concern that Dumont might feel lingering effects for a long time, like last season when a similar in a game against Vancouver led to decreased production for weeks afterward. While a second injury has kept him out of recent games, the hope is that he returns to the lineup this week, when we can finally see the top line that was intended coming out of training camp.

J.P. Dumont's grade: A-

Steve Sullivan

#26 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-9

Weight: 173

Born: Jul 06, 1974

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Steve Sullivan	15	2	3	5	-4	2	0	0	0	0	25	8.0

Without his linemates Dumont and Arnott, Sully has struggled mightily to produce consistently so far. Often he's felt the need to stick-handle the puck through multiple defenders to create a scoring chance, which rarely works for even the best of players. What's become apparent is that rather then driving the Nashville attack, what we can hope for with Sully is that he complements Dumont and Arnott well enough to fill out a top line.

Steve Sullivan's grade: C+

Patric Hornqvist

#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	15	3	5	8	3	8	0	0	2	0	55	5.5

Hornqvist got off to a great start filling in for Dumont on the top line, but his production has dried up lately, with just 1 goal and no assists in his last 7 games. While he's tilting the ice in the right direction in terms of Shots For & Against, he needs to finish off his opportunities more often to stay in the lineup as injured players return. That 5.5% Shooting Percentage needs to be doubled if he wants to earn a job as a Top Six winger.

Patric Hornqvist's grade: B

David Legwand

#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	15	0	4	4	-6	8	0	0	0	0	22	0.0

With 3 assists in his last 5 games, there's hope that Legwand is finally sparking to life, but it's been a very disappointing start so far. Which is worse; that Leggy is taking fewer shots per game than he ever has before, or the fact that not a single one of them has gone in the net? Often lauded as a two-way center, the offensive side of that description has dropped off the charts. He's had his power play time cut considerably, and probably the only portion of the game we can really give good credit for is on the penalty kill, where his results are decent enough.

For $5 million this year, however, Preds fans should expect much, much more. Even allowing for defensive responsibilities, Legwand should be able to produce at more than a 21-point pace.

David Legwand's Grade: D

Martin Erat

#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	12	1	2	3	-8	10	0	0	0	0	23	4.3

If Legwand's start is mystifying, than Erat's has to be infuriating. His lone goal wasn't even intended to be a shot on net, it deflected in off a defenseman's skate. At $5.25 million this season, Preds fans should expect a whole lot more. For an exercise in anger, consult the tables below and try to determine whether you're more disappointed in his 5-on-5 or 5-on-4 work. And before we hear the excuse about his defensive assignments, just look at the disastrous Goals Against/60 below, especially when compared with Goals For.

Martin Erat's grade: D-

Joel Ward

#29 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 220

Born: Dec 02, 1980

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Joel Ward	13	2	3	5	-1	4	1	0	1	0	21	9.5

At least Joel Ward had a good reason for a slow start; groin trouble kept him out of much of training camp, and the first two games of the season. With 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 5 games, Ward is asserting himself offensively recently; we'll need to see, however, if he keeps getting good PP time once Dumont & Wilson are back in the lineup.

On the downside, Ward is a key part of a penalty killing unit which has struggled so far. With the Preds destined to be a low-scoring team once again, they need the PK to rank among the NHL elite as they usually do.

Joel Ward's grade: C+

Colin Wilson

#33 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 213

Born: Oct 20, 1989

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Colin Wilson	10	1	1	2	-1	0	0	0	0	0	14	7.1

While giving fans the occasional dazzling play, Wilson hasn't been able to translate those opportunities into goals quite yet. Expectations need to managed in his rookie season, however, as making the jump from the NCAA is especially difficult for a young player. I suspect that the best is yet to come, once the top line is reunited and Wilson can get more opportunistic matchups against 3rd- and 4th-line opponents.

Colin Wilson's grade: B

Michael Santorelli

#18 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 189

Born: Dec 14, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Michael Santorelli	10	1	1	2	-3	4	0	0	0	0	22	4.5

It's been hard to find the right spot for Santorelli within this lineup. Should he play on the wing, or at center? Can he round out a scoring line, or should he anchor a depth line instead? What the Preds are hoping is that don't have a "tweener" here, a guy who dominates the AHL but can't make an impact in the NHL. Despite having played only 4 games with Milwaukee this season, he's that team's leading goal scorer so far, but he can't seem to put the puck in the net for Nashville.

Mike Santorelli's grade: C-

Dave Scatchard

#38 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210

Born: Feb 20, 1976

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Dave Scatchard	8	0	2	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	14	0.0

He generated considerable buzz alongside Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist for a few games, but his main contribution has been on the defensive side of the puck; his Goals Against/60 both in 5-on-5 and the PK are best on the team, and that kind of work will certainly keep him in the lineup.

Dave Scatchard's grade: B+

Cal O`Reilly

#16 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 187

Born: Sep 30, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Cal O`Reilly	6	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	5	0.0

Unlike his opportunity last season, Cal just hasn't clicked in his limited NHL work so far this year. He's doing better down at Milwaukee, but is now looking up at both Santorelli and Wilson on the depth chart. Since he has a two-way contract this season, he might not be back up in Nashville for a while.

Cal O'Reilly's grade: C-

Ryan Jones

#28 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 206

Born: Jun 14, 1984

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Jones	8	0	0	0	-2	2	0	0	0	0	7	0.0

8 games and 0 points for Nashville, 5 games and 0 points for Milwaukee. What a free-fall this is, considering he just signed a new two-year contract over the summer.

Ryan Jones' grade: E

Jerred Smithson

#25 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-3

Weight: 204

Born: Feb 04, 1979

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jerred Smithson	15	3	0	3	3	18	0	2	1	0	11	27.3

His game-winning goal against Minnesota is probably Nashville's highlight of the season so far, but to be fair we do need to ding him as the lead forward on what has been a lousy PK so far (24th in the NHL). I'll be OK with him not scoring another goal all year, if he can help lead this bunch back into the Top 10 in shorthanded play.

Jerred Smithson's grade: B-

Marcel Goc

#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	14	0	1	1	-2	4	0	0	0	0	17	0.0

Goc is a really interesting case; a good skater, hard worker, and decent PK man, Marcel is also a reliable faceoff man, taking many late-game draws when Nashville holds a lead. He draws raves from observers for his hockey smarts, but in the end, he doesn't put up notable results. I guess it's a matter of expectations; if all you're looking for is a 4th-line guy who won't score but can help plug some of the holes that you don't want rookies like Wilson to fill, then Goc could serve a useful purpose on this team.

Marcel Goc's grade: C+

Here are the main numbers from Behind the Net, starting with 5-on-5 play:

NAME	POS	GP	TOI/60	RATING	QUALCOMP	QUALTEAM	PTS/60	GFON/60	GAON/60	+/- per 60
Jason Arnott	C	8	14.7	1.6	0.19	0.39	2.0	2.6	2.6	0.0
Martin Erat	RW	11	14.6	-3.0	0.00	-0.25	0.4	0.4	3.4	-3.0
Steve Sullivan	C	14	14.5	-0.7	0.16	0.55	1.2	2.1	3.3	-1.2
David Legwand	C	14	14.5	-1.1	-0.06	-0.39	0.9	1.2	2.7	-1.5
Patric Hornqvist	LW	14	13.8	2.8	-0.01	0.38	2.5	3.1	1.9	1.3
J.P. Dumont	RW	9	13.4	2.3	0.11	0.06	3.0	3.0	1.5	1.5
Joel Ward	RW	12	13.2	0.6	0.14	-0.25	0.4	1.5	2.3	-0.8
Mike Santorelli	C	9	13.2	-2.8	-0.20	-0.51	0.0	0.0	3.0	-3.0
Dave Scatchard	C	7	13.0	1.4	-0.16	0.76	0.7	1.3	0.7	0.7
Colin Wilson	C	10	11.7	1.5	0.00	0.49	1.0	1.5	1.5	0.0
Cal O'Reilly	C	6	10.5	0.3	-0.05	0.63	0.0	3.8	3.8	0.0
Marcel Goc	C	13	9.5	-0.7	-0.33	0.03	0.5	1.0	2.0	-1.0
Jerred Smithson	C	14	9.4	0.9	-0.24	-0.46	0.5	1.4	1.4	0.0
Ryan Jones	LW	8	8.1	-0.9	-0.59	-0.32	0.0	0.0	1.9	-1.9

And on the power play (5-on-4 only), we have:

NAME	POS	GP	TOI/60	GOALS/60	Assist/60	GFON/60
Jason Arnott	C	9	3.7	1.8	0.0	1.8
Steve Sullivan	C	15	3.3	0.0	1.2	2.4
Patric Hornqvist	LW	15	3.2	0.0	0.0	2.5
Martin Erat	RW	12	2.7	0.0	1.9	1.9
J.P. Dumont	RW	9	2.0	0.0	9.8	9.8
Joel Ward	RW	13	2.0	2.3	0.0	4.6
Cal O'Reilly	C	6	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Colin Wilson	C	10	1.8	0.0	0.0	3.3
David Legwand	C	15	1.5	0.0	0.0	5.5
Mike Santorelli	C	10	1.3	0.0	0.0	4.5
Ryan Jones	LW	8	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

And lastly, the 4-on-5 Penalty Kill:

NAME	POS	GP	TOI/60	GAON/60
Jerred Smithson	C	15	2.31	13.8
Joel Ward	RW	13	2.04	11.3
David Legwand	C	15	1.82	6.61
Dave Scatchard	C	8	1.42	0
Marcel Goc	C	14	1.38	9.33
Martin Erat	RW	12	0.71	0

Off the Post - October 21st

Conico do Mayo Miracle — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:27 -0000

[UPDATE, 2:18pm] = WTC update (thanks to Nael M.) - Boyle gets the lady love, call ups, the Greiss question, McLellan dissing DP... yeah, check it out.
New to Fear the Fin, and not sure what "Corn" or being "Staubitized" is in reference to? Here's mymclife's handy-dandy cheat sheet.
TCY analyzes San Jose's and Detroit's approach to prospects.
Plank feels your "Sharks keep giving up the first goal" pain. [Note - the Sharks have given up the first goal in 7 out of 9 games, or 8 if you count a shootout loss, and have given up the first 2 goals in 33% of their games]
CTGray and the Couch Tarts get new digs!
[UPDATE, 4:50pm] = Marc Savard is out long-term with a broken foot, and Sergei Gonchar broke his wrist, keeping him out for the next 6 weeks.
The Fins are invading Atlanta!
Wonder where Mathieu Dandenault went after the Sharks dropped him from training camp? Here's your answer.
Ask your old captain some burning questions... he's probably chattier now without that pesky "C" (meh...).
I wish I had said "Hi" to Dynamo Minsk coach and former NHL goaltender Glen Hanlon in Belarus this summer, since he just got the ax (and how).
It's everyone's favorite new game, Strip Hockey! When Gary Bettman plays, he adds "...of its soul" to the name.
A fanpost on the readiness of potential NHL expansion cities.
The Edmonton Journal placates their readership by keeping a running tally comparing Dany Heatley to the Oilers he would have been traded for.
[UPDATE, 11:47am] - See the teal-mug shots of the new Sharks (thanks to Teas for the link).

[UPDATE, 11:47am] - It's a new Sharks commercial! H/T to SharksFanTillDeath and Evilducks.

[more updates after the jump, and even more to come as the day goes by]

The difference a year can make in Colorado...

Mikko Koivu is the first permanent captain in Minnesota Wild history.

Something is rotten in Raleigh...

Rudy Kelly is sick of his boy Frolov getting crapped on by the Kings organization.

Devin Setoguchi is in a 4-way tie for 5th most SOG this season, but it's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n roll.

Seven of Joe Thornton's league-leading 12 assists have come during the man-advantage.

Marcel Goc had his first non-Sharks career point on Saturday against the Capitals (a secondary assist).

Here's what happened the last time San Jose went to Tampa Bay (whom they play tomorrow):

Do the San Jose Sharks rush their prospects?

That'll Cheech You — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:23 -0000

For more insight on the state of San Jose's prospects and minor league system, see our recent Q & A with Worcester Sharks Director of Public Relations and Broadcasting Eric Lindquist.

With the odd, tumultuous journey of Jamie McGinn fresh on everyones mind (covered here, here, here and here), Plank and I started talking about the general state of San Jose's prospects. The system is healthier than it's been in a long time, and it seems that a few of our recent first and second round draftees (Logan Couture, Nick Petrecki, Jamie McGinn) are close to being ready to contribute full time at the NHL level. However, these three players have only been in the system for at most three years, and McGinn has already seen his first sniff of NHL action. Is it too early to look to these players to contribute?

It's always been the common mindset that San Jose is quick to expose it's drafted talent to the NHL. Detroit, on the other hand, is thought to age their prospects like a fine wine, waiting until their 17-19 year old boys become 25 year old men. Men who are accustomed to the professional game.

Are these perceptions true? Which is the right strategy? I decided to dive into it statistically and compare the path of Detroit and San Jose's recent draft picks.

Before I show any of the stats, let me explain a little. You guys tend to be little vultures, so I'm going to do my best to protect myself early, even though you will probably find a place where I say "their" instead of "there."

I only used draft picks made after 2001, as it would more accurately reflect the recent strategies of the teams. I also only used first and second round picks, as those players are most likely to make it to the NHL before others in their respective draft class. Also, if a player made the NHL as the member of another organization (like Ty Wishart, for example, who made his debut with Tampa Bay after the Matt Carle-Dan Boyle trade), I'm not using that debut date, as that team's decision to bring that player to the NHL is independent of the team that drafted him. Les do dis.

Start with the Red Wings. Since the 2001 season, Detroit has drafted 13 players (with their average draft pick being around 47 for these 13 selections). Of these players, Detroit has brought four players the the NHL, the most recent being Justin Abdelkader (who made his NHL debut on April 3rd, 2006, 247 days after being drafted). These four players (Abdelkader, Jimmy Howard, Jiri Hudler, and Tomas Fleischmann) took an average of 895 days to make their NHL debuts. If you were to remover Abdelkader from that set (who played in only two games in his first NHL season), the average jumps to 1,111 days, or 3.04 years. That's a while.

The Sharks, on the other hand, have been luckier (if you can call it that) with their draft position. The Sharks have drafted 16 players in the first two rounds, with an average draft position of 29. Of these players, 8 have made their NHL debut in Teal, the most recent being the aforementioned Jamie McGinn. It took Jamie 857 days to make his NHL debut, but others have had a much faster path. Milan Michalek made his NHL debut 110 days after being selected by the Sharks 6th overall in 2003. Other players who also quickly made the NHL with the Sharks were Marc-Edouard Vlasic (432 days), Devin Setoguchi (456 days), and Matt Carle (643 days). In fact, the average path to the NHL for a San Jose Shark was 701 days. If you remove Lukas Kaspar or Marcel Goc from that set (both took over 1,000 days to get to the NHL), that number becomes closer to 600 days, or 1.64 years. Express train.

So yes, the answer is that the Sharks bring up their prospects much sooner than Detroit does. But what's the success that has been met by these players? Of the players that the Sharks have drafted, 7 of the 16 are now NHL players (44%), and 4 remain with the Sharks. However, of Detroit's 13 picks, only 4 players are currently employed by NHL clubs (31%). 2 remain with the Red Wings.

Eight of Detroit's picks remain within the organization, the same number remain with San Jose. However, it seems as if San Jose's rush to bring players to the NHL has been beneficial to the organization (I promise, I'll quit it with the numbers soon).

When your team's biggest free agent acquisition in history is a tie between Rob Blake (at 38) and Jeremy Roenick (at 37), it almost doesn't need to be said... your team has trouble signing free agents. Because of this, the Sharks have always depended on their GM to make trades and their young players to make an impact early. At times, the Sharks have gotten lucky (See Steve Bernier, Michalek, Setoguchi, Vlasic, Carle, etc). In other cases (Kaspar and Goc, especially), the Sharks have wasted some high draft picks. However, even with these occasional follies, you can argue that the Sharks have drafted much better than the Red Wings, in terms of these player's contributions to the NHL club. Of the those who were originally drafted by San Jose, 1509 NHL games have been played, and 649 points have been tallied at the NHL level. For Detroit, only 479 games have been played, and 208 points have been scored. (Some of these numbers were posted after the player was with another team, i.e. Carle or Fleischmann)

So, is it the Sharks who have drafted better? Well, it appears as if they have. However, you can argue the opportunity these players have received because they have moved up so early has made them more able to contribute at an NHL level. Or, simply that the time in the NHL has skewed their numbers. Or perhaps the fact that the Sharks have had a consistently higher draft position.

Has Detroit made mistakes by not moving their prospects through the system faster? Of the four who have made it to the NHL since 2001, only Abdelkader has remained with the team and shown real promise... and he's only played in four regular season games before last years run in the playoffs. Jimmy Howard, who was elevated to the position of full time backup this year, has struggled mightily so far. Was is wiser to keep him mostly in the AHL for six years, seeing how he's floundered early in his now vital NHL role? The Wings let solid platoon partner Ty Conklin walk this year, putting their trust in Howard. Is he ready to share time with Chris Osgood?

I think it all comes down to the player that you pick, and the in house evaluation of the front office and coaching staff determines if they are ready or not. San Jose has gotten away with moving their draft picks quickly through the system, while it seems that Detroit has had trouble getting production from their high selections. The Wings have the success since 2001 to prove that this hasn't really mattered in terms of building an elite squad. But San Jose has shown that Detroit's model of holding back prospect's isn't necessarily the perfect model for a prospect's ultimate development.

It's a given that both Petrecki and Couture will see their NHL debuts before Brendan Smith (Detroit's selection in 2007), seeing as both almost made the team out of camp this year. They are also possible riders on the Worcester Shuttle, which has already logged heavy mileage this year. Will they benefit from seeing the NHL earlier than Smith?

Only time, and subsequent stats, will tell.