SBNation.com User Blog: Chris Burton

In Opposition to a David Poile Statue

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:14:38 -0000

You may have noticed, but I haven't written anything here in a long time. There have been varying reasons for this, for one, life just sometimes gets in the way. On other occasions, I just haven't had any inspiration.

To make this all relevant: every once in a while, something happens that drives you to write. Ryan Suter signing for the Minnesota Wild is one of those things.

I'm not mad at Ryan Suter. Given the choice between $90+ million dollars to play hockey in a city you're unfamilar with (Detroit), a city you've played in your entire pro career (Nashville), or the city closest to your home, and where your wife is from, which would you choose? I thought so. I'm certainly disappointed that we'll never see the Weber-to-Suter-switch-places-and back to Weber for a power play goal again, and I have no idea how they'll replace Suter's one man breakout skill, but I'll survive.

No, I'm mad at David Poile. Like, really mad, you guys. Angry enough to destroy all good grammar in the previous sentence. He had to know this was on its way. As Dirk has pointed out, the writing was on the wall for Suter to test the market this summer, and in all likelihood, sign elsewhere. He did, and the Predators are left with absolutely nothing to show for it but broken hearts, and in Poile's case, something that seems an awful lot like sour grapes.

Not only do the Preds have no assets to show for Ryan Suter's departure, but at this point, you would have to say the odds of Shea Weber signing long term are neglible at best. He's lost his running mate, and the most compelling moves Poile has made in an effort to convince his superstars to stay have been trading for Andrei Kostitsyn, luring back a flighty headcase, and overpaying Paul Gaustad. If that doesn't scream Stanley Cup contender to me, then I'm reasonably sure it doesn't to Shea Weber.

The point here is this: the Predators are handcuffed, and David Poile may have thrown away the key. As far as I can see, he has two choices. Poile can get uncharacteristically aggressive on the trade and free agent market, both improving the team and showing Weber that the drive to win the Cup is still there, or he can put up a for sale sign on the gold #6 in an attempt to get a king's ransom for an elite player in his walk year.

I don't know what's going to happen. My hope is that the Predators are able to acquire Matt Carle and a Bobby Ryan/Alex Semin type, thus making them better than when Suter still patrolled the blueline. That, however, is surely a pipe dream. I realize the tone of this rant is largely negative, but there's very little to suggest Nashville will do anything close to resembling a bold move.

Whatever goes down, it's time for David Poile to gird ye olde loins. His job ought to depend on it.

Nashville Predators select Colton Sissons with 50th pick in 2012 NHL Draft

Chris Burton — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:24:37 -0000

With the 50th pick in the draft, this Preds have taken another forward, this time center Colton Sissons from the Kelowna Rockets. A scouting report on Sissons from WHL.ca:

A responsible two-way forward with a high level of compete, Sissons makes an impact at both ends of the rink for the Rockets. The 6'1", 189-lb center, who also plays right wing, has good skating ability and mobility, and plays a very strong defensive game. With good size and strength, Sissons excels at winning those grinding battles on the boards and in the corners, and can protect the puck well.

Yet, Sissons' game isn't all about defense. With a heavy and accurate shot, and solid hockey sense and vision, Sissons has the ability to create offense and put the puck in the net. As captain of the Rockets, he's also considered a tremendous leader on his team, always setting a good example with his tireless work ethic and compete level.

And here's a good profile from SB Nation's own Matchsticks and Gasoline

...Sissons moves at a fine level showing solid speed; he looks technically sound and projects to certainly skate with pros. However, despite being a good skater who can distribute the puck fine, it's hard to see him creating a whole lot of offense by himself. He isn't the most gifted puckhandler or creative player. Sissons has fine hockey sense, though, and makes a lot of decent plays but doesn't overly impress when it comes to scoring chance creation

He is a pretty gritty player who does a lot of good work along the boards, plays a nice power game and has a pretty bulky frame that should translate to the pro game well in two years. While I haven't really seen him shoot that much, WHL scouts I've talked are impressed with his finishing ability.

Nashville Predators select Pontus Aberg with 37th pick in 2012 NHL Draft

Chris Burton — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:10:04 -0000

With the 37th pick in this year's draft (acquired from Tampa Bay for Anders Lindback), the Nashville Predators have selected Pontus Aberg from Djugarden in Sweden. Ranked as high as the ninth best skater in the draft by Central Scouting, it appears the Preds have made quite the steal. A quick blurb on his game from Elite Prospects:

A really speedy player with some high calibre offensive skills. Åberg has good smarts, an accurate shot and passes the puck well too. Competes hard, but has some consistency issues. Good scorer. Great competitiveness.

Scouting report from Pro Hockey Talk: berg already has experience playing with and against men much older than him. He's an enthusiastic player, but he's already ran into some injury problems that has probably caused his stock to drop.

Berg already has experience playing with and against men much older than him. He's an enthusiastic player, but he's already ran into some injury problems that has probably caused his stock to drop.

He looks like a bit more of a long-term project and it's worth noting that, as The Hockey Writers pointed out, he's tied to Djurgarden through the 2013-14 season. Still, he could develop into a top-six forward for the club that ends up drafting him.

More on Aberg later, but we have another pick coming up momentarily.

A Matchup Inside the Matchup: Alex Radulov vs. Nick Lidstrom

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:18:16 -0000

Hockey, of course, is a team game. History has shown us that above all else, the best teams are the ones that play together in a figurative sense. You can have a red hot goalie (Jaroslav Halak, circa 2009-10), or the most skilled player on the ice (Alex Ovechkin), but almost always, the best team wins.

With that contingency out of the way, there's something to be said for individual moments of brilliance, those quick bursts of skill that can put your team over the proverbial hump and win a game in an instant. And so, we'll take a look at two of the players in this series imminently capable of doing so. It doesn't hurt that they'll likely see a lot of each other as the series goes on.

Alexander Radulov

#47 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Jul 05, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Alexander Radulov	9	3	4	7	3	4	0	0	0		21

Scouting Report

Assets	Profiles as a classic Russian right wing: A left-handed shooter with excellent shiftiness, stickhandling skills and the ability to finish. Can really dangle and likes the spotlight.
Flaws	Lacks intensity on a consistent basis and is occasionally prone to hiccups in his own end. Doesn't have enough desire to be the best he can be at the highest level (NHL).
Career Potential	Skilled scoring winger.

(scouting reports are courtesy of Fantasy Sports Services for SB Nation and do not necessarily represent my own opinion)

Alexander Radulov's role is one of the simplest on the team: put the puck in the net. Thus far, he's been contributing to goals at an elite level, like he never missed a beat. We saw him dissect Chicago's defense in one fell swoop, and do battle with Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom while coming out the victor in several contests behind the net and on the boards in Nashville's 4-1 victory at the Joe.

One of the things that has struck me about Radulov in his abbreviated 2011-12 tenure is how difficult it is for a defender to dislodge him from the puck. Along the wall, behind the net, or in the slot, AR47 is an elite possession player through just nine games, and I'll be interested to see how he deals with being defended by one of the world's best turnover creators in...

Nicklas Lidstrom

#5 / Defenseman / Detroit Red Wings

Height: 6-1

Weight: 190

Born: Apr 28, 1970

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Nicklas Lidstrom	70	11	23	34	21	28	4	0	0		148

Scouting Report

Assets	Uses his superior hockey intelligence and skill to dominate the game. An outstanding passer, he also has an incredibly accurate shot from the point. Plays calm and is very efficient in the defensive zone. Thrives with lots of ice time. Is a great lateral skater.
Flaws	Is not a physical player by any stretch of the imagination. Has started to wear down because of years of logging tons of ice time.
Career Potential	Future Hall-of-Fame defenseman.

I think it's reasonably fair to say that Radulov is already the Predators' most dangerous forward, and as such will draw the best his opposition has to offer, which is in this case Nicklas Lidstrom. In the eyes of some, Lidstrom's age will be used against him, but if his skill and effectiveness have declined, it's only been by a negligible amount.

He's not physical, but he rarely loses puck battles. He lacks the speed of a Ryan Suter, but you will almost never see him out maneuvered. Nicklas Lidstrom is what young defensemen should aspire to be, and yet, if Alex Radulov can slip by him just once or twice and the puck ends up past Jimmy Howard, the momentum in the series could turn on a dime.

Getting to Know a Red Wing: Darren Helm

Chris Burton — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:34:22 -0000

In advance of the Preds' series with the Detroit Red Wings, OtF will be taking a look at three Red Wings who fly under the radar but could have a large impact on the series. First up: Darren Helm

At this point, as shocking as it is, you are probably aware that the Nashville Predators head into the playoffs with the best power play in all the land. It has the potential to play a major role in the series, and if the Wings (especially Todd Bertuzzi or Justin Abdelkader) are undisciplined, Detroit could be in for some long nights. The Red Wings' penalty kill finished 18th at 81.8%, but they do have somewhat of an ace in the hole: lightning quick penalty killer Darren Helm.

Darren Helm

#43 / Center / Detroit Red Wings

Height: 5-11

Weight: 195

Born: Jan 21, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Darren Helm	68	9	17	26	5	12	0	0	2		124

After the jump, see a scouting report on Helm, and perspectives on how he changes games from a few folks who cover the Wings.

Scouting Report

Assets	Skates incredibly well, works extremely hard every shift and plays a smart two-way game. Is responsible enough to be on the ice with the game on the line. Can play both center and wing.
Flaws	Is a little on the smallish side, and must avoid injuries due to his industrious style of play. May be limited to checking duties in the big league.
Career Potential	Speedy checking forward.

Courtesy of everyone's favorite, JJ from Kansas of Winging It In Motown, here's what you can expect from Helm:

The only way Darren Helm could be a more-perfect prototype for a third-line energy/grinding/PKing center is if he had been born with a full playoff beard. Darren Helm has exactly two gears:

1. Wait for turn to come off bench
2. AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! SKAAAAAATE SKATE SKATE SKATE SKAAAAAAAAAATE! RAAAAAAAAAGH!

Helm is a dogged defensive center who, despite a relative lack of size, more than makes up for that when attacking bigger blueliners with outstanding balance, footwork, and agility. He consistently takes good angles and makes sure that he has his primarily lane assignment handled, as well as usually having a secondary lane covered with his stick as he pressures the puck in his own zone. When Helm does get caught chasing a little by a very good passing game, his speed can often make up for those mistakes before offenses can capitalize on them. Although he lacks the goalscoring finish of a truly dangerous PKing forward like a Zach Parise, Helm has surprisingly good hands and can often turn a one-on-three shorthanded rush into an extra 10-15 seconds worth of penalty killing and often catches players from behind to destroy the other team's breakout and turn it into Red Wings' transition. It is impossible to watch Darren Helm take a shift and not want to work harder.

Next, here's Tyler from the Triple Deke:

Helm plays the role of the ultimate energy guy. He never takes a shift off and presses the opposition from the moment he hits the ice. He is Detroit's best penalty killing forward, and because he's usually the fastest player on the ice, that makes him a perpetual threat to score short handed .... except he has nearly no scoring touch. Helm is not a huge threat offensively, so most of his scoring chances come as the result his work On The Forecheck (I'm sorry). Datsyuk and Zetterberg's lines will still face the toughest matchups defensively, but when Helm ends up out there against the oppositions top-end talent, he isn't a liability.

He has been out for a couple of weeks with a knee injury and is expected to be back for Game 2.

So there you go. When Nashville's on the power play, and Helm is pressuring the point men (particularly Roman Josi or Sergei Kostitsyn), a simple mistake like the puck bouncing over a stick and out of the zone could lead to disaster, not to mention various turnover possibilities when Helm is on the forecheck and, say, Kevin Klein is trying to exit the zone...

Alexander Radulov, Rivals, and Sour Grapes

Chris Burton — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:30:10 -0000

As it becomes more and more apparent that the Nashville Predators' prodigal son may well return to the NHL in short order (today? tomorrow?), the whining from certain sectors of the league is growing louder. The most outspoken? Contingents from Vancouver, Detroit, and St. Louis.

In Vancouver's case, it's the players. Up in Detroit, the fans are throwing a fit, and in St. Louis, the general manager is displeased. If you're not noticing a pattern, I'll help - these are the three teams in the West that have more points than Nashville.

Follow @predatweeter

Now, to be fair, the situation is unprecedented, and other players who have come over from Europe required waivers before being eligible, and they certainly weren't eligible for the playoffs. But those players didn't walk out on their contracts, nor were they kept on a team's reserve list as Alexander Radulov was.

It makes sense, too, that other teams competing with the Predators in the playoff race don't want a rival getting an elite offensive talent on their roster essentially free of charge, but why should Nashville be punished for something they didn't do? The league is ruling that they shouldn't, and are leaving it up to the team whether or not Radulov should be punished, per Bill Daly:

I don't like it. I don't like the fact the player owes a full year under the contract, but ultimately the club didn't have to take him back if they wanted to insist [he play] the full year. It's within their right to do it. But that judgment's going to be Nashville's judgment, not the league's.

There is no precedent for this particular situation, and when Radulov left, there was no language in the CBA detailing what would be done in this event. The NHL saw a player still under contract and determined that the administrators of the contract be allowed to determine what constitutes its fulfillment.

How many other teams in this league would be put in this same position and suspend their wayward star in the middle of a playoff race? I'm thinking none. How many teams expressed sympathy or similar emotions for the Predators when Radulov jumped ship? Again - I'm thinking none.

The argument that this sets a bad precedent is, simply, irrelevant. Post-Radulov, the NHL and KHL created an agreement involving respecting each other's contracts, making it impossible for anyone to do again what Radulov did.

One wonders if the Red Wings, Blues, and Canucks are simply concerned that the Radulov makes Nashville a legitimate Cup contender. The argument could be made that they are now, without Radulov, but this roster with an elite goal scorer is, in the eyes of an opposing team, downright terrifying. They are deep, they are talented, they can score at even strength and on the man advantage, they have the best defensive pairing in the world and an equally good goaltender, and now, perhaps a gamebreaking forward.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to play them either.

Kings 5, Predators 4: Almost Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades

Chris Burton — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:39:11 -0000

Well, that was weird. The Nashville Predators needed two points tonight to keep pace with the St. Louis Blues, but fell just short, as they couldn't quite complete the comeback against the Los Angeles Kings despite Patric Hornqvist reaching the 20 goal plateau for the 3rd straight year with two tonight.

Hornqvist said during the first intermission that (paraphrasing) there "were no fluky goals", and to some extent, he has a point - but there were definitely some odd ones. Let's recount:

Justin Williams scored from nearly behind the net when he flung it toward Pekka Rinne. It slipped through Rinne's five hole and was kicked in by his pad. Oops.
Williams picked up a second when the puck came out of a scrum, off his foot, and in. Needless to say, it wasn't Pekka's night.
Finally, Hornqvist had a semi-breakaway late in the third, and his deke didn't work, but putting it off Jonathan Quick's pad, back off the toe of Hornqvist's skate, and over Quick's shoulder to bring the Preds within one did. Like I said, weird game.

Granted, it's difficult for Nashville to win when Rinne has a bad game and gets pulled, but the skaters were extra sloppy in all zones tonight, allowing the Kings the time and space necessary to get the chances needed. The Erat/Fisher/Kostitsyn line played well, however, accounting for two goals, while Ryan Ellis looked fairly solid in his return from illness.

Shane O'Brien and the Avs come to town Thursday night, in a game which the Preds can ill-afford to lose with Detroit waiting on Saturday.

Yeah, tonight's score was close, but it really shouldn't have been. Let's hope Nashville learned their lesson and can employ changes against Colorado.

One more thing - some fans have been clamoring for Jordin Tootoo to watch a game or two from the press box. After tonight, they may get their wish - Tootoo shoved the linesman in the back after an altercation with Matt Greene, and I wouldn't be surprised if he is at least fined by the league. You simply do not touch an official.

Nashville Predators @ Carolina Hurricanes preview: welcoming the new guys

Chris Burton — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:24:52 -0000

NOTE: puck drops tonight at 6:00 PM CST

Tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Nashville Predators introduce their newest acquisitions to the lineup: center Paul Gaustad, and wing Andrei Kostitsyn. These players, Gaustad particularly, will be expected to contribute immediately. These were not moves made with the hope of Nashville winning a round - team management believes this team, as now constructed, is poised to go far.

Besides that, however, the Preds are four points back of St. Louis and Detroit for the Central Division lead. The next two games are against teams from the weakest division in the NHL, and represent four points. No team in the league is truly an easy out, but contests against Carolina and Florida might not be as physically demanding as say, the Canucks or Blues, and the Predators would do well not take their foot off the pedal.

Josh Cooper reported this morning that fog delayed Nashville's flight, so it doesn't appear they've taken their morning skate, meaning we won't know where Gaustad and Andrei Kostitsyn will line up tonight, or if Ryan Ellis will be in for Jack Hillen.

In the mean time, here's how the Canes and Preds stack up against each other, via NHL.com:

For the Carolina perspective, check out Canes Country.

Predators 2, Flames 0: Back on Track

Chris Burton — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:32:39 -0000

The Nashville Predators got back in the win column this afternoon against the Calgary Flames, winning 2-0 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. There were more than a few rough patches, such as posting a donut on the power play, or only registering 14 shots to the Flames' 33, but Pekka Rinne earned the shutout, and Niclas Bergfors' first goal with the team was also the winner.

More thoughts after the jump.

Ten thoughts on this afternoon's game:

For all the talk about improved play after Edmonton and Vancouver, the Predators came out of the gate sluggishly. They finished the first period with more icings than shots (3), found themselves trapped in their own zone for extended periods, and showed no life whatsoever on their lone power play opportunity in the first frame.
Despite Brian McGrattan registering an assist, I'm still at a loss regarding his presence on the team. He took a horrible penalty deep in Calgary's end early on, and shows little to no offensive or defensive acumen. Furthermore, his supposed "physicality" has yet to be seen, and there are multiple players in the system who can provide a better all around game.
On the other hand, it was encouraging to see Niclas Bergfors get his first goal as a Predator, despite Jack Hillen banking the puck in off Bergfors' chest. It may not rescue him from the 4th line, but sometimes it only takes one to get the momentum going, perhaps similar to Sergei Kostitsyn's renaissance early last year.
Back to the power play - through two games, Nashville was 3/7 (not to mention a phenomenal showing during the preseason), and there was hope that change had finally arrived. Certainly, missing Mike Fisher, Martin Erat, and Cal O`Reilly doesn't help, but it appears that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
On a more positive note, the Preds had far fewer defensive gaffes this afternoon than Thursday night in Vancouver. Jonathon Blum and Kevin Klein were much improved, while Jack Hillen provided a significant upgrade over Mattias Ekholm in Nashville's end.
We wondered last season if there were any more superlatives available with which to describe Pekka Rinne, and it appears that quest will continue. Shaky at times against the Canucks, Rinne returned to his steady demeanor, and the Flames never truly had an excellent scoring chance, in part due to the improved defense, but so too because Rinne controlled the game extremely well.
Not only was today's victory Rinne's first ever against the Flames, but his 21st career shutout tied him with Tomas Vokoun for the franchise record.
Jordin Tootoo delivered a fantastic performance during the 2010-11 playoffs, but there was question as to whether or not he could carry it over into the following year. So far, so good, as Tootoo is all over the ice impacting play with physicality and energy, while at the same time managing to stay disciplined.
It isn't often that a Nashville odd man rush ends in a goal. Early in the first, Matt Halischuk opted for a drop pass instead of a shot, and the puck went wide. In the third, however, Craig Smith and Sergei Kostitsyn broke in on goal. I'm not entirely sure what happened next, because it appeared that Smith was shot out of a cannon. Smith blew past Olli Jokinen and Jay Bouwmeester, and fired a last second pass for Kostitsyn to tap in. In a season that has started inconsistently, it's refreshing to see Nashville's top forward prospect live up to his hype early on.
Yes, the performance was inconsistent, and there were still too few shots, but this one goes in the win column just like any other. Tuesday against San Jose will be a good measuring stick for whether or not the Preds can keep the momentum going.

He was one of hockey’s great guys. He was a great teammate and friend that would do anything for...

Chris Burton — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:52:15 -0000

He was one of hockey’s great guys. He was a great teammate and friend that would do anything for others before himself. My thoughts and prayers are with his family through this tough time.

Shea Weber, via Josh Cooper.

Wade Belak found dead at 35

Chris Burton — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:46:04 -0000

Tragedy had struck the National Hockey League twice this summer in near unbelievable fashion with the deaths of Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien.

Today, it struck again. Retired Nashville Predators enforcer Wade Belak was found dead in a Toronto hotel this afternoon at the age of 35.

Per the Toronto Sun (first reported by the Calgary Sun), and confirmed by the Predators:

Former Toronto Maple Leafs tough guy Wade Belak was found dead in a Toronto hotel Wednesday.

The 35-year-old from Saskatoon was found in the tony 1 King West hotel and condo residence.

The cause of death is unknown, and honestly, unimportant. Speculation can only be unproductive and disrespectful.

We'll have much more on this, but the news is, quite frankly, stunning, and it leaves me at a total loss for words.

Wade Belak was an integral member of the organization and will be horribly missed. He was approachable in the locker room, active in the community, and l doubt you'll ever find a funnier NHL player. "Beeler" had provided color commentary on multiple radio broadcasts with Tom Callahan, and was set to begin his own radio show on 102.5 the Game.

He leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

Rest in peace, Wade.

With the 52nd pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Nashville Predators select RW Miikka Salomaki

Chris Burton — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:34:40 -0000

With the 52nd pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, the Nashville Predators selected Miikka Salomaki, a right wing from the Finnish Elite League. Salomaki is just 18, and was ranked as the 7th best European skater heading into the draft. Standing 5'11, he is considered more of a two-way player. Per SB Nation's Blue Jackets affiliate The Cannon:

Miika Salomäki isn't going to remind anyone of a prolific scorer, but he plays a decent two-way game at a young age. He made the jump to FInland's SM-liiga at just 17, and put up respectable numbers for his age. Central Scouting has him ranked as the 7th European skater heading into the draft. Salomäki isn't a big kid, and will need some seasoning both back in Finland and in the AHL before he's considered an NHL prospect, but he's a solid skater who plays hard each and every shift.

At this point of the draft, almost all the prospects are three or four years away from NHL action, and this is no exception. The Predators likely picked who they thought was the best player available, nothing more.

Matchsticks & Gasoline also has a profile piece on Salomaki available for you.

Here are some video highlights of Salomaki's game:

Poll

What do you think of the Miika Salomaki pick?

Thumbs up

112 votes

Thumbs down

35 votes

147 votes | Poll has closed

2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Chris Mueller

Chris Burton — Sat, 28 May 2011 21:47:08 -0000

With the season now over, it's time to take a look back and examine each player's individual performance. We'll briefly break it down, and then offer a letter grade for the year. It's report cards, Nashville Predators-style, from Blum to Wilson. Next up: Chris Mueller

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Chris Mueller	15	0	3	3	0	2	0	0	0		7

The Skinny: Before training camp began, I had no idea who Chris Mueller was. An ECHL veteran and Milwaukee Admirals playoff performer, Mueller received an invitation to Preds camp, but was without an NHL contract and began the year in the AHL with Milwaukee, where he was a standout player for much of the year, including the playoffs.

With all of Matthew Lombardi, David Legwand, Marcel Goc, and Cal O`Reilly being injured at various points during the year, the Predators' center depth was decimated, and David Poile's hand was forced - he signed Mueller to a one year, two-way deal worth $500,000, and he was immediately recalled on December 27.

The Performance: Mueller played in 15 games (coincidentally, our cut-off point for these report cards), notching 3 assists while averaging 8:38 minutes played per game, predominantly on the fourth line with J.P. Dumont and Matt Halischuk. His season's high point was undoubtedly his January 18th performance against Phoenix, where he played a season high 12:29 and assisted on two of Dumont's hat trick goals.

The Grade: Due to anonymity and being an unknown commodity, its hard to say what the expectations for Mueller were. That said, he was recalled to fill the fourth line center position, so one would've hoped for a serviceable effort at the task. In fifteen games, Chris Mueller's play was that of a serviceable fourth line center, so he gets a B. I assume that the Predators will tender him a qualifying offer, but I would not expect to see him in Nashville much next year, if at all.

Poll

How would you grade Chris Mueller's season?

A

15 votes

B

60 votes

C

53 votes

D

9 votes

F

3 votes

140 votes | Poll has closed

2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Patric Hornqvist

Chris Burton — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:10:38 -0000

Patric Hornqvist

#27 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-11

Weight: 188

Born: Jan 01, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Patric Hornqvist 2010-11 playoffs	79 12	21 2	27 1	48 3	11 -2	47 6	6 1	0 0	5 0		265 43

+/-

PIM

PPG

SHG

GWG

GTG

SOG

PCT

2010 - Patric Hornqvist

2010-11 playoffs

-2

265

The Skinny: Patric Hornqvist burst onto the scene in 2009-10, leading the Predators in goals with an even 30, which led to significantly raised expectations, even though he only had one productive season under his belt. David Poile was able to re-sign the restricted free agent to a deal that at the time was considered a good one, and still may be. Patric Hornqvist headed into training camp this season with the expectation of leading Nashville in goals once again and hopefully surpassing his previous year's total.

The reason Hornqvist's success seems to be easily replicated is because he shoots the puck with reckless abandon, whereas a player like Sergei Kostitsyn relied on an unrealistically high shooting percentage.

The Performance: Unfortunately, Patric Hornqvist regressed, scoring nine fewer goals while only taking ten fewer shots on the year. His assist total increased, but he was unable to find the back of the net over extended periods, and one wonders how much of an impact an improved performance from Hornqvist could've had on the Predators' regular season standing. Hornqvist's playoff production was even worse, which, in my opinion, crippled Nashville's chances of advancing to the Western Conference finals.

The Grade: Keep in mind that these grades are being awarded on a curve, or relative to expectations. For Hornqvist, we had this to say before the season started:

In short - to prove that last year was not an aberration, but the beginning of the norm. If he does not score at least 25 or 30 goals again, then the coaching staff (and fans) will have reason to be disappointed. By giving him a 3 year deal, David Poile took a leap of faith. Its up to Patric to reward him.

In sum, I'd have to consider Patric Hornqvist's 2010-11 a disappointment. Thankfully, Hornqvist has developed into an effective agitator, so he was never completely ineffective, but put simply, the Predators did not get what they needed out of someone expected to be perhaps the top winger on the team. C for the Horn Dog.

Poll

How would you grade Patric Hornqvist's 2010-11 season?

A

6 votes

B

72 votes

C

135 votes

D

24 votes

F

299 votes

536 votes | Poll has closed

2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Cody Franson

Chris Burton — Sun, 15 May 2011 02:12:42 -0000

Cody Franson

#4 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 213

Born: Aug 08, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Cody Franson 2010-11 playoffs	80 12	8 1	21 5	29 6	10 0	30 0	2 0	0 0	2 0		156 22

+/-

PIM

PPG

SHG

GWG

GTG

SOG

PCT

2010 - Cody Franson

2010-11 playoffs

156

The Skinny: Cody Franson burst onto the scene last season, assuming a minor role at even strength but a very important one on the power play. Expected to progress this year, Franson did so, finishing 49th in the NHL in scoring by a defenseman, which for a player who is highly protected at even strength, is impressive, particularly when paired with Shane O`Brien for most of the year. A 5th defenseman any team would covet, Cody Franson is only going to improve.

The Performance: Franson put up 29 points while skating just 15:10 per game on the third pairing with O'Brien, so in a sense, he had an excellent year, and one that continued in the playoffs. That said, Nashville's power play was consistently awful, so Franson must take a small measure of responsibility for that, and there's a reason Barry Trotz feels the need to protect him during 5-on-5 play - Franson's not yet someone you feel comfortable trusting defensively in crucial situations.

The Grade: In all, you'd have to consider Cody Franson's 2010-11 season a success. The offensive contributions alone would make the grade, but Franson upped his game during the postseason, and provided one of the year's most memorable moments with a Bobby Orr-esque tally against Dan Ellis and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Franson earns a solid B here, with an eye towards a promising future.

Poll

How would you grade Cody Franson's 2010-11 season?

A

32 votes

B

153 votes

C

30 votes

D

5 votes

F

2 votes

222 votes | Poll has closed

2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Francis Bouillon

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:40:56 -0000

Francis Bouillon

#51 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-8

Weight: 198

Born: Oct 17, 1975

Contract: $1,350,000, UFA after 2011-12

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Francis Bouillon	44	1	9	10	-3	27	0	0	0		47

The Skinny: Expected to be the fourth defenseman on the depth chart, Bouillon was largely paired with Kevin Klein until his mid-season injury, which kept him out of the lineup for the remainder of the year. "The Cube" is on an economical deal, but I do wonder if the ascension of Jonathon Blum and the rise of Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi will leave him on the outside looking in at times next season.

The Performance: Solid, but unspectacular. I had hoped for more out of Bouillon, but a combination of increased responsibilities with the loss of Dan Hamhuis and a severe lack of chemistry with Kevin Klein led to some unnecessary adventures in the defensive zone. On the other hand, Bouillon was awarded an alternate captain's letter when Martin Erat and Steve Sullivan were injured, in addition to taking Ryan Suter's spot alongside Shea Weber when Suter was injured.

The Grade: While I do feel that Bouillon had a sub-par year, it'd be unfair if we didn't look at the surrounding circumstances - he played some tough penalty kill minutes and was placed in a role for which he is not really suited. Bouillon's best with third pair duties, which he'll hopefully be able to get back to in 2011-12. In the end, I'll give Frankie a C, but I could just as easily go with B. What do you think?

Poll

How would you grade Francis Bouillon's 2010-11 NHL season?

A

3 votes

B

135 votes

C

107 votes

D

15 votes

F

5 votes

265 votes | Poll has closed

2010-11 Nashville Predators Report Card: Jonathon Blum

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:19:42 -0000

Jonathon Blum

#7 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 178

Born: Jan 30, 1989

Contract: $941,667 until 2011-12 (RFA)

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Jonathon Blum playoffs	23 12	3 0	5 2	8 2	8 2	8 0	1 0	0 0	1 0		18 11

+/-

PIM

PPG

SHG

GWG

GTG

SOG

PCT

2010 - Jonathon Blum

playoffs

The Skinny: Considered by many to be the top prospect in the organization, Jon Blum was not expected to see much, if any, playing time in 2010-11. The reports out of Milwaukee were not all that encouraging, as Blum apparently struggled to adjust to defending the many stronger and faster forwards.

Francis Bouillon went down with a concussion, though, and Nashville gave Blum the call over the more experienced Teemu Laakso or Aaron Johnson.

The Performance: Blum played in 23 regular season games, being paired predominantly with Kevin Klein. I don't think it was any coincidence that Klein's play improved significantly when paired with Blum as opposed to Bouillon. Blum immediately found a place on the 2nd power play unit, and seemed perfectly at home in all situations. Overmatched? Hardly. The hype was legit.

The Grade: It was an abbreviated year for Jonathon Blum, but one that thoroughly exceeded my expectations. Just 21, Blum has already offset, somewhat, the loss of Dan Hamhuis and is a player I expect to see in the Music City for a long time. He'll be eligible for the Calder Trophy next season, and I fully expect him to mount a campaign for the award. Under the circumstances, Blum gets an A. What say you?

Poll

How would you grade Jonathon Blum's 2010-11 season?

A

210 votes

B

162 votes

C

12 votes

D

2 votes

F

2 votes

388 votes | Poll has closed

Canucks 2, Predators 1: They Didn't Go Gently Into the Good Night

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 May 2011 00:03:48 -0000

Sigh.

I wasn't ready for it to end tonight, but end it did. The Nashville Predators were eliminated from the 2010-11 NHL playoffs by the Vancouver Canucks, losing in the Western Conference semifinals that the Canucks won 4 games to 2.

There are many ways to characterize the year, and the playoff run, but Barry Trotz's catchphrase returns to mind once again: resilience. That's what this short on offensive talent but long on heart team has in spades, and that, friends, can't be said of many other NHL teams.

Further reaction can be found after the jump. To congratulate the Canucks, head on over to Nucks Misconduct.

Ten thoughts on tonight's game:

All year, Nashville's relied predominantly on three players who perform at an elite level in each game - Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Pekka Rinne. Suter had a particularly rough outing tonight, but Weber went scoreless over six games, which is unacceptable any way you look at it. The captain played good defense, but the fact is the Predators needed more out of Shea Weber were they to advance.
On the other hand, though, David Legwand and Joel Ward did everything they could to will the team to victory. Ward was the surprise, but Legwand was perhaps just as good, picking up where he left off from last year's series against the Hawks. Put it this way: David Legwand has played to his salary level in the 2010-11 NHL playoffs. Ward has seven goals, but Legwand is right behind him with six.
The Preds' power play has been their Achilles' heel for as long as I've been a fan, particularly in last year's playoff series against Chicago. It improved against the Ducks, but the wheels came off the bus in the semifinals. Nashville had four power play opportunities in the first period alone tonight, and were unable to convert on any of them. Fixing the man advantage needs to be a primary focus over the summer ahead.
There's been a lot of discussion based around diving and embellishment in this year's playoffs, with most of the accusations being levied at Vancouver or the Anaheim Ducks. Tonight, though, it was Jordin Tootoo who was whistled for embellishment after it appeared he was interfered with by Christian Ehrhoff. A ticky-tack call, perhaps, but when you can't kill off the subsequent penalty, you can't really complain.
A lot of Nashville fans will come out of this series despising Ryan Kesler, and perhaps justifiably so, but Kesler is playing on an entirely different level than his teammates. Given the choice, I would take the American Olympian over either Sedin twin each and every time.
The Predators failed to shoot the puck often tonight, and they lost the game. The correlation is obvious, and something else that needs to be fixed, particularly if Sergei Kostitsyn is to return to the team.
Speaking of Kostitsyn, much of the good will earned during the regular season in which he led the Preds in goals will probably be for naught, as his postseason was, quite frankly, horrible. Five assists in 12 games playing on Nashville's de facto is, much like Weber's offensive performance, unacceptable.
If this was indeed Brent Peterson's last rodeo behind the bench, it was good to see him taste some of the success that he and the rest of the team's coaching staff has worked so diligently for over the years.
Perhaps one of the best things to come out of this series was the positive publicity that Nashville's crowd has received over the past few weeks. Case in point: after the horn sounded tonight, signaling elimination, you could hear "Let's go Predators" echoing throughout the arena, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't choke up just a bit. A classy team deserves a classy fanbase, and that's what we've got here in Nashville.
And so, the ride that lasted 12 games longer than many pundits predicted is finally over. There will be quite a bit of time to evaluate what went wrong in this series, but for now, take time to consider what an amazing year it was. Undoubtedly the best year in team history, I'll have my head held high headed into the offseason.

Series win? Check.

Game 5 win? Check.

Overtime win? Check, times two.

Norris Trophy nomination? Check.

Vezina Trophy nomination? Check.

General manager of the year nomination? Check.

Jack Adams nomination? Check.

Write the eulogies, certainly, and pick things apart, but make no mistake - this team will be back. Let's go Predators.

Nashville Predators eliminated from NHL playoffs by Vancouver Canucks

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:43:59 -0000

Yes, it's over. But boy, what a ride that was. Chins up, Predators fans - the future's bright and history's been made.

Virtual handshake to Vancouver fans, who have been the picture of graciousness over the past six games.

Canucks @ Predators, Game 6: Third Period Open Thread

Chris Burton — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:51:53 -0000

This, ladies and gentlemen, is it. Score two or go home.

Nashville Predators @ Vancouver Canucks Game 5 Preview: Not Dead Yet

Chris Burton — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:48:51 -0000

[NHL.com] - [SB Nation] - [Nucks Misconduct]

7:00 PM CDT | Versus (HD) - CBC (HD) - RDS (HD) | 102.9 FM

It took ten games, but we've finally arrived. The Nashville Predators are staring elimination in the face for the first time in the 2010-11 NHL playoffs, and she's a pretty ugly beast - Nashville's 0-5 all-time in elimination games, having been outscored 15-6 and shut out twice.

That, of course, was then. This is now, and we've seen that, by and large, this incarnation of the Nashville Predators is better than all of its predecessors. After all, they have a series win under their belt, in addition to icing a Norris Trophy nominee, Vezina Trophy nominee, and boasting a two-time Jack Adams Trophy nominee behind the bench. In short: there's more reason for belief than in years past.

That said, the task is daunting. Nashville has strayed from what got them to this point, and fallen in a 3-1 hole to the Vancouver Canucks. Credit is certainly due to Vancouver, who's played an outstanding series, particularly Ryan Kesler, but the Preds are clearly off their game. They must now play it, and perfectly, for three consecutive games.

Tonight's just one game, however, and winning one game's not so tall an order. One win is the difference between handshakes and golf, or returning to Nashville for a Game 6 needing just two wins to make further history.

Regardless of tonight's result, Nashville Predators fans can hold their heads high. It's been an amazing year.

I'd hold off on those eulogies, though. There's some life left in this team.

Lineups after the jump.

Tonight's projected lineups:

Nashville:

Pekka Rinne

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 207

Born: Nov 03, 1982

Due to injuries, this is a total guess:

Forwards

Kostitsyn - Fisher - Erat (A)

Ward - Legwand - Hornqvist

Tootoo - Spaling - Halischuk

Wilson - Geoffrion - Dumont

Defense

Weber (C) - Suter (A)

Blum - Klein

Franson - O'Brien

Vancouver:

Roberto Luongo

#1 / Goalie / Vancouver Canucks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 04, 1979

Forwards

D. Sedin (A) - H. Sedin (C) - Burrows

Raymond - Kesler (A) - Higgins

Torres - Lapierre - Hansen

Glass - Hodgson - Samuelsson

Defense

Hamhuis - Bieksa

Ehrhoff - Edler

Ballard - Rome

So You're Saying There's a Chance?

Chris Burton — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:35:57 -0000

I see you.

You have seen the Nashville Predators' 3-1 series deficit to the Vancouver Canucks, and you believe the Preds to be done. Sunk. Gonzo. I mean, after all - they're going up against the President's Trophy winners, that team from Canada that ices the freakin' Sedin twins. Mission impossible, right?

Wrong. For an average team, the ground may well be too much to make up. If we've learned anything this year, though, it's that the 2010-11 Nashville Predators are not an average team.

An average team would've folded like a cheap suit in the regular season with as many crucial injuries as the Preds have.

An average team doesn't ice the game's best goalie and defensive pairing.

An average team doesn't win their first ever playoff series in rather convincing fashion.

An average team doesn't go into the postseason and score with less than two minutes left in regulation to win the game in overtime. Twice.

The Nashville Predators must win three games in a row. Daunting? Yes. Impossible? Not by a long shot. Not only have the Preds beaten the Canucks three times already this year, but, over the course of 82 games, they won three or more games consecutively five times. One of those stretches involved beating the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks - all playoff teams - and in another, they defeated the Bruins, Red Wings, and Sabres, also all playoff teams.

I won't sit here and tell you that a comeback is likely, because it really isn't. But know this - it ain't over until they say it's over, and ruling out a team with as much heart as Nashville would be a fool's errand.

The portly woman is not yet singing. Go Preds.

Steve Sullivan to miss Game 4 with lower-body injury; who should replace him?

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:05:55 -0000

After Steve Sullivan sustained a lower-body injury during Game 3 of the Nashville Predators' semifinal series with the Vancovuer Canucks, David Boclair of the Nashville City Paper reports that he will be out of the lineup for Game 4:

The Nashville Predators coach said Wednesday that veteran left wing Steve Sullivan will miss Game 4 of his team's Western Conference semifinal series with the Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m., Bridgestone Arena) because of a lower body injury sustained in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime defeat.

Barry Trotz has two options available to him, or perhaps three depending upon Cal O`Reilly's health. J.P. Dumont and Colin Wilson each played a considerable amount in the regular season, and Wilson in particular made an impact on the roster on the offensive end of the ice.

Dumont played the final two games of the Anaheim series, recording one assist, but it sounds as if Trotz is leaning more towards utilizing Wilson, a topic which we delved into in detail a few days ago. Via Boclair:

"[Wilson] is ready," Trotz said. "... I feel he's ready for the series now. ... His play at the end of the year wasn't where I expected it to be. He didn't start the first series and no one allowed him to get into the first series because everyone played pretty well.

There's much more in the article, which I recommend you check out, but my question for you is this: with Sullivan out of the lineup, who should Barry Trotz insert - Colin Wilson or J.P. Dumont?

Poll

Who should Barry Trotz put into the lineup for Game 4 in place of Steve Sullivan?

J.P. Dumont

39 votes

Colin Wilson

232 votes

271 votes | Poll has closed

Canucks 3, Predators 2 (OT): Heartbreak

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 May 2011 00:48:32 -0000

On a night when the Nashville Predators played their first ever home game in the second round of the NHL playoffs, in front of hordes of national media, with a chance to take a series lead over the presumptive Stanley Cup favorites, they decided to forgo the first two periods of the hockey game, and subsequently fall in overtime 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks.

It was a game that the Predators hung around in far longer than they should have, but also had plenty of chances to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It's not over by a long shot - Nashville fought back to tie the game late in the third - but frustration now reigns.

David Legwand and Joel Ward scored for Nashville, while Pekka Rinne made 44 saves in the loss.

Ten thoughts on tonight's game:

It's been a problem all season, but Nashville's unwillingness or inability to put shots on net is astounding. Eight shots through one period and twelve through two will get you beaten pretty much all the time. The Canucks are a good defensive team, certainly, but not so good that you can't shoot the puck. They picked it up in the third period, but the lackluster play through 40 minutes ensured that the Preds did not deserve to win this game.
Leading the Predators in playoff points, Joel Ward has put on a masterful performance during the 2010-11 postseason. An impending UFA, Ward has played well defensively, played physically, and scored several clutch goals, particularly the game-tier tonight on a slightly unconventional wraparound. Joel Ward contract negotiations are not often discussed, but the man deserves a new deal.
Ryan Kesler finally broke out of his slump tonight, scoring his first and second goals of the playoffs. On his first marker, he can thank Nashville's dynamic penalty killing duo of Kevin Klein and Shane O`Brien. Klein pinched into the offensive zone shorthanded, which allowed an odd man rush the other way. Christian Ehrhoff corralled the puck behind the net, and with Kesler waiting in front, O'Brien dropped to one knee in an attempt to do...something. I'm not sure what, but the result speaks for itself.
The game winning goal was made of simpler stuff, with Kesler redirecting a point shot past Rinne. The real story, though, was how he drew the call that put Shea Weber into the penalty box for "hooking", which can apparently be defined as having your stick in the vicinity of another player's extremities. Who knew? A tough way to lose a playoff game, regardless of how much they may have deserved to do so. David Legwand said(for which he can probably expect a fine) that "I don't know if Timmy Peel (tonight's referee) had a date or something, but he wanted to get outta here pretty quick."
Pekka Rinne is really good at hockey. That's the only explanation I have.
Despite leading the Nashville Predators in goals during the regular season, Sergei Kostitsyn has been a non-factor for most of the postseason, but particularly in the conference semifinals. He's not only not scoring goals, but he's stopped creating plays, which is his biggest strength. If the Predators are going to have further success in these playoffs, SK74 needs to step up one way or the other.
One of the lone bright spots tonight was the play of Nashville's penalty kill on David Legwand's shorthanded goal. Legwand made a tough play to dig the puck out from behind the net, and Nick Spaling completed a pass to Ryan Suter, who made his way (again) behind the goal line. Suter's movement drew Luongo out of the net, and Legwand converted the layup.
Against the Ducks, Nashville's power play scored six times in six games. They won the series. Against Vancouver, they've yet to score, and trail in the series 2-1. Do the math.
Until his lines got thrown into the blender, Barry Trotz matched the five man unit of Nick Spaling, Jerred Smithson, Jordin Tootoo, Shea Weber, and Ryan Suter against Henrik and Daniel Sedin. The twins finished -2, but the Predators lost the game. It's hard to say if that bears any meaning, but I do think the Preds need to do a better job finding a good balance between overcompensating for the Sedins and not paying Ryan Kesler enough attention.
Steve Sullivan left the game in the third period with what was termed a lower body injury (Dan Hamhuis appeared to clip his knee). No reports as of yet, but if Sullivan can't go on Thursday, will it finally be Colin Wilson's turn to make an impact?

And so, despite an at-times raucous home crowd decked entirely in gold (an effort which looked fantastic on TV), the Nashville Predators have gone from owning the series' momentum to gifting it right back to Vancouver. Nashville appears to be relying solely on Pekka Rinne - they're not shooting, they can't score on the power play, they can't kill penalties, they've given back the Canucks their home ice advantage, and they're down 2 games to 1.

That must all change Thursday night.

Game highlights:

Canucks @ Predators, Game 3: Overtime Open Thread

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:36:35 -0000

Not again...

Canucks @ Predators, Game 3: Third Period Thread

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:00:17 -0000

The bright side is...the Preds will have a lot of energy heading into the third?

1-1, 20 minutes or more to go.

Canucks @ Predators, Game 3: Second Period Thread

Chris Burton — Wed, 04 May 2011 01:53:17 -0000

Not the cleanest of periods, but it doesn't matter - Nashville gets out unscathed behind Pekka Rinne and a shorthanded goal from David Legwand.

Vancouver Canucks @ Nashville Predators Game 3 Preview: Why Not?

Chris Burton — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:50:01 -0000

[NHL.com] - [SB Nation] - [Nucks Misconduct]

8:00 PM CDT | SportSouth (HD) - CBC (HD) | 102.9 FM

Not so very long ago, the Nashville Predators returned to Bridgestone Arena, tied with the Anaheim Ducks 1-1 in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

You know the rest.

That's not to say that the Anaheim series and this series with the Vancouver Canucks are similar, far from it - but heading into Game 3, the Preds have accomplished what they needed to. Home ice advantage is in their hands. Put it this way - if the Predators can win three games at home, they'll find themselves in the conference finals.

Those home games begin tonight (note the special start time). In Game 2, Nashville rediscovered the game plan for beating Vancouver. The Predators' defensemen kept the shot totals down, giving up only 33 over 95 minutes, and they continued to neutralize the Canucks' big 3 of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Ryan Kesler.

It would be foolish to think that Vancouver's offense can be completely contained over a seven game series. They'll score, and at times it will be often. Nashville, though, has beaten the Canucks three times this year. In those three wins, Vancouver's scored a whopping total of two goals.

The moral of the story is this - the Canucks have some quality complimentary players in Mason Raymond, Chris Higgins, Alexandre Burrows, and occasionally Raffi Torres, but they are incapable of winning games on their own.

If the Predators can stymie the big 3 three more times, stay disciplined, defensively responsible, and add a fair amount of Pekka Rinne, then this is an extremely winnable series. It's a laundry list, to be sure, but this is a team that is making a habit out of defying the odds. Just ask Matt Halischuk.

Five down. Time for the Nashville Predators to make it ten to go.

Tonight's projected lineups:

Nashville:

Pekka Rinne

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 207

Born: Nov 03, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2010 - Pekka Rinne - playoffs	8	500	5	3		21	2.52	216	195	.903	0

Forwards

Kostitsyn - Fisher - Hornqvist

Ward - Legwand - Erat

Tootoo - Smithson - Spaling

Sullivan (A) - Geoffrion - Halischuk

Defense

Weber (C) - Suter (A)

Blum - Klein

Franson - O'Brien

Vancouver:

Roberto Luongo

#1 / Goalie / Vancouver Canucks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 04, 1979

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2010 - Roberto Luongo - playoffs	9	498	5	3		19	2.29	241	222	.921	2

Forwards

D. Sedin (A) - H. Sedin (C) - Samuelsson

Raymond - Kesler (A) - Burrows

Higgins - Lapierre - Hansen

Glass - Oreskovich - Torres

Defense

Hamhuis - Bieksa

Ehrhoff - Edler

Ballard - Rome

Nashville Predators @ Vancouver Canucks Game 2 Preview: Short Memories

Chris Burton — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 01:29:02 -0000

[NHL.com] - [SB Nation] - [Nucks Misconduct]

8:00 PM CDT | Versus (HD) - CBC (HD) | 102.9 FM

It'd be easy to sit here and write about the many, many problems the Nashville Predators had in Game One against the Vancouver Canucks. Nobody decided to show up besides Pekka Rinne and Mike Fisher, and the results everywhere but the scoreboard (due only to Rinne's performance) made that very apparent.

That said, the other side of the coin is this - they only lost by one goal, and it'd be nearly impossible for the team as a whole to play any worse than they did on Thursday night. There's room for improvement in every area, and a full 60 minutes will very likely do the job required to beat the Canucks and take home ice back to Nashville.

As bad as the Predators were, the Canucks were just as good, and I doubt that they can bring the same type of performance two games in a row. If Nashville can shake the deer-in-the-headlights look and capitalize on the mistakes that are sure to come, they'll find themselves right back where they were in round one - headed back to Bridgestone Arena with a 1-1 split.

"We win and lose as a group of 20 every night," Barry Trotz said on Thursday, and that's really what it will come down to tonight. The Canucks are too good for Nashville to stroll around and wait for some lucky bounces, but just ask the Anaheim Ducks what happens when all 20 Predators contribute. I expect we'll see more of the latter than the former tonight at Rogers Centre.

While you're getting ready for the game, listen to a report from Preds' play-by-play man Pete Weber, on the scene yesterday in Vancouver (MP3):

Pete Weber 4-29-2011

Tonight's projected lineups:

Nashville:

Pekka Rinne

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 207

Born: Nov 03, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2010 - Pekka Rinne	64	3789	33	22		134	2.12	1905	1771	.930	6

Forwards

Kostitsyn - Fisher - Hornqvist

Ward - Legwand - Erat

Tootoo - Smithson - Spaling

Sullivan (A) - Geoffrion - Halischuk

Defense

Weber (C) - Suter (A)

Blum - Klein

Franson - O'Brien

Vancouver:

Roberto Luongo

#1 / Goalie / Vancouver Canucks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 04, 1979

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2010 - Roberto Luongo	60	3590	38	15		126	2.11	1753	1627	.928	4

Forwards

D. Sedin (A) - H. Sedin (C) - Samuelsson

Raymond - Kesler (A) - Burrows

Hansen - Lapierre - Higgins

Glass - Oreskovich - Torres

Defense

Hamhuis - Bieksa

Edler - Ehrhoff

Ballard - Rome

Is it time for the Nashville Predators to free Willy?

Chris Burton — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:59:41 -0000

During their first round series with the Anaheim Ducks, the Nashville Predators didn't make any lineup changes for any reason but injury, despite having multiple options available at the forward position.

After laying an egg at both ends of the ice last night against the Vancouver Canucks, however (which was arguably their worst performance of the playoffs), it may be time to take a look at some of the options lying in reserve - specifically second year forward Colin Wilson.

Colin Wilson

#33 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 214

Born: Oct 20, 1989

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2010 - Colin Wilson	82	16	18	34	9	17	2	0	2		101

For much of last night, the Predators failed to generate anything at all offensively, and finished with just 20 shots on Roberto Luongo. Luongo's a Vezina Trophy finalist for a reason, and will rarely have trouble with such a light workload.

Despite all of his defensive faults, Colin Wilson has the ability to work magic in the offensive zone. He possesses basically everything you'd want in a power forward - size, strength, shot, stickhandling, and the ability to make the superb pass. He received limited time on ice in the regular season due to continually taking defensive zone siestas, yet still managed 16 goals and 18 assists.

The Nashville Predators have a glut of defensively responsible forwards. Nick Spaling, Jerred Smithson, Jordin Tootoo, Joel Ward, Martin Erat, David Legwand, Mike Fisher, and Sergei Kostitsyn are all more than capable of handling themselves defensively, so I wonder why, at this point, Barry Trotz is leaving one of his most dangerous weapons in the press box at a time when, against the league's best defensive team, goals will be at a premium.

Here's the bottom line: the Predators can afford to take Matt Halischuk out of the lineup. He hustles, certainly, but his true contributions are negligible at best. Colin Wilson's upside is far greater, and even in a limited role Willy has shown that he can change a game in an instant.

Wilson is very likely to be angered and motivated by playing 82 regular season games, then promptly being a healthy scratch for the postseason's first seven. That can only be a good thing.

What do you think? Is it time for Barry Trotz to pull the mothballs off the former first round pick and Hobey Baker finalist, or should the Predators continue with the lineup that got them this far?