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

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.

NHL Draft 1st Round Wrapup: Nada for Nashville

Despite some blockbuster trades taking place on the floor of the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh tonight, the Nashville Predators stood pat and watched the first round go by without any activity on their part. The draft picks up with the second round tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. Central, with the Preds currently holding two picks in that round.

But wow, check out those trades:

New York Islanders-Ducks Trade: Lubomir Visnovsky for 2013 2d-Round Pick - Lighthouse Hockey
What a beauty pickup for the Isles. It's an instant injection of talent and experience, along with a fat $5.6 million salary cap hit (to help them reach the floor) but only a $3 million salary next season.

Caps Acquire Mike Ribeiro - Japers' Rink
Well, at least he won't rip up the Preds so much any more.

Pittsburgh Trades Jordan Staal to Carolina for 8th Overall Pick, Brandon Sutter - PensBurgh
This, after Staal declined a 10-year extension from the Pens. Now, he joins his brother Eric in Carolina.

Predators & Penguins Just Talking

Fans following the draft on Twitter got all excited about word that David Poile spoke with Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero on a few occasions. Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at least let us know what those conversations were apparently about:

Told #pens are looking into rights to Ryan Suter. They tried similar with Hamhuis 2 years ago #nhldraft

— Rob Rossi (@RobRossi_Trib) June 23, 2012

Of course, David Poile has made a great show of declaring that he will not trade Suter's rights ahead of July 1, as a sign of "loyalty", but you have to wonder what the offer might have been.

For a host of stories coming out of tonight's draft, head over to the SB Nation NHL Draft hub, which ties together articles from all around our hockey network.

2012 NHL Draft Day 2 Thread

Rise and shine, Preds fans, today's going to have much more to offer in terms of local activity, and I'd expect we'll see the trade market simmer down after yesterday's big moves.

It all starts at 9:00 a.m. Central on NHL Network, with Nashville having the following picks:

Round 2: #37 & 50

Round 3: #66

Round 4: #112 & 118

Round 5: #142

Round 6: #164 & 172

Round 7: #179

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

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.

NHL Draft 2012: Nashville Predators pick Jimmy Vesey at #66

With their 3rd pick today, the Nashville Predators have chosen Jimmy Vesey, a left winger out of Boston (would Tim Thomas approve?) who is slated to play for Harvard.

This, from HockeyJournal.com:

After being passed over a year ago, Vesey (who was NEHJ's No. 3 draft prospect for 2011) put his energy and focus into proving all 30 NHL clubs who passed on him wrong for doing so.

"I think Vesey's the best draft-eligible player coming out of the area," one NHL scout said recently. "He may be a year older, but you can't deny the fact that he has size, skill and hockey sense. He put everything together and was a man on a mission for South Shore (of the EJHL) this year."

Much like Craig Smith previously, Vesey went undrafted in his first year of eligibility before taking a big step forward this season. It looks like he will have a chance to become a 2nd-generation NHL player.

The Boston Herald also has this:

Vesey, a 6-foot-2, 198-pounder, broke the EJHL single-season scoring record (48-43-91 totals), won the league MVP award and also took home the Bruins' John Carlton Award for combining exceptional hockey skills with academic excellence (he is a recent graduate of North Reading High School).

"He's a guy who likes to carry the puck," Jim Vesey said. "He sees the ice exceptionally well and he makes good plays. I mean, I'm his dad, but he has a natural ability to score goals that you can't teach. He learned to play in the (EJHL), because guys came after him. I told him that's part of the game; guys are going to try and intimidate him. He learned to play with more of a chip on his shoulder. Jimmy learned to give it back as well as take it, play with more of an edge."

2012 NHL Draft: Nashville Predators trade for #89 pick, select Brendan Leipsic

After trading their 2013 3rd-round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for this year's #89 selection (29th in the 3rd round), the Nashville Predators selected another left winger, Brendan Leipsic of the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. At 5'8" and just 165 pounds, the question here will be how well he'll handle the physical aspects of professional hockey.

Copper & Blue has the following profile:

Leipsic's best attributes are probably his skating, speed, and energy. While he might sometimes get inconsistent results, his effort level is always consistent. Leipsic is a very energetic player who plays bigger than he is and plays a very physical game for a player of his size. He plays a very aggressive style. He has the talent to be a top 6 forward (probably on the second line, mind you, unless he really exceeds expectations) combined with the work ethic of a grinder.

And here's a little video of him in action, driving the net for an overtime winner:

2012 NHL Draft: Zachary Stepan chosen by Nashville Predators at #112

Moving to the 4th Round, the Nashville Predators took 6'0" 166 lb. center Zachary Stepan at #112 overall, making him the fifth straight forward chosen by the Preds in this draft. He comes out of the Shattuck-St. Mary's program which developed Sidney Crosby among many other top-flight prospects.

Hockey's Future has this on Stepan:

The cousin of the New York Rangers' Derek Stepan, Zach has both the speed and strength to compete at the next level, despite his small size. He has terrific control of his body and is able to create space very well. His vision and awareness on the ice is above average, as well. As with any small player, his size may be a concern, but he certainly plays larger than he looks.

SB Nation's Steve Lepore brings us audio of Stepan shortly after he was picked:

2012 NHL Draft:Mikko Vainonen picked by Nashville Predators at #118

It took a while, but the Nashville Predators finally drafted a defenseman, choosing Finnish blueliner Mikko Vainonen at #118. Highly ranked among European skaters, he's a 6'3" 205 pound defender at age 18, so perhaps there's still room to grow.

Hockey Prospectus offer this:

Vainonen is not a really gifted from an offensive standpoint as he won't be the kind of player who makes a seeing eye pass coming out of his own end, or leads a rush up the ice, but he's a solid, mobile defender who will deliver on some lower-tier value. Vainonen has good size at about 6'3" and over 200 lbs, he uses his frame well and as displayed by his weight, he has a decent amount of muscle and strength for a player his age. Vainonen is also pretty mobile for a big defender, showing average to solid-average speed and four-way movements that is quite good for a player his size. He closes his gaps well, is smart with his positioning and stickwork, and overall has the build of an effective defensive defenseman. That being said, Vainonen has a little bit of touch with the puck, but it's more being able to make basic maneuvers or the odd move as opposed to above-average skill. I also don't see Vainonen as anything beyond a basic puck mover.

Watch him in action, big #4:

Draft Day arrives while trade winds swirl: Friday's notes

Judging by the internet chatter among the mainstream hockey media, you'd think we approaching Trade Deadline Day rather than the 2012 NHL Draft, which gets underway with the first round tonight (6:00 p.m. Central on NBC Sports). Perhaps due to the dearth of quality free agents available this summer, it sounds like a number of big-name players are being dangled on the trade market, with the latest being Phoenix defenseman Keith Yandle...

Go to People & Places -> Best Blog & cast your daily vote for OTF in the Toast of Music City 2012!

Nashville Predators News

Smashville 24/7 - Predators draft primer
A handy guide as to what picks the Preds have available tonight.

Former assistant Dean Evason on his seven years with Caps | WashingtonExaminer.com
The new Milwaukee Admirals head coach was disappointed not to get the Washington job, but still has the NHL in mind.

More From Coach Evason | Admirals Roundtable
Ryan surveys the beginning of the Dean Evason era in Milwaukee.

Nashville Predators look toward future as draft day arrives | The Tennessean
This is the amateur scouting staff's time to shine.

Predators plan for a double take in second round of NHL draft | Nashville City Paper
A pair of second round picks is nice, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Preds do something to trade up.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Hearing #coyotes have put yandle back In play. He was available for the right price @ the deadline.Deal is close. #sndraft

— Daren Millard (@darenmillard) June 22, 2012

Draft Day Preview: Should the Philadelphia Flyers Go After Weber, Nash, Ryan, or Suter? " The Hockey Guys
Dustin Leed argues that the Flyers should hold off from targeting a big name, at the expense of some of their young talent.

Rumblings: Flyers interested in Bobby Ryan - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN
Judging from all the chatter, this weekend could be super busy on the trade market, and the reappearance of Bobby Ryan on the scene has added an extra sense of chaos.

The salary’s not the thing for enlightened GMs - The Globe and Mail
I think the real point is that, given how younger players' salaries are kept below market value due to RFA status, it's OK to overpay a few key players if they provide specific skills that can't otherwise be found.

Jordan Staal "Not Prepared" To Sign Extension with Penguins at this time - PensBurgh
10 years and $60 million weren't enough to get Staal to the altar...

The Peerless Prognosticator: And then there was one...
Now that LeBron James has won a title, does the pressure get amped up on Alex Ovechkin?

Making Sense of the 2012 NHL Draft

Well Predators fans, its that time of year when we have to swallow our pride over the NHL Award snubs (like we do every year) and focus on the future of our franchise.

With the 2012 NHL Draft looming, NHL scouts across the league are rigorously preparing their final analyses and draft boards. Meetings between GMs and scouts have been going on for days as they check and recheck their lists. It's an exciting time if you are a hockey fan as the masses look to promising future of their young prospects. It's a time of trades and excitement as players' stock rise and fall at the drop of a hat. This year's draft is considered to be one of the most unpredictable ones in years.

For those of you who don't know me, I am a recent graduate of Miami University (the one in Ohio not the one in Florida). I've been a long time hockey fan and a diehard Nashville Predators fan since 2002. My family and I are involved in youth hockey in Nashville and I have been working in Miami's Athletic Communication's Department.

Now that is out of the way, let's get down to business as I help you navigate this year's NHL draft. My rankings are based on players that I feel are the best players available, not where I think they will go in the draft. Below my scouting analysis you will see where I think they will be picked and which team will pick them. No further introduction needed, let's get started.

1. RW Nail Yakupov, Sarnia Sting (OHL) - Yakupov has all the speed, vision, and offensive flare to be successful in the NHL. He has been the top projected prospect all year. Arguably the best skater in the draft and has an NHL ready IQ, the only question mark for Nail is if he is too good to be true...and if the already talented up front Oilers will trade the first pick. Projection: Pick #1 to the Edmonton Oilers

2. LW Filip Forsberg, Leksands (SEL) - Forsberg has the size, speed, strength, and size to be a force in the NHL. While not as talented as Nail, Forsberg brings intangibles that will make him an NHL star. Some people have compared him to Anaheim's Corey Perry. Personally I don't see that, as Forsberg could bring more intangibles and determination than the Duck's winger. At any rate, Forsberg has all the makings to be the next big star in the NHL. He has the heart to compete night in and night out. Projection: Pick #2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets

3. D Ryan Murray, Everett Silvertips (WHL) - Ryan Ellis 2.0. Murray has the offensive upside, good size and leadership that most teams are going to covet. Widely considered to be the most NHL ready prospect. While he is a solid pick, some predict that Reinhart will have a better future in the NHL. As of right now, however, Murray is more NHL ready, and thus more valuable at this position. Projection: Pick #4 to the New York Islanders

4. C Mikhail Grigorenko, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) - Grigorenko is an enigma to be sure. He is, by far and away, the biggest question mark of this year's draft. He has the talent to go easily in the top 5 picks but a plethora of concerns are destroying his stock. The "Russian Factor," a phenomenon Pred Nation is all too familiar with, is one knock on him. Any team that picks him has to deal with the constant fear of him fleeing to the KHL in addition to possible character issues. Any team that needs a top center (I'm looking at you, Toronto) will have to consider him despite these concerns. His shot is decent, but his passing, 6'3" size, and outstanding combination of offense and solid defense are truly what make him an intriguing pick. To be honest, I have to put him in the top five because Grigorenko is top five talent. Question remains will he go in the top five, let alone the top ten. Projection: Pick #5 to the Toronto Maple Leafs

5. D Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) - If not for the promise of Grigorenko and the readiness of Murray, I think Reinhart would easily be in the top 3. While still a little rough around the edges, Reinhart has the size (6'4) and vision to be a complete NHL player. If he really focuses on being a pro and develops a better shot, he could be a Shea Weber caliber defenseman. Should Reinhart fall past five, I suspect some teams in later rounds will attempt to trade up for him. If Poile had a first round pick, I could see him trying to get Reinhart. Projection: Pick #6 to the Anaheim Ducks

6. C Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting (OHL) - Galchenyuk is probably the best center in the draft. He has the whole package, including great hands, vision, and passing coupled with decent size and the "it" factor when it comes to competiveness. The biggest knock on him is something that is out of his control: he played on the same line as top prospect Nail Yakupov. There is some concern his numbers are inflated by this, but he is still a great player in his own right. Projection: Pick #3 to the Montreal Canadians

7. RW Teuvo Terravainen, Jokerit (SM-Liiga) - Ryan Ellis is not the only human rocket ship. No one has gone from zero to hero like Terravainen, literally scaling the NHL draft board in a single bound. He is undersized, a fact that is detracting from his stock, but arguably has the slickest hands in the draft and exceptional vision to boot. He is truly an offensive dynamo that, while barely known early in the year, is suddenly one of the most sought after prospects in the draft. He is the best thing coming out of Finland since Minnesota's Granlund. Terravainen could be a boom-or-bust prospect. I have a suspicion that the Ducks pick Terravainen and have Teemu Selanne mentor him on how to succeed in the NHL. Projection: Pick #8 to the Carolina Hurricanes

8. D Morgan Reilly, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) - This WHL defenseman is drawing a few rough comparisons to Predator Ryan Ellis, and, while they aren't 100% accurate, they give you an idea. Reilly is faster and slightly bigger (though still undersized), but both are elite offensive defenseman and power play quarterbacks. No one dares to question Reilly's offensive prowess, be it speed, passing, or leading the rush, but his defensive game leaves a bit to be desired. He is average when it comes to his positioning, but rarely takes the body, something that should worry some teams but surely won't as puck moving blue-liners of his talent are rare. Projection: Pick #9 to the Winnipeg Jets

9. D Jacob Trouba, USA-U18 (USHL) - Where Morgan Reilly is the archetype of the offensive-defenseman, Trouba is a jack of all traits. He is fast, has a laser shot, is a good passer, has very good size, and plays solid defense. He doesn't have the offensive ceiling of Reilly, but is solid and steady, which most teams should value highly. He also has the ability to dish out some serious hits due to his 6'2" frame.

Projection: Pick #10 to the Tampa Bay Lightning

10. D Hampus Lindholm, Rogle Jr. (SWE) - In the 2008 NHL Draft, a highly skilled Swedish defenseman flew up the rankings late and was selected by the Ottawa Senators at #15. Erik Karlsson is now a Norris Trophy winner, and I think Lindholm will have some GMs (and in truth, yours truly) seeing images of dancing sugar plum Karlssons in their heads. Lindholm, a late riser, is the complete package as he is good at both offense and defense. He is big, occasionally physical, with very good vision,= and altogether solid defense. Lindholm looks like a solid second pairing defenseman for whichever team gets him. I think Trouba will be better than the Swede, but I am very high on Lindholm. Projection: Pick #12 to the Buffalo Sabers

11. D Mathew Dumba, Red Deer Rebels, (WHL) - This one is hard for me, not because it is the end of the top ten but because I really am not drinking the Dumba Gatorade. There is a lot of P.K. Subban in Dumba, for better or for worse. He is explosive and exciting, albeit a little undersized and some potential character issues. He has mastered the art of delivering crushing hits, and has a booming slapshot, two parts of the game that are very hard to master. He is a very flashy player, but some questions remain about his consistency and smarts. He has the exciting plays down, but must improve the "boring" parts of his game, such as puck control and positioning if he wants to be an NHL star. If Dumba can connect the tools he has, he will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. If a team finds a good coach who will have patience with him, I think Dumba could be a great pick up in this year's draft. Projection: Pick #7 to the Minnesota Wild

12. D Olli Maatta, London Knights (OHL) - Maatta, teammate of Predators prospect Austin Watson, is another late-riser. He caught fire in the playoffs, putting up 23 points in 19 games, making him a major reason for the Knights' OHL Championship. He doesn't have Dumba's hitting, Reilly's passing, or Reinhart's size, but he is good at just about everything. Ryan Suter is a name that has been brought up as a style comparison, though I think that may be a bit generous in this case. Projection: Pick #11 to the Washington Capitals

13. D Cody Ceci, Ottawa 67's (OHL) - Ceci is versatile. For the 67's, he played a ton of minutes on the power play and the pk. He, like Maatta and Trouba, doesn't quite have the high specific skills of Dumba and Reilly, but is very well rounded. Any team that wants a player who can be good in all situations instead of great in one will love to land Ceci. Projection: Pick #13 to the Dallas Stars

14. C Radek Faksa, Kitchener Rangers (OHL) - Faksa is the definition of power forward. The 6'3" pivot plays for the OHL's Kitchner Rangers, the same team where Rookie of the Year winner Gabriel Landeskog played his junior hockey, and it should be no surprise that he is getting comparisons to the Av's winger. Faksa is rock-solid defensively, can pass very well, and has no qualms about playing a physical game. He is the total package of size and talent that elite power forwards have to have in order to succeed in the NHL. One concern is his speed. Projection: Pick #15 to the Ottawa Senators

15. D Slater Koekkoek, Peterborough Petes (OHL) - In case you haven't noticed by now, this year's draft is all about the defensemen. Before the season Koekkoek was in the same area code as Dumba, Reilly, and Murray, but a season-ending injury resulted in a serious plummet in his draft stock. No doubt, some teams will ignore the injury and see the potential that Koekkoek has. Voted the best-named player in the draft, (joking, but I wish there was such an award), Koekkoek could be a steal if he falls this far. He is a steady defensive defenseman. While he doesn't demonstrate the offensive upside that many other prospects have, he is big, fast, and mean. He projects as a minute-eating shutdown defenseman in the NHL, though he may chip in a few points here or there. Projection: Pick #17 to the San Jose Sharks

16. C Tomas Hertl, Slavia Praha (CZE) - I present to you, my sleeper of this year's draft. While Hertl does have some physical skills, he has perhaps the best "hockey smarts" in the draft. Mentally, he is an elite player, possessing top-notch vision, anticipation, awareness, and probably one of if not the best passing abilities in the draft. He is average in speed (something he will really have to work on to succeed in the NHL) and shot, but his attention to detail makes him a potential star. Anything he lacks physically compared to the top players in the draft, he makes up for mentally. He's got the size and will power to be a champion.

Projection: Pick #16 to the Washington Capitals

17. RW Tom Wilson, Plymouth Whalers (OHL) - Honestly, Wilson is a less talented Faksa. Wilson is a power forward through and through with a big frame and mean streak. He is a late riser as well, flying up draft boards in the last few months. Simply put, he isn't going to give anyone an inch and if he is on your team, you are going to love him but playing against him is going to be absolutely no fun. He needs to work on his skating and passing, but fits in the mold of Milan Lucic if everything goes as planned, although most people fear he will never reach this potential. Projection: Pick #19 to the Tampa Bay Lightning

18. D Derrick Pouliot, Portland Winterhawks (WHL) - Don't worry, I didn't forget that we couldn't go two picks without a defenseman! Pouliot falls more into the Reilly mold as a very good offensive defenseman with elite passing and vision, as well as very good speed. He is, however, a little on the small side and not great at battling in front of the net. Any team that gets Derrick knows they are bringing in someone that will be an incredible power play quarterback, but may leave quite a bit to be desired in the defensive zone (would not fit will in Trotz's system). Still, he is a talented player that could be a solid second paring d-man in the mid first round. Projection: Pick #21 to the Buffalo Sabers

19. C Zemgus Girgensons, Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) Girgensons does a little bit of everything, but doesn't do anything at an elite level besides have an incredible name (can we please get an award for this?). Some people are really high on him, as I have seen him anywhere from 11 to 24. Personally, I am a bit lukewarm. At 6'2", he has good size and brings a lot of physical play. No one is going to question his desire to win and he gives it every shift. His two greatest weapons are his physical play and his never-say-die attitude, even if he doesn't have the talent of some of the guys ahead of him. Girgensons is a true blue collared player. While he doesn't have the top-notch upside of Galchenyuk or even Faksa, he is a very safe pick to make it to the NHL and be the 3rd line pivot that teams dread facing as he bulldozes over their top line. Projection: Pick #14 to the Calgary Flames

20. C Brendan Gaunce, Belleville Bulls (OHL) - When I was doing research on Gaunce, I could have sworn I had clicked on Mike Fisher's or even David Legwand's profile. This guy is the consummate Predator in every way. He is a center known for being effective in both zone, but not incredible in either. Versatile in every way, he can play in any situation, as well as being a productive winger when asked to do so. Gaunce is a big game, pressure player who will find a happy home centering the second or third line of an NHL team. Projection: Pick #23 to the Florida Panthers

21. D Matt Finn, Guelph Storm (OHL) - Finn, like many other defensive prospects in this draft, is simply solid all-around without being amazing at any one thing. He did put up 48 points in 61 games, but any defenseman that scores that often and still has a negative plus-minus rating is a slight red flag. Still, Finn is a solid, versatile defenseman that is never out of position and plays all facets of the game well but not great. Some people have him very high on their draft boards, but I do not. Projection: Pick #20 to the Philadelphia Flyers

22. D Brady Skjei, USA-U18 (USHL) - With a 6'3" frame, you'd expect Skjei to be a tough, physical player, but he simply is not any of that. Instead, he is a great skater that passes very well and is positionally sound which makes him a valuable defenseman. He has excellent anticipation and confidence, but isn't very dynamic offensively and is subtler in his abilities. I don't think we have really seen this guy do everything he can do as he has plenty of room to grow into his frame and develop a more explosive style of play. If he starts using his large frame, his value will only rise. Projection: Pick #24 to the Boston Bruins

23. RW Sebastien Collberg, Frolunda Indians (SEL) - While players like Wilson, Hertl, and others have trended upward on draft boards, Collberg has been in free fall. Most of this has to do with his smallish size. Collberg is a speedy, offensively gifted winger that can play physical (but you really don't want him to at NHL level), but is more effective in the European style of play. The undersized winger has some great talent, but his weight and height are big concerns. That said, he is a goal-scorer, and some team could get a steal in the late first round if he can bring the rest of his game up to match his exceptional shot. Projection: Pick #22 to the Pittsburgh Penguins

24. G Oscar Dansk, Byrans (SEL) - Our first goaltender on my list, Dansk is actually at the bottom of the holy trinity of goalies (Dansk, Subban, and Vasilevski) but I think he has the makings of being the best of them. While not all that impressive physically, Dansk has the "it" factor for me. He has great net presence and technique, something that can't be coached. Dansk is the most positionally sound of the goaltenders projected to go in the first round and has all the mental ability to be a stud between the pipes for an NHL team. Goaltending is 1/3 mental, 1/3 physical, and 1/3 emotional. Dansk has the two important ones (mental and emotional) down. Now he just has to get in the weight room with a good coach and get the physical part down. Projection: Pick #29 to the New Jersey Devils

25. C Stefan Matteau, USA-U18 (USHL) Matteau is a raw player who is aggressive and scary to play against. He needs to be refined and to some degree have his emotions reigned in, but his physical play and smooth skating point toward a long NHL career. He loves to crash the net and has the tenacity to be effective doing it, though sometimes Matteau may be a little too excited about his job. He is of decent height at 6'1", but he is thick and strong, weighing in at 210 lbs. Matteau is seen by most as an excellent bottom six forward in the NHL, but if he can put it all together, I think he could become more than that. Projection: Pick #25 to the St. Louis Blues

26. G Andrei Vasilevski, Ufa Tolpar (RUS) - Vasilevski is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. Andrei seems immune to the effects of pressure, and has all of the physical tools required of a starting goaltender. He played this season in the Russian equivalent to Major Juniors, but his real exposure and rise in draft stock came in the World Junior Championships, where he absolutely shined for Russia, posting a .953 save percentage. Andrei plays a mostly stand-up style, making him one of the few goaltenders in the world that does not consistently use the butterfly. There are questions about his consistency, and the Russian Factor is obviously in play, but he has the tools to be an NHL starter. It remains to be seen how his unusual style will carry over to the big leagues. Projection: Pick #31 to the Columbus Blue Jackets (2^nd round pick)

27. LW Phillip Di Giuseppe, Michigan (CCHA) - Di Giuseppe may not have the best shot, but he is still an offensive weapon as he parks himself in front of the net effectively enough to score goals. Like the Predator's Patric Hornqvist, this University of Michigan winger goes to the front of the net without any fear (though he doesn't have to worry about Shea Weber's shot in the CCHA). As a Miami University alum, I remember dreading playing Michigan, especially when Di Giuseppe was on the ice. He is also every bit the competitor that Hornqvist is. He is a little bit light and needs to fill out his frame if he is going to succeed in the NHL. Mama Di Giuseppe needs to fill him up with some good home cooking. Projection: Pick #26 to the Vancouver Canucks

28. G Malcom Subban, Belleville Bulls (OHL) - The younger brother of the Habs P.K. Subban, Malcom is the top North American goaltender in the draft. I guess that's not too bad for a player who started playing goaltender at the age of 12. As might be expected for someone with only six years experience between the pipes, Subban is unrefined at worst. He is not NHL ready and is going to be a bit of a project for which ever team drafts him. He has exceptional movement, speed, and reflexes, but his positioning and form are hardly elite. That said, he will make serious improvement as he is still not even close to the top of his development curve. Subban is a risk, but if it works out, his athleticism, movement speed, and fiery attitude could make him Carey Price 2.0. Subban has the tools but questions remain if he can put it all together. Personally, I hope he does, as I would love to see Malcom and his brother pull shenanigans at the NHL All-Star Games. Projection: Pick #18 to the Chicago Blackhawks

29. RW Martin Frk, Halifax (QMJHL) - Another possible sleeper, Frk has been all over the map on most draft boards from top 15 to mid second round. He is a big forward with the touch of a goal scorer. Frk possesses one of the best shots in the draft and is a fiery player on top of that. Personally, I really think this kid has a very high ceiling. He has a very good chance at being an elite NHL sniper if he can bring it every night and work on his skating. If Frk drops any further than this, David Poile should really try to trade up to get him. Projection: Pick #27 to the Phoenix Coyotes

30. D Ludvig Bystrom, Modo (SEL) - A solid two way defenseman, Bystrom has the ability to be a decent 2^nd pairing defenseman at NHL level. He uses his body well, moves the puck well, and is steady. He will need to put on some weight and try to learn the NHL game, but this shouldn't be a problem for a player with Bystrom's talent and vision. Projection: Pick #30 to the Los Angels Kings

31. LW Tanner Pearson, Barrie Colts (OHL) - Pearson is a truly bizarre case. He was drafted in the 16th round of the OHL entry draft, and then passed over not once, but twice in the NHL Draft. Now, as a 20 year old over-ager, he suddenly found his offensive game, and he found it in a big way, breaking out for 91 points in 61 games in the OHL. Certainly teams will be concerned that he is two years old than his competition, but anyone scoring nearly a point and half per game deserves consideration. He is effective both as a passer and shooter, and could be a dangerous player at the next level. This is another player Poile should strongly consider, especially if he drops out of the first round like some people project. Projection: Pick #28 to the New York Rangers

I am sure some of you are suffering from information overload at this point, but give me just a couple more minutes to list some names that the Predators might be interested in with their two second round picks (should they not trade them... but I think they will trade one).

With the 37^th pick the Predators select...

D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon (WHL)

C Lukas Sutter, Saskatoon (WHL)

LW Tanner Pearson, Barrie (OHL)

RW Martin Frk, Halifax (QMJHL)

C Mark Jankowski, Stanstead (QC)

D Jordan Schmaltz, Green Bay (USHL)

LW Nicolas Kerdiles, USNTDP (USHL)

With the 50^th pick Predators select...

D Damon Severson, Kelowna (WHL)

LW Erik Karlsson, Frolunda HC (SWE)

D Jake McCabe, Wisconsin (WCHA)

C Devin Shore, Whitby (OJHL)

I would like to say a special thank you to my brother for helping me put this together and spending countless hours on the phone debating the merits of each prospect. My wonderful and beautiful girlfriend also deserves some recognition as she has been a trooper while I worked on perfecting this list.

Thanks for reading!

Nashville Predators' 2012-2013 Schedule Announced

The Nashville Predators announced their schedule for the 2012-2013 season, which the Preds will open once again with back-to-back games against division opponents.

Dirk will be along later with his annual Super Schedule, which details the travel miles each team faces, but here are a few highlights from the Preds schedule:

• Nashville opens on the road against the Red Wings, before coming home to face the Blues the next night.
• From the East, the Preds play Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington both at home and on the road; Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Carolina, New Jersey and Buffalo on the road only; and Pittsburgh, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Boston and Ottawa at home only.
• The longest road trip is a seven-game stretch from Oct. 22-Nov. 6.

Full schedule after the jump:

Day	Date	Opponent	Time		Day	Date	Opponent	Time
Fri.	Oct. 12	at Detroit	6:30 p.m.		Tue.	Jan. 8	Chicago	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Oct. 13	St. Louis	7:00 p.m.		Fri.	Jan. 11	at St. Louis	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Oct. 16	Colorado	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	Jan. 12	Columbus	7:00 p.m.
Thu.	Oct. 18	Vancouver	7:00 p.m.		Tue.	Jan. 15	Dallas	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Oct. 20	Pittsburgh	7:00 p.m.		Thu.	Jan. 17	at Columbus	6:00 p.m.
Mon.	Oct. 22	at Anaheim	9:00 p.m.		Sat.	Jan. 19	Chicago	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Oct. 23	at Los Angeles	9:30 p.m.		Mon.	Jan. 21	Los Angeles	5:00 p.m.
Thu.	Oct. 25	at Phoenix	9:00 p.m.		Wed.	Jan. 30	at Anaheim	9:00 p.m.
Sat.	Oct. 27	at Colorado	8:00 p.m.		Thu.	Jan. 31	at Los Angeles	9:30 p.m.
Tue.	Oct. 30	at San Jose	9:30 p.m.		Sat.	Feb. 2	at San Jose	9:30 p.m.
Fri.	Nov. 2	at Chicago	7:30 p.m.		Thu.	Feb. 7	Anaheim	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Nov. 6	at Winnipeg	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	Feb. 9	at Washington	6:00 p.m.
Thu.	Nov. 8	Calgary	7: 00 p.m.		Tue.	Feb. 12	Florida	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Nov. 10	St. Louis	7:00 p.m.		Thu.	Feb. 14	Phoenix	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Nov. 13	Los Angeles	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	Feb. 16	Anaheim	7:00 p.m.
Thu.	Nov. 15	NY Islanders	7:00 p.m.		Mon.	Feb. 18	Boston	5:00 p.m.
Sat.	Nov. 17	at St. Louis	7:00 p.m.		Tue.	Feb. 19	at Minnesota	7:00 p.m.
Mon.	Nov. 19	at Montreal	6:30 p.m.		Fri.	Feb. 22	Vancouver	7:00 p.m.
Wed.	Nov. 21	Dallas	7:00 p.m.		Sun.	Feb. 24	at New Jersey	12:00 p.m.
Fri.	Nov. 23	at Columbus	6:00 p.m.		Tue.	Feb. 26	Edmonton	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Nov. 24	Columbus	7:00 p.m.		Thu.	Feb. 28	St. Louis	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Nov. 27	Edmonton	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	March 2	at Buffalo	6:00 p.m.
Thu.	Nov. 29	N.Y. Rangers	7:00 p.m.		Tue.	March 5	Ottawa	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Dec. 1	Minnesota	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	March 9	Minnesota	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Dec. 4	at Edmonton	8:30 p.m.		Tue.	March 12	at Columbus	6:00 p.m.
Thu.	Dec. 6	at Vancouver	9:00 p.m.		Thu.	March 14	at Vancouver	9:00 p.m.
Sun.	Dec. 9	at Calgary	6:00 p.m.		Fri.	March 15	at Calgary	8:00 p.m.
Tue.	Dec. 11	Calgary	7:00 p.m.		Sun.	March 17	at Edmonton	7:00 p.m.
Thu.	Dec. 13	at Toronto	6:00 p.m.		Tue.	March 19	Phoenix	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Dec. 15	Detroit	7:00 p.m.		Thu.	March 21	San Jose	7:00 p.m.
Tue.	Dec. 18	Tampa Bay	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	March 23	Columbus	7:00 p.m.
Thu.	Dec. 20	at Carolina	6:00 p.m.		Tue.	March 26	at Detroit	6:30 p.m.
Sat.	Dec. 22	at Tampa Bay	6:00 p.m.		Thu.	March 28	Detroit	7:00 p.m.
Sun.	Dec. 23	at Florida	5:00 p.m.		Sat.	March 30	at Colorado	2:00 p.m.
Wed.	Dec. 26	at Chicago	7:30 p.m.		Mon.	April 1	Colorado	7:00 p.m.
Thu.	Dec. 27	Philadelphia	7:00 p.m.		Tue.	April 2	at St. Louis	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Dec. 29	Washington	7:00 p.m.		Thu.	April 4	at Chicago	7:30 p.m.
Mon.	Dec. 31	at Dallas	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	April 6	Chicago	7:00 p.m.
Wed.	Jan. 2	at Phoenix	8:30 p.m.		Tue.	April 9	San Jose	7:00 p.m.
Fri.	Jan. 4	at Detroit	6:30 p.m.		Thu.	April 11	Detroit	7:00 p.m.
Sat.	Jan. 5	at Minnesota	7:00 p.m.		Sat.	April 13	at Dallas	7:00 p.m.

How far does your favorite team travel? Consult the NHL Super Schedule

The Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres are the big winners today with the NHL's release of the 2012-2013 Regular Season schedule, when you examine the travel burden faced by all 30 teams.

Thanks to the fact that this season will not have opening games over in Europe, the Kings will travel more than 10,000 fewer miles than last season, when they led the league. The Sabres, who had to cope with a league-most 21 sets of games played on back-to-back nights in 2011-2012, now have the 2nd-fewest in the NHL, with only 11 on tap for the upcoming campaign.

This marks the 5th year I've taken the NHL's regular season schedule and added in information that tells you how far each team travels along the way during the 82-game grind, how many times they have to play on back-to-back nights, and some strength-of-schedule information as well.

Follow along for all the scoop!

So here's how this works: for each team, I walked through their schedule from Game 1 to Game 82, adding up the miles traveled from one game to the next (as the crow flies, using arena addresses). If a team has road games immediately before and after the All Star break, I add in a trip home between those games, and I've considered the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor as well.

One tweak I've made this year when you check out the full Google Spreadsheet is rather than show separate columns for Shots/Game and Shots Allowed/Game for the opponent in each game, I've gone with Team Fenwick percentage in 5-on-5 when the game is tied (from Behind The Net).

The table below, however, breaks down the travel situation by team, and throws in a comparison to last season (you can click the headers to re-sort the table based on that value). The columns show the total travel miles, the number of sets of back-to-back games, and the number of one-game road trips a team has to make:

Team	2012-13 Miles	2012-13 B to B	2012-13 1 Gm Trips	2011-12 Miles	2011-12 B to B	2011-12 1 Gm Trips
Anaheim Ducks	41,529	13	9	50,130	13	10
Boston Bruins	32,661	15	16	33,770	13	11
Buffalo Sabres	33,201	11	19	35,911	21	23
Carolina Hurricanes	37,371	14	24	38,114	16	24
Columbus Blue Jackets	41,171	16	15	42,831	16	17
Calgary Flames	46,503	14	7	49,104	10	5
Chicago Blackhawks	38,297	16	25	39,288	17	20
Colorado Avalanche	47,748	13	9	48,945	10	18
Dallas Stars	50,746	12	12	49,622	14	17
Detroit Red Wings	39,032	13	16	42,865	14	20
Edmonton Oilers	47,348	12	6	50,006	12	10
Florida Panthers	48,880	13	7	52,751	14	8
Los Angeles Kings	45,152	12	9	55,591	15	13
Minnesota Wild	43,469	15	11	42,860	11	12
Montreal Canadiens	35,659	15	28	39,174	13	19
New Jersey Devils	30,940	16	22	28,597	15	24
Nashville Predators	43,739	11	17	39,534	11	10
New York Islanders	30,072	16	23	32,410	13	20
New York Rangers	33,093	14	20	36,385	14	11
Ottawa Senators	30,614	13	17	33,915	17	20
Philadelphia Flyers	27,750	15	22	34,193	13	20
Phoenix Coyotes	40,858	14	11	49,192	13	15
Pittsburgh Penguins	32,182	14	19	33,439	15	17
San Jose Sharks	46,393	9	9	43,994	14	5
St. Louis Blues	41,169	15	7	38,781	17	20
Tampa Bay Lightning	45,641	13	7	43,717	10	12
Toronto Maple Leafs	32,617	14	15	32,239	17	21
Vancouver Canucks	46,706	11	6	46,826	11	2
Winnipeg Jets	47,876	11	8	44,627	14	8
Washington Capitals	37,730	12	28	37,969	13	22
Average	39,872	13.4	14.8	41,559	13.9	15.1

Follow @Forechecker

NOTE: Minor update made after initial publication - I added a trip home for Christmas for the few teams that had road games immediately before & after.

Feel free to copy this table, or check out the full Google Spreadsheet and download a copy as well. Enjoy!

NHL spotlight moves from Las Vegas to Pittsburgh : Thursday's notes

While the players who got to participate in the NHL Awards can now head off for a well-deserved rest, league executives and hockey operations staff from all 30 teams headed to Pittsburgh today for the 2012 NHL Draft, which begins tomorrow evening with the 1st Round and concludes Saturday.

NOTE: This Saturday, 104.5 is hosting their annual SportsFest downtown at the Convention Center, which has grown into an impressive event with lots to do for sports fans of all stripes, young & old. As part of their Speaker Series, Brent Peterson and Pete Weber from the Nashville Predators will conduct a panel discussion at 3:00 p.m. Check 104.5 The Zone's website for details on tickets.

Follow on for a quick shot of daily hockey notes, which begin with a last look at what happened in Vegas, and move on to the upcoming Draft...

Go to People & Places -> Best Blog & cast your daily vote for OTF in the Toast of Music City 2012!

Nashville Predators News

NHLnumbers Podcast: Jacob Trouba, Gabe Desjardins and Dirk Hoag | NHLNumbers.com
Thanks to the gang here for having me on!

Inside Smashville " ‘The right guy got the Vezina’ – Rinne on Lundqvist and EA Sports NHL 13
Amanda caught up with the Predators after the big show.

Nashville nervous it could lose Suter, then Weber - NHL.com
Nervous? (wipes brow) Who's nervous?

Preds On The Glass: David Poile speaks before the 2012 NHL Awards Show (video)
It looks like Buddy jumped Poile in a dark alley on his way to last night's event.

Smashville 24/7 - Hornqvist an example for other draft long-shots
Cling to hope, ye late-round draft picks.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

2012 NHL draft -- An inside look at an NHL draft table - ESPN
That's what this draft needs, a big spinning wheel!

45 years of jet lag: What happens when teams cross time zones? | NHLNumbers.com
Here's one argument against the notion that travel across time zones make a big difference over the course of a season.

Habs File For Arbitration With Price - Habs Eyes On The Prize
Nothing could possibly go wrong here, right?

Brophy on Leafs: Burke plans to add experience - sportsnet.ca
Brian Burke's had enough time to rebuild the Maple Leafs, they need to start winning.

GM Cheveldayoff dismisses trade rumours surrounding Kane - TSN
So much for that Evander Kane talk.

Colorado Avalanche at 50-1 to win 2013 Stanley Cup - Denver Post
The Predators are listed at 12-1... how do you like them odds?

Las Vegas not Hockeytown while hosting 2012 NHL Awards - Adrian Dater - SI.com
Adrian Dater nicely sums up the scene from last night, both at the awards and afterward.

New On The Forecheck Podcast: Season 2, Episode 2

What better way to start your Friday than with a little dose of Preds talk? You know you're not going to be getting any work done today anyway, so why not listen to the latest edition of the On The Forecheck podcast?

Sam and I are joined today by friend of the show J.R. Lind. We touch on a host of topics around the NHL and the Preds' world, including the NHL Awards, Anders Lindback, Brandon Yip, the upcoming NHL Draft, and much more.

Follow after the jump to listen:

Your browser does not support the audio element. Click here to download the mp3.

Click here to access via iTunes.

Nashville Predators royally screwed at 2012 NHL Awards

It started with Shea Weber getting jobbed by just 12 points (1,069 to 1,057) for the Norris Trophy, and went mostly downhill from there. The Nashville Predators went 1-for-5 at the 2012 NHL Awards, with Mike Fisher taking home the only honor, that being the NHL Foundation Player Award for his oustanding charitable work.

Besides Fisher's (very) few seconds in the spotlight, however, the night went pretty poorly for the Preds:

• Clearly, the Professional Hockey Writers don't understand the "all-around" portion of the criteria for voting on the Norris Trophy. Erik Karlsson had a great year as an offensive specialist, but if you assembled a fantasy draft of all NHL players and let the GM's start new teams from scratch, nobody outside of Bryan Murray would pick Karlsson ahead of Shea Weber.
• The GM of the Year Award is a really cryptic one. With no stated criteria on what it should recognize, does it go to the guy who made the most impressive moves over the course of the season, or the one who did the long-term work to set his team up for success? Maybe Doug Armstrong won it because he made the call to fire his head coach and bring in Ken Hitchcock, who won the Jack Adams tonight. David Poile came in 3rd behind Armstrong and Dale Tallon of Florida (whose team didn't even win half their games).
• Claude Giroux (not surprisingly) beat Pekka Rinne for the EA Sports NHL13 cover vote, which of course is more marketing campaign than plebescite. According to EA, it was decided "by less than a one percent margin, in what was the closest matchup of the entire campaign." I'd be suspicious about how "incredibly close" so many of those battles seemed to be down the stretch. Yes, Preds fans are enthusiastic, but Flyers fan are no less so, and there's probably 10x as many of them.
• Henrik Lundqvist was the obvious choice for the Vezina Trophy. He had the buzz built early in the season and led the Rangers to the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Yes, Jonathan Quick was relied upon more heavily by the goal-starved L.A. Kings for most of the regular season, but they had to scramble down the stretch just to make the playoffs. Of course, he's got a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy to console him over the summer...

Well, look at the bright side, folks. If Weber actually won the Norris, his salary demands would probably (and justifiably) break previous records, right?

UPDATE: Shea Weber was named as a 1st Team NHL All-Star, his second consecutive season receiving that honor. Ryan Suter came in 6th in that voting, behind Weber, Karlsson, Zdeno Chara, Alex Pietrangelo, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

The 2012 Alternative NHL Awards: Hockey's Greatest Villains

We'll wrap up our 2012 Alternative NHL Awards with a look at hockey's great villains - the most frequent hookers, holders, slashers and bashers who end up serving time in the penalty box. There are many different flavors of on-ice criminality, and some players have made a real art form out of their preferred crimes...

Chairman of the Boards

Two players tied for the NHL lead with 5 Boarding penalties apiece, Anaheim's Luca Sbisa and Derek Dorsett of the Columbus Blue Jackets. We're going to give the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Boarding to Dorsett, however, given the fact that 3 of his 5 Boarding calls came in the offensive zone. We can forgive a defenseman for getting nasty protecting his own end of the ice, but Boarding in the offensive end? That's just stupid.

---

Derek Dorsett

#15 / Right Wing / Columbus Blue Jackets

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Born: Dec 20, 1986

---

---

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011 - Derek Dorsett	12	8	20	-11	235

---

Whack Attack

"Terrible" Ted Lindsay used to refer to his hockey stick as "The Great Equalizer", a multi-purpose tool that can not only be used to play the puck, but makes a pretty handy weapon, too. If we lump together all the vicious stick fouls into one category (Cross-checking, Slashing, Spearing) we have a runaway leader in Anaheim's Corey Perry, with 12 such penalties (as if you needed another reason to dislike him as a player). Three guys tied for second place here: Pittsburgh's James Neal, Carolina's Jussi Jokinen, and Vancouver's Alex Burrows.

---

Corey Perry

#10 / Right Wing / Anaheim Ducks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 212

Born: May 16, 1985

---

---

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011 - Corey Perry	37	23	60	-7	127

---

Hook 'em, Hold 'em, Do Whatever You Can

One of the signs of when a player gets beat defensively is how often they resort to obstruction-related fouls (Hooking, Holding, Interference, Tripping & Holding the Stick), so we'll categorize this as an all-around Sloppy Defender Award, won this year by Montreal's P.K. Subban with a total of 22 such penalties. Buffalo's Derek Roy came in close behind at 21, and we have a tie for 3rd place with Calgary's Mark Giordano and Vancouver's Henrik Sedin with 20 each.

---

P.K. Subban

#76 / Defenseman / Montreal Canadiens

Height: 6-0

Weight: 206

Born: May 13, 1989

---

---

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011 - P.K. Subban	7	29	36	+9	119

---

Greg Louganis Award

Diving is perhaps one of the riskiest endeavors in all of hockey. On the one hand, it's a violation of sportsmanship and when executed poorly, serves as an embarrassment to the player and his team. When worked to perfection, however, a dive can draw a call which generates a critical power play opportunity for your team (and merely gets called "a savvy bit of embellishment"). Referees tend not to call Diving for what it is (there were only 33 such calls during the regular season), but the leader this year was Alexander Semin of the Washington Capitals, with 3. Nashville's Jordin Tootoo and P.A. Parenteau of the New York Islanders tied for second with 2 each.

---

Alexander Semin

#28 / Left Wing / Washington Capitals

Height: 6-2

Weight: 205

Born: Mar 03, 1984

---

---

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011 - Alexander Semin	21	33	54	+9	56

---

Avoid the 'Zoid

Somebody needs to sit down with Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith and explain the Trapezoid Rule. Smith was whistled four times for playing the puck in the dreaded "no-goalie" zone, which is as many as happened around the entire rest of the NHL this season. Four different tenders got called once each.

---

Mike Smith

#41 / Goalie / Phoenix Coyotes

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Born: Mar 22, 1982

---

---

	GP	MIN	W	L	OTL	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Mike Smith	67	3903	38	18	10	144	2.21	2066	1922	.930	8

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Leave Those Poor Goalies Alone

Driving towards the front of the net is essential for any aspiring goal scorer, but plowing the goalie over is another thing entirely. This year, Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers led the league with 7 Goaltender Interference calls, just ahead of Ottawa's Nick Foligno and Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom with 6 each. What did those guys ever do to you, Harts?

---

Scott Hartnell

#19 / Left Wing / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Born: Apr 18, 1982

---

---

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2011 - Scott Hartnell	37	30	67	+19	136

---

Easy as 1... 2... 4???

Penalties don't get much more frustrating than bench minors for Too Many Men on the ice, and this year, the Florida Panthers led the way with 14 such calls (so much for that Kevin Dineen-for-the-Jack Adams Award talk, eh?). Following the Cats were the Detroit Red Wings with 12, then Dallas and Ottawa with 11 each. Among the most mathematically gifted teams were the Winnipeg Jets (2) and Los Angeles Kings (3).

So there you have it, another season's worth of penalty-related curiosities found by digging through the Play by Play files. Maybe one of these years I'll get invited out to Las Vegas to present these awards in person?

Follow @Forechecker

Preds stars ready for NHL Awards: Wednesday afternoon notes

The Nashville Predators are getting set for a big night in the NHL spotlight this evening, as the 2012 NHL Awards air at 6:00 p.m. Central, with several team members up for honors. Our afternoon hockey notes are stocked with interviews with these luminaries as they consider the possibility of bringing a major trophy back to Smashville...

Cast your daily vote for OTF in the Toast of Music City 2012!

Nashville Predators News

We start off with news that David Poile is really locking in that 2012-2013 roster, following up the report yesterday about Brandon Yip...

Predators signs Chris Mueller1 year / $550 000 (2 way)

--- Renaud Lavoie, RDS

Preds On The Glass: Mike Fisher speaks before the 2012 NHL Awards Show (video)
Buddy's working the camera again with an update from Vegas.

Smashville 24/7 - Rinne talks NHL 13 cover
Peks appreciates the support gathered here in Nashville for the cover vote, especially since he was back home in Finland at the time.

104-5 The Zone: Podcasts
Pekka Rinne came on the 3HL to talk about the NHL Awards, Ryan Suter, Alexander Radulov & more. The podcast will (at some point after the show) be posted here, so check back later. 102.5 The Game also has a slew of Predators guests this afternoon, so hockey talk is dominating the airwaves today.

The 303:30 – exclusive one-on-one with Pekka Rinne about the Vezina and the NHL13 cover | Section 303
The word "exclusive" has lost some zip, hasn't it?

Metro officials to be briefed on new Predators lease deal | The Tennessean
Slowly but surely, the new deal inches towards completion. As long as they authorize the city to make those checks out directly to Shea Weber & Ryan Suter, maybe this will all work out OK.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Rob Zombie will write, direct and produce a film about the Broad Street Bullies | Backhand Shelf
This will either be insanely great or thoroughly awful, but either way, it'll be a must-see.

At 2012 NHL Awards Pavel Datsyuk wary of life after Lidstrom - Adrian Dater - SI.com
Even if they pick up big names like Ryan Suter and/or Zach Parise this summer, it's the end of an era for Detroit.

CBJ Off-Season Update: Craig Hartsburg Joins the Coaching Staff - The Cannon
The 3-time head coach joins Todd Richards as an assistant.

Edmonton Oilers’ cupboard is stacked with blueline prospects, but is there a Ryan Murray or Justin Schultz among them? | Edmonton Journal
If they plan on contending for a playoff spot any time soon, the Oilers need help on the blueline. They shouldn't look for it at the top of this year's draft, however.

Assessing Skill, Risk and the Erik Karlsson Contract | NHLNumbers.com
Typically outstanding, unique analysis from Kent Wilson.

The Future of Jordan Staal | Overtime
He'd be dreamy in Nashville, wouldn't he?

Driving Play: The Implications Of A $70M Cap
The top of the NHL market has seemed to cool off in recent years.