SB Nation - Colin Wilson

Tuesday's notes: Solving the enigma that is Colin Wilson's groin

Dirk Hoag — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:15:45 -0000

Are you looking for relief from the never-ending stream of news about Tiger Woods? Well, you've come to the right place this morning.

After the jump, we've got a tremendous amount of Nashville Predators and NHL news to tackle, starting off with a half-price ticket offer that can help with your holiday shopping...

This arrived from the Thom Abraham Show, which can be heard on 560-AM WNSR from 12-3 weekdays (you can also catch streaming audio at WNSR.com). For my money, Thom is the most hockey-savvy sports radio host in the Nashville market, and loves to talk Preds, so I'd encourage you to give him a listen. Today, however, he's got some half-priced Preds tickets available for you (or for that special someone you're still shopping for this Christmas):

Today is day nine of The 12 Days of a Dawghouse Christmas! Get great stocking stuffers for the next two weeks at half price! Be sure to log on to http://wnsr.halfoffdeals.com/ today to get 3 pairs of Nashville Predator tickets at half-price! You will receive two tickets each to Sat. Jan. 9th v. Ducks, Sat. Feb 6th v. San Jose, and Sat., March 20th v. Columbus. 200 level. This is a $180 value for $90! Also, be sure to check out B.B. Kings and golf at Kings Creek... all at half price!

Predators News

The 303:30 – roster moves, re-naming 501 Broadway and… mustaches? - Section 303
Be sure to check out the latest podcast from Jeremy & Codey at Section 303. Great stuff, as always.

Hockey-less in Memphis: withdrawal...
When you have to come all the way from Memphis to catch a Predators game, a stinker like the Minnesota loss "Stays With You".

Pity Party - Hockey Independent
David Singleton stews over the way younger players like Mike Santorelli and Patric Hornqvist have been used (or misused) by Barry Trotz, within the context of the Predators budget-driven team-building style.

Predators coach poised to make changes with Vancouver in town - Nashville City Paper
David Boclair writes that Trotz is poised to shuffle the roster a bit heading into tonight's game. I'd be OK with seeing Hornqvist on the top line with Arnott & Sullivan, with Erat & Dumont centered by Cal O'Reilly.

Predators' top prospect sees healthier days - The Tennessean
The Preds are hopeful that a recent diagnosis has provided the key to resolving Colin Wilson's lingering groin issues.

Around the NHL

Central: Hitchcock won't be going anywhere - NHL.com
NHL.com's weekly look at the Central includes a look at how a healthy lineup has helped the Preds make their rise through the standings.

Mason Has Disease That Is Affecting Performance - Eric Smith
The Columbus blogger finds out why Steve Mason hasn't followed up well on his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season.

Wings Zone Analysis - Nightmare on Helm Street
Chris breaks down the NHL ice surface in terms of Detroit's performance... which hasn't been pretty.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere: Still An Elite Goaltender - Hockey Or Die!
Jonathan Willis makes the case that Anaheim's J.S. Giguere is back to being a top-notch goalie.

Habs said: 'We have a surprise'
A great story about the lead-up to the retirement of Elmer Lach's number by the Montreal Canadiens last week.

mc79hockey.com - The Consequences of Horrendous Failure
With a cap-max team heading for the draft lottery, Edmonton fans are in a serious funk.

The Hockey News: Poor attendance will impact players
Chicken Little (oops, I mean Ken Campbell) worries that the league is going down the toilet due to low attendance. When he talks about the players not being likely to get much, if any of their salary escrow (18 percent) back, he ignores the fact that part of that blame goes to the players. They voted to use the "5% inflator" to lift this year's salary cap higher than the financials would otherwise dictate, effectively raising their own escrow 5% just to give last summer's crop of free agents more room on the market.

Burke eager to finalize American Olympian roster - NHL.com
The GM of Team USA ruminates over his choices, ahead of the official unveiling of the American Olympic roster at the Winter Classic on New Year's Day.

mental_floss Blog " 8 Franchise Relocations That Fell Through
Among a list of various sports teams that almost, but ultimately didn't move are the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs...

Martin Brodeur Earns 103rd Career Shutout as New Jersey Devils Beat Buffalo Sabres, 3-0 - In Lou We Trust
Last night against Buffalo, New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur tied Terry Sawchuk's all-time NHL shutout record with his 103rd.

Tocchet Benches Everyone - PuckUpdate
Amid all the talk about Vincent Lecavalier, we get word that coach Rick Tocchet isn't happy with the effort he's getting out of many top players in Tampa.

Behind the Lens Eastern Road Trip - Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have actually been in Nashville for a few days now, and have a photo gallery of shots as players walked around downtown.

Talking trades: Demitra to Rangers, O’Brien to anyone - CANUCKS HOCKEY BLOG
J.J. talks up a couple trade possibilities surrounding tonight's guest in Nashville, the Vancouver Canucks.

NHL should eliminate points system - Shorthanded Breakaway
What? Basing the NHL standings on "Wins" and "Losses"? That's crazy talk!!!

Power Play: It's all about the goalies - ESPN
Scott Burnside touches on a number of topics from around the league.

Darren McCarty retires - All Things Avs
Adrian Dater provides a respectful take from the Colorado perspective on the retirement of longtime Red Wing Darren McCarty. What do Preds fans think of this classic grinder's career? He played a big part in two sports moments I'm happy to say I got to see in person; his pummeling of Claude Lemieux on March 26, 1997, and the Cup-winning goal he scored in Game 4 of the '97 Stanley Cup Finals.

In honor of McCarty's retirement, I'll leave you with some video from that fateful night when Lemieux and the Avalanche came to Detroit, for a pivotal game in the greatest NHL rivalry in recent memory:

Nashville Predators GM David Poile's interview with Admirals Short Shifts

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:15:50 -0000

The guys up in Milwaukee landed a lengthy interview with Predators general manager David Poile last week, and it's well worth your time to check it out:

SS: Another first round pick, Colin Wilson is back down here. He's been struggling so far - at least with Milwaukee. What have you seen from his game?

DP: I don't think that he's 100% just yet. They're working with him on the physical injury that he has. I think he's been out a long time.

Head over to Admirals Short Shifts for this and a whole lot more, including Poile's pick as the most improved player in the organization this season...

Thursday thoughts: Predators bloggers react to OT loss to Minnesota misfits

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:55:51 -0000

Guillaume Latendresse (left) and Andrew Ebbett (right) played a key role in last night's 5-4 overtime win for Minnesota over the Nashville Predators.

View full size photo »

I guess it's only fitting that in this holiday season the Preds were done in last night by two renegades from the Land of Misfit Toys, Guillaume Latendresse (the French-Canadian traded out of Montreal) and Andrew Ebbett (waived twice already this season, by Anaheim and Chicago). For reaction from last night be sure to check out See Puck City, Preds On The Glass, What the Puck, and for the Minnesota perspective, go to Hockey Wilderness and Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

After the jump, we've got the rest of your Predators and NHL news...

Predators News

Predators' top line piles up nine points - The Tennessean
John Glennon's post-game report includes some odd comments regarding Colin Wilson and his potential return to Nashville.

Video of the Night: Peter Olvecky Goal - Milwaukee Admirals
Jonathan Blum and Colin Wilson set up the Admirals' highlight of the night...

Balancing Act | Hockey Independent
David Singleton looks at how Nashville can succeed while adhering to an internal budget, rather than spending to the cap.

Around the NHL

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.... and one Predator?

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.

A beginner's guide to the new stats - From The Rink
You'll want to bookmark this post for future reference, it has pointers to good definitions of some of the advanced hockey stats used here and elsewhere.

The Oilers need to blow up this team and trade for expiring contracts and draft picks - Cult of Hockey
David Staples thinks Edmonton needs to aggressively clean house and prepare to rebuild from scratch. It might be quite hard, however, to find takers for some of their players on long-term contracts like Nikolai Khabibulin.

Coming Down the Pipe!: Team Canada Camp: Hits and Misses
An excellent breakdown of the players invited to the selection camp for Canada's World Juniors team.

Jury of the Bloggers Debates: Should Keith Ballard Be Suspended? | Hockey Independent
Nick Giglia hosts a panel discussion that includes Buddy from Preds On The Glass, discussing whether Keith Ballard should have been punished for his inadvertent, but reckless, stick-swinging that injured Tomas Vokoun.

McKenzie: Updates on Gustavsson, Blackhawks' extensions - TSN
Bob McKenzie discusses Jonas Gustavsson's heart issues, and how the Blackhawks new contracts for Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith puts a squeeze on their salary cap position.

Here's why it's time to revisit the three-points-for-regulation-win system - ESPN
Pierre LeBrun looks at a favorite topic, with plenty of input from Preds GM David Poile.

Nashville Predators assign Colin Wilson to Milwaukee

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:23:26 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

Browse more photos »

From the Nashville Predators:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has assigned forward Colin Wilson to Milwaukee (AHL).

In his first 10 professional games with the Predators, the 20-year-old rookie posted a goal and an assist while averaging 13:57 of ice time. Wilson has missed the past eight games - and 11 games overall in 2009-10 - due to injury.

This move was expected, so that Wilson can get himself back in game shape after recovering from a lower-body injury.

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

Monday's news: It's a hard-knock life for rookie Colin Wilson

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:43:00 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

With just 2 points in ten games, Colin Wilson has gotten off to a slow start on the scoresheet in his rookie season, but is making an impact for the Nashville Predators.

Browse more photos »

We've got quite a bit of time before the Predators return to action on Thursday, so this is as good a time as any to ruminate over what we've seen so far, and what it all means for the road ahead. Are the Nashville Predators a team without a #1 goalie, desperate for goal-scoring, and foundering on defense? Or are they a workmanlike squad that is getting contributions from depth player while the stars have been out with injury? Expect plenty of consideration of these points in the days ahead.

After the jump, we've got two profiles of Colin Wilson dealing with all that goes with being an NHL rookie, an analysis of perhaps the most effective pest in the NHL, and a call to action for you, dear readers, to join in the conversation...

Predators News

Predators rookie finds NHL life tough - The Tennessean
John Glennon writes about the transition that Colin Wilson has made from the NCAA to the NHL in just a few short months.

Benching gives Wilson a kick in the hockey pants - NHL.com
Part of Colin Wilson's developmental process is getting stuck on the bench at times when things aren't going so well, writes Dan Rosen.

New Hope Dawns for November - Paul McCann
The Preds' PA announcer finds cause for hope as the calendar flips over to a new month of hockey. Surely two weeks ago, things were looking pretty dark.

The View from 111: Predators Dig Out of a Hole
Mark sums up the Preds' march back from a six-game losing streak to a .500 record at month's end.

Big Kev's Thoughts on Hockey: Bounce-back October - My thoughts after the opening month
Another look at what's gone right, and wrong, with the Preds so far.

What’s It Gonna Be, Preds? Trick or Treat? " Pull My (Fang)Finger
AJ checks back in after an absence from the blogosphere, which actually provides some nice perspective on the last few weeks of Predators hockey.

Around the NHL

A heads-up to the LBC Community... - Litter Box Cats
A good write-up by our colleagues in Florida about features of these SB Nation sites that provide you the opportunity to contribute as well; everything written about there applies here at OtF as well.

Ovechkin Suffers Mysterious 'Upper Body' Injury In Caps' Loss - SB Nation
This is getting absurd, the number of star players felled by injury.

Patrick Kaleta: The League's Best Pest? - Hockey Or Die!
A fine look at an agitator who truly creates power play situations for his team, Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta.

The Five-Best Teams that were Outshot - Behind The Net
Five great teams that beat the odds, and dominated despite giving up more shots than they took.

Springing Malik: Ow, that really hurts!
An interesting look at breaking down injury-loss by team, determined by the salary level of the players who have been lost. Nashville falls in the middle of the pack so far.

Dustin Penner, the poster boy for advanced stats - Cult of Hockey
A good review of how advanced stats pointed out even last year that Dustin Penner helps make the Edmonton Oilers go. As a bonus, take a look at how one Nashville Predator ranked in 5-on-5 goal scoring last season, prorated to ice time.

Observations from a 4-2 loss - Dallas Morning News
Get the Stars' perspective on Saturday's big win by the Predators.

Fourth Line's The Charm - Anaheim Calling
Check in with SB Nation's newest hockey blog, to get some insight into depth players for the Ducks that are starting to make an impact. The Preds kick off a four-game road trip in Anaheim on Thursday.

Lastly, in order to get your Monday morning started off with a good chuckle, I bring you a Marek Zidlicky fight from Minnesota's recent game at Pittsburgh:

Honestly I like Zids as a player, but sometimes I wonder how he survives out there on NHL ice.

Nashville Predators offense runs dry in 2-0 Chicago loss

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:34:15 -0000

More photos » by Charles Cherney - AP

about 1 month ago: Blackhawks' Colin Fraser, left, tangles with Nashville's Francis Bouillon in front on Nashville's net while Chicago's Andrew Ladd (16) watches during third period action as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 in Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

Browse more photos »

After a one-game reprieve in Ottawa Thursday, the offensive problems for the Nashville Predators resumed once again tonight in Chicago. While the Preds mustered 27 shots on goal compared to 34 for the Blackhawks, they couldn't manage to beat Chicago goaltender Cristobal Huet, and lost 2-0.

After the jump, we've got video highlights and a look inside the numbers...

(video might not be available for a few more minutes)

A familiar problem led to the opening pair of goals scored by Chicago, during a 54-second span in the second period. Blackhawks left alone in front of the Nashville net, picking up loose rebounds and banging them home before Dan Ellis could react. As expected given the fact that these two teams are among the least penalized in the league, the only goals in this game came at even strength, a situation in which Chicago has dominated so far this season.

The other issue, of course, was the lack of goal-scoring; while the Chicago broadcasters kept referring to the line of Sullivan-Legwand-Erat as Nashville's best, the truth of the matter is that they generated little offensive pressure at all in this one. For the second straight game, the real heroes up front were Dave Scatchard, Colin Wilson, and Patric Hornqvist, which, as a line, combined for almost half of the Predators' total shots (12 of 27). The Legwand line, on the other hand, combined for 3 shots.

While late in the game Nashville did send a few shots on net with traffic in front (usually Hornqvist), they couldn't capitalize on any of those chances. At every stoppage, Blackhawks players took the opportunity to rough up Nashville forwards trying to work the Chicago goal crease.

The power play also returned to dormancy, going 0-for-3 on the evening.

Ellis had a solid night in the Nashville net, stopping 32 of 34 shots, and the two that did get through he didn't have much chance to save.

Let's take a look Inside the Numbers, focusing on the results from Even Strength play (I'm getting quicker at this):

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
Shea Weber	D	21:07	0	0	2	2	5	12	-7	14	18	-4
Kevin Klein	D	20:38	0	1	1	2	7	8	-1	13	17	-4
Marcel Goc	C	9:25	2	0	0	0	5	12	-7	7	15	-8
Martin Erat	R	13:41	1	0	1	0	1	4	-3	9	8	1
David Legwand	C	13:44	1	0	2	0	2	7	-5	7	12	-5
Cal O'Reilly	C	14:01	1	0	0	0	4	6	-2	11	12	-1
Ryan Suter	D	22:22	0	0	0	2	6	11	-5	15	17	-2
Jerred Smithson	R	7:52	0	0	0	0	2	13	-11	2	16	-14
Steve Sullivan	L	14:37	0	1	2	0	2	7	-5	10	11	-1
Patric Hornqvist	R	17:03	6	1	0	1	15	8	7	18	14	4
Ryan Jones	L	8:05	0	0	0	0	5	12	-7	6	15	-9
Joel Ward	R	13:55	0	0	3	0	3	6	-3	11	12	-1
Cody Franson	D	9:40	3	1	0	0	9	10	-1	11	14	-3
Colin Wilson	C	15:45	3	0	0	0	10	6	4	14	10	4
Dave Scatchard	C	13:49	2	0	0	2	10	7	3	11	13	-2
Francis Bouillon	D	18:20	0	1	1	1	7	10	-3	13	17	-4
Alexander Sulzer	D	13:47	0	0	0	1	8	11	-3	12	17	-5
J.P. Dumont	R	15:30	2	0	1	0	4	5	-1	11	12	-1

Notable results here include the Scatchard-Wilson-Hornqvist line, and the rough night for Goc-Smithson-Jones, who were hemmed in their own end repeatedly.

The Predators conclude this six-game road trip Wednesday in Minnesota.

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 32 saves on 34 shots

21 votes

Patric Hornqvist, 6 shots, 18:56 TOI (led all forwards)

29 votes

Colin Wilson, 3 shots, 57% FO wins, 17:29 TOI

10 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

Nashville's 6-5 OT win at Ottawa: Inside the Numbers

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:52:42 -0000

More photos » by Sean Kilpatrick - AP

about 1 month ago: Nashville Predators' Ryan Suter, second from left, celebrates a third-period goal with his teammates against the Ottawa Senators during an NHL hockey game in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

Browse more photos »

I wanted to draw your attention to the numbers from the Even Strength play in last night's crazy 6-5 victory in Ottawa.

After the jump, check out some surprising performances. The dominant names here are Sulzer, Ward, Wilson and Hornqvist, while the laggards were Erat, Legwand and Sullivan (so much, perhaps, for my suggestion of that trio as a line!).

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
Shea Weber	D	17:17	2	0	2	0	9	13	-4	17	19	-2
Kevin Klein	D	17:23	0	1	0	1	8	7	1	14	11	3
Marcel Goc	C	10:40	1	0	0	0	5	6	-1	9	10	-1
Martin Erat	R	13:14	2	1	1	1	5	10	-5	9	13	-4
David Legwand	C	13:17	0	0	0	0	6	11	-5	9	13	-4
Cal O'Reilly	C	8:42	0	0	0	0	6	4	2	8	7	1
Ryan Suter	D	18:19	1	1	1	2	9	12	-3	17	19	-2
Jerred Smithson	R	6:49	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	5	4	1
Steve Sullivan	L	13:40	2	0	0	0	5	10	-5	8	12	-4
Patric Hornqvist	R	13:06	3	0	1	0	8	4	4	14	6	8
Ryan Jones	L	5:12	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	4	3	1
Joel Ward	R	12:08	3	2	1	0	11	6	5	16	11	5
Cody Franson	D	8:22	1	0	0	0	7	3	4	8	4	4
Colin Wilson	C	12:48	1	0	0	1	9	4	5	16	7	9
Dave Scatchard	C	12:14	2	0	1	0	9	5	4	16	6	10
Francis Bouillon	D	20:37	1	0	0	1	10	11	-1	17	16	1
Alexander Sulzer	D	9:46	0	2	0	0	9	3	6	13	4	9
Jean-Pierre Dumont	R	11:04	2	0	1	0	7	5	2	9	9	0

Colin Wilson scores 1st career NHL goal at Boston

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:00:47 -0000

Despite the team's 3-2 loss in Boston, Nashville Predators rookie center Colin Wilson can celebrate his first career NHL goal. It came in his 5th NHL game, as the result of driving the net and banging home a rebound from a shot by his linemate, Patric Hornqvist. The 7th overall selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and a Hobey Baker Award finalist for Boston University last season, Wilson surprised observers by making the Predators roster straight out of training camp, and assuming a key role as the team struggles to find consistent offensive output this season.

Nashville Predators extend losing streak to six, as Boston wins 3-2

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:39:31 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

about 1 month ago: Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis and defenseman Shea Weber (6) watch as Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, right, has his shot go in for a goal during the second period of a NHL hockey game in Boston Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Browse more photos »

The same old chronic problems kept the Predators out of the win column once again, as the power play went 0-for-3 and the high-paid duo of David Legwand and Martin Erat combined for a mere one assist and two shots as the Predators fell in Boston, 3-2.

Video highlights after the jump...

Encouragingly, the Preds got on the board first, with Jerred Smithson snagging his first of the season. David Legwand carried the puck into the zone, but as he got tied up by a defender, Smithson jumped on the loose puck and fired a wrister underneath Tim Thomas for the score.

Early in the second period Michael Ryder tied it up for Boston as a bouncing puck got past Ryan Suter along the boards, creating a 2-on-1 situation that Kevin Klein couldn't stop. Less than six minutes later, however, Colin Wilson put the Preds ahead with his first career NHL goal; it came as Patric Hornqvist put a shot on goal, and Wilson headed into the crease to bang home the rebound. It had to be a thrill for the rookie to score his first goal in the city where he'd been a college star for the last two seasons.

That lead wasn't to last, however, as Patrice Bergeron tied it back up for the Bruins. Zdeno Chara kept a puck in at the point and blasted a shot on Dan Ellis, while Bergeron crept in from the side of the crease for the score.

Steve Begin put the Bruins ahead to stay on a bit of a broken play; Shea Weber was pursuing the puck to clear it out of the zone, but collided with a referee. That led to clear possession for Boston and an immediate score.

Dan Ellis generally played well in net for Nashville, stopping 24 of 27 shots. The Preds fired 30 shots at Tim Thomas, with Steve Sullivan leading the Preds with 4 shots of his own.

Boston also dominated on faceoffs, with a 34-21 advantage. Legwand was the biggest victim for Nashville, winning only 6 of 18 draws.

The Preds turn right around tomorrow night face the Senators in Ottawa.

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 24 saves on 27 shots

12 votes

Jerred Smithson, 1 goal

3 votes

Colin Wilson, 1st career NHL goal

53 votes

68 votes | Poll has closed