Friday's Dump & Chase: Colin Wilson on Bettman: "I obviously don't like him"

Nashville Predators News

Nashville Predators enforcer Brian McGrattan has reasons to smile | The Tennessean
#winning

Wilson backs up his words to the Winnipeg Sun | Predators Insider
Kudos to Colin Wilson for speaking up. These are by far the most interesting quotes any Predator has given since the lockout began.

David Briley asks NHL for a refund | In Session
The City of Nashville just renegotiated the Predators' arena lease earlier this year. Did they not have the common sense to consider the possibility of a lockout, and how that might affect the team's ability to deliver on its economic promise? I've also wondered why the city would enter into a long-term agreement like that right before a new CBA could radically alter the team's finances, and hence its reliance on government funds.

Hockey Night in Nashville: Preds must find a way to continue positive momentum
Robby seems confident that the Predators' work in the community over the last few months will be rewarded whenever play resumes.

Kontinental Hockey League - All-Star Game - starting lineups announced
Sergei Kostitsyn will start for Team East.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Memphis Grizzlies Hire ESPN Writer John Hollinger as VP of Basketball Ops - Nashville Sports Hub
At one time I had dreams about putting stats analysis to work in the service of an NHL team. Kudos to Hollinger for earning that chance in the NBA.

The Edmonton Oilers are making a wise foray into analytics in an odd way | Backhand Shelf
Meanwhile, the Oilers are going the game-show route of perhaps bringing in an analyst.

The NHL's Best Hope: Contraction - Forbes
Yet another contraction argument is raised, but I have yet to see one which convincingly defines the problem for which contraction is the solution. Players are averaging over $2 million apiece, the quality of play is pretty darned high, so where's the urgency?

Smashville 24/7 - NHL’s coverage exposed during lockout
I'm with Ryan - the NHL Network these days is a sad joke, and even when the league is playing, it lags behind what the NFL and NBA have to offer by a looooooong way.

NHL should change playoff format in abbreviated season - USA Today
Please, no! The playoff format doesn't need to be made any longer.

NHL Lockout: When "take it or leave it" is nothing of the sort | Edmonton Journal
Gary Bettman's finger wagging is getting less and less convincing over time.

Rest easy, here is your new CBA - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN
"One NHL governor provided ESPN.com with the framework for a deal he insisted would be palatable to both sides." But no, they can't get it done, because there has to be a couple more weeks of posturing.

Claude Lemieux’s son, Barrie Colts’ Brendan Lemieux, gets 8-game ban in OHL (VIDEO) - Buzzing The Net
Like father, like son.

Thursday's Dump & Chase: Looking For the Lockout Endgame

Nashville Predators News

12/12/12 proves Newsworthy for the Predators | ladypreds
Here are the words nobody wants to read these days: "Pekka Rinne suffered a groin injury..."

A Fan’s Rebuke: A "Loyal Legionnaire" Finally Had Enough | The Predatorial
Another Preds fan turns in his tickets...

Predators Prospects: Austin Watson - Predlines
With the success Watson is enjoying so far in Milwaukee, might he be NHL-ready in the near future?

Pessimism overtakes optimism in Preds' room - sportsnet.ca
The Preds are getting tired of waiting around.

Nashville Jr. Predators Squirt Minor Team Wins Silver Stick Regionals - Predlines
Who knows, by the time the lockout is resolved, these kids may be ready for the big leagues.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

NHL labour talks produce little to talk about - The Globe and Mail
Hey, at least they didn't get our hopes up.

Sides in NHL dispute need to push things to the brink | Hockey | CBC Sports
Elliotte Friedman wonders what it will take to force compromise.

European hockey teams bracing for NHL lockout to end within next week, according to agent | Puck Daddy
Could we be looking at a January 2nd start?

The Winnipeg Jets killed my father - Arctic Ice Hockey
Wow, what a read. It's stuff like this that just makes me all the more furious over this idiotic lockout.

Former NHL coach, manager considers PC leadership run - Prince Edward Island - CBC News
Doug MacLean in politics? The jokes write themselves, people.

Yesterday, one of the best beat reporters in hockey, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, joined Sports Night on 102.5 The Game to talk about the state of the lockout these days:

Wednesday's Dump & Chase: Hornqvist Heads Back to Switzerland

Nashville Predators News

Patrik Hörnqvist moving to Swiss League | Elite | Latest News | Hockey Expressen
Patric, come on - there are already enough Americans who don't know the difference between Sweden & Switzerland, without you flipping back and forth like this.

Ads drop second Charlotte showdown | Admirals Roundtable
It sounds like the boys are working on The Predator Way: "Too many times good entries into the offensive zone were negated by unwise passes instead of shots." I kid, I kid.

Celebrating 35 Years of Pro Hockey! - Milwaukee Admirals
The Admirals are kicking off a series which includes the Top 35 Admirals of All-Time, among other items.

'Everybody's losing money' - Winnipeg Free Press
It sounds like Colin Wilson is riding the emotional roller coaster just like many fans (found via Puck Daddy).

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Gary Bettman’s 20-year anniversary as NHL commissioner: The good, the bad and the unplayed | Puck Daddy
Break out the party hats...

Donald Fehr and the NHL lockout - Grantland
This is a serious battle, and the players finally have a leader capable of hanging in there.

On Spec: Third mediation's a charm? - sportsnet.ca
Oh goody, the federal mediators are back.

Mike Eruzione’s game-worn ‘Miracle on Ice’ jersey could be yours… for about a million dollars | Puck Daddy
Will someone pay that much? I wouldn't be surprised.

Ilya Bryzgalov Can't Take Your Calls Right Now; He's About To Launch Into Space - Deadspin
Because he is... a Wild and Crazy Guy!

The NFL on Fox Robot is taking shots at the NHL - Awful Announcing
I'm guessing there's a disconnect between the folks at Fox Sports and the regional channels which carry local NHL action.

My Original Hockey Photos " Berger Bytes
Old Time Hockey, eh? Seriously cool photos here.

Tuesday's Dump & Chase: Preds' Flagship Radio Station Makes Major Change

Nashville Predators News

Dave Ramsey Show Moving to 102.5 The Game? - Nashville Sports Hub
Interesting developments going on at the Preds' flagship radio station here, as the afternoon takes a turn away from sports.

Predators shrug off more cancellations | The Tennessean
Josh Cooper gets reaction to the latest developments from some of the Preds who are still in town.

U.S. World Junior Watch: Spotlight on Sean Kuraly; Players With Most to Prove in Camp | The United States of Hockey
Can Preds' prospect Jimmy Vesey (pictured above) carve himself out a spot on Team USA's roster?

ECAC Hockey: Harvard removes 4 players according to report - Western College Hockey Blog
Meanwhile, it sounds like some of Vesey's teammates are in hot water.

Nashville Predators 2011-12 Year In Review (In Review), Pt. 1 - Predlines
Take a walk down memory lane, to tide you over.

Paul McCann - The Madness Continues
It's one thing for the Lockout to lack major coverage here in Nashville, but in a big hockey market like Philadelphia? That just speaks to the level of apathy among general sports fans.

Also, listen in as Pete Weber joined 102.5 The Game this morning:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

30 Thoughts: NHL could call in NBA lockout fixer | Hockey | CBC Sports
Hey, maybe they're not all like Gary Bettman.

Down Goes Brown: Countdown to drop dead - A look ahead to a month of CBA talks
"December 24 - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is fired from his job at Proskauer Rose for not making enough people miserable."

A Second Look At Long Contracts And The CBA | mc79hockey.com
Many of the contracting issues being raised by the owners have to do with the perception that guys on their second contracts were getting too much of the money under the now-expired CBA.

Coming Soon : Tom Benjamin's NHL Blog :: CanucksCorner.com
Do long-term contracts help only the stars, or do they create cap room so the middle-tier players get paid, too? Tom investigates...

Connor McDavid, 15-year-old hockey phenom, and Reebok close to multiyear deal - NHL - Sporting News
And what were YOU doing at age 15?

Sunday's Dump & Chase: Owners Have Nothing to Fear But Fehr Himself

The NHL may be sidelined, but I'm not. Check out my new project, the Nashville Sports Hub!

Nashville Predators News

Third period wreaks havoc on Ads again | Admirals Roundtable
That's two late leads coughed up in a row...

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Fehr reaffirms NHLPA solidarity at CAW Council - sportsnet.ca
Yesterday, the Canadian Auto Workers were treated to an address by Don Fehr, and you can watch it here.

Larry Brooks: Gary Bettman, NHL walked away from CBA negotiations to breed union discontent with Donald Fehr - NYPOST.com
The NHL has been pretty brazen in their attempts to discredit Don Fehr and divide the NHLPA... but will it succeed?

A Long CBA | mc79hockey.com
Tyler considers some good reasons why the NHLPA should desire a shorter CBA rather than a long one. Fans tends to say "the longer the better" so that we don't have to worry about lockouts, but the prospect of a long period of labor peace may embolden the owners to use these lockouts to begin with.

TV Networks Scramble to Fill N.H.L. Void - NYTimes.com
In many markets, those regional sports channels are hurting without hockey.

The NHL's U.S. struggles as seen through Bill Simmons - Awful Announcing
In case you missed it, there was some entertaining back-and-forth between Bill Simmons & Bob McKenzie on Twitter a couple days ago regarding US coverage of the Lockout.

Monday's Dump & Chase: Mad About Mattias

Nashville Predators News

Predators prospect Mattias Ekholm proves he can play | The Tennessean
It's hard to temper my enthusiasm for Ekholm, but he'll need time to shore up his defensive game. Like Roman Josi, he needs to develop that streak of Vicious Bastard in his own zone.

Lockout Refugees: Nashville Predators Playing Overseas, Pt. 2 - Predlines
In case you wondered how the boys are doing in Europe.

That's Why We Don't Get Our NHL Lockout Hopes Up - Predlines
Jason feels burnt after last week's absurdity, as well.

Milwaukee ends brief skid, gets back on track in Charlotte | Admirals Roundtable

Austin Watson still has the hot hand for Milwaukee, and Magnus Hellberg got the win. Let's go to the highlights...

AHL Milwaukee Admirals at Charlotte Checkers
More Hockey

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Yahoo! Sports and NBC Team Up | Official Yahoo! Blog
I tell you, NBC Sports might just become a worthy competitor to ESPN after all. This partnership would seem to really bolster their online presence.

NHL lockout: Latest collapse in negotiations just another part of theatrics - National Post
At this point I'm pretty much in the players' boat. The grandstanding and other posturing on the owners' side just turns my stomach.

Jack Todd: Time for Bettman, Fehr to get busy - Montreal Gazette
A nice bit of on-ice imagery: "At this point, Bettman and the owners look like a high-powered scoring machine being ground into the ice by Jacques Lemaire’s New Jersey Devils. They’re frustrated because they’re trapped in the neutral zone and even if they can somehow get past Bobby Holik and Scott Stevens, there’s Martin Brodeur (in the person of Fehr himself) waiting to make the save."

Sports Media Interviews: J.R. Lind of the Nashville Scene - Nashville Sports Hub
From late last week, check out the launch of our Local Sports Media Interview series at the Hub, featuring everyone's favorite bowtie-wearing Kansas City Royals fan.