Your Nashville Predator of the Week: January 19-25

During this first week of the season, the Predators kicked off the home schedule with a pair of shootout losses, went on the road to vanquish Ryan Suter & the Minnesota Wild, and got their heads handed to them last night in St. Louis. Looking back across all four games, these players stood out as the best of the bunch... vote below for your pick!

Behold the Gold! Check out our selection of Nashville Predators t-shirts...

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Martin Erat

#10 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 201

Born: Aug 29, 1981

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The Marty Party is off to a fine start, with two goals and two assists to lead the team in scoring. Erat appears to be in mid-season form already, which is impressive considering the fact that he didn't go overseas to keep palying competitively during the lockout.

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Patric Hornqvist

#27 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 188

Born: Jan 01, 1987

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A steady presence in front of the enemy net, Hornqvist is tied with Shea Weber for the team lead with 12 shots on goal, and like Erat, also had four points this week (1 goal, 3 assists). A cross-check to the face from the Blues' Barret Jackman last night shows that opposing defenseman are already concerned about him.

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Chris Mason

#30 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

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Mase made his return to the Nashville lineup in grand style, turning in a workmanlike 29-save effort in the Preds' 3-1 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday.

Honorable Mentions

Colin Wilson has showed a great deal of promise in the offensive end, but has just one goal to show for it so far. Gabriel Bourque added zip to the lineup after he returned from Milwaukee for Game 3, but missed the first two games while recovering from injury.

Poll

Who is your Nashville Predator of the Week for 1/19-1/25?

• Martin Erat
• Patric Hornqvist
• Chris Mason

  116 votes | Results

Saturday's Dump & Chase: The Milwaukee Admirals Go Gangnam Style

Nashville Predators News

Social Marketing | Fairy Tales, Myths & Fables: Nashville #PREDS Marketing Wins
Local social media expert Georgia Cross shares the story of how the Preds worked hard during the NHL lockout to maintain visibility with local fans and sponsors.

Nashville Predators not getting defensive help on offense | The Tennessean
Josh Cooper brings up an important point about the dynamics of the Preds' offensive game.

Streaks snap in 8-2 blowout over OKC | Admirals Roundtable

It was the Juuso Puustinen show as the Admirals shook off a long slump.

Nashville Predators and the Evolution of Expectations - Predlines
The bar has indeed been raised, but it is still a bit early to freak out.

Smashville 24/7 - Preds need to find identity on west coast
In recent years, it seems like a trip through California has proved to be the tonic for a Preds that is misfiring.

Nashville Predators Lines and Trotzy the Juggler - Predlines
When things aren't clicking, the lines aren't sticking.

Watson's Built to Shoulder Expectations - Milwaukee Admirals
Austin Watson's progress in Milwaukee has been one of the better stories of the season for the Preds organization.

Also, as found at HockeyGalMilwaukee, we have defenseman Victor Bartley leading the way in a pretty stellar Gangnam Style sendup (my 10-year-old son gave it a big thumbs-up):

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

After 20 years, Gary Bettman is still standing - The Globe and Mail
Turn on the Elton John and settle in for a long read.

That Suits Me Just Fine: Red Wings 5 - Wild 3 - Winging It In Motown
Todd Bertuzzi was a terror in this one.

Cluster-Duck: Anaheim Screwed By Refs, Blanked By Vancouver, 5-0 - Anaheim Calling
The natives will be restless in Anaheim tonight, after the Ducks got pasted on home ice last night.

Game 4: Ottawa Senators versus Tampa Bay Lightning - Raw Charge
Vincent Lecavalier's 1000th game was a 6-4 win for the Lightning.

Instant Recap: Winnipeg Jets down the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 - Arctic Ice Hockey
Two goals from Sidney Crosby didn't slow down the Jets.

Buffalo Sabres vs. Carolina Hurricanes Recap: Sabres Lose 3-1, The Good And Bad Sides Of Thomas Vanek, Grigorenko Sits - Die By The Blade
Dan Ellis was the star of the night for the Hurricanes.

Bruins take down Islanders 4-2 in Dougie Hamilton's first 2-point game - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Boston fans are getting giddy over young defenseman Dougie Hamilton.

Recap: Devils 3, Caps 2 (OT) - Japers' Rink
Frustration builds in Washington, as the Caps are still winless.

Jeremy Roenick Stops By Second City, Part 1 - Second City Hockey
Forget the interview, I want more on that Crashed Ice competition!

Rangers publish their own "Girl's Guide to Watching Hockey", backlash ensues - Puck Drunk Love
I'll be honest, I find the outrage over articles like this to be WAY overdone. Believe it or not, there are women out there who are new to hockey, and want to learn more about it because they're in a relationship with a guy who is a fan. My wife would've probably appreciated an article like this back in 1996 when we first started dating. Just because an article like this caters to that audience doesn't mean they're declaring that women in general aren't "real" hockey fans.

In Defense of "Celly" - Hockey Wilderness
Bonus points here for all the videos of various on-ice celebrations from years past.

Jersey Fouls: Gary Bettman protest; Nashville fouls; Zamboni Princess | Puck Daddy
Behold "Angry Shea".

Time for a little escrow talk (just a little) - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN
I know, folks have been craving this news, right?

One-on-one transcript with Brendan Shanahan - The Hockey News
Adam Proteau interviews the NHL's Dean of Discipline about a wide range of issues.

The tactical value of a hockey fight | Backhand Shelf
Will competitive considerations rid the league of one-dimensional fighters?

Nashville @ St. Louis Preview: Blues Reflux

The Stats

Now that Behind the Net is updating for current season stats, we'll leverage some of that stuff, even if three games in doesn't allow for conclusive judgments:

	Nashville Predators		St. Louis Blues
Record	1-0-2	14th	2-1-0	13th
GF/Game	2.67	10th	3.67	7th
GA/Game	2.00	8th	2.00	8th
5-on-5 SF/60	24.0	28th	34.6	5th
5-on-5 SA/60	27.7	10th	19.0	1st
Fenwick Close	50.00	16th	61.90	1st
5-on-5 Save %	.940	11th	.933	15th
5-on-4 GF/60	18.9	4th	30.6	2nd
# of PP's/Gm	3.33	27th	3.00	28th
4-on-5 GA/60	11.1	23rd	8.2	19th
# of PK's/Gm	2.33	1st	4.33	13th

St. Louis Blues

The Blues finally took their first loss of the season Tuesday night in Chicago, as the Blackhawks topped them 3-2. Back on in St. Louis tonight, they'll look to build on what was last season's 2nd-ranked home record.

Tom Callahan hints that Jaroslav Halak is likely to get the start tonight for St. Louis:

Looks like Halak over Elliott based on who came off first.

— predsradio (@predsradio) January 24, 2013

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Jaroslav Halak

#41 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 179

Born: May 13, 1985

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Halak was yanked partway through Monday's game with the Preds, and will surely be itching to make up for that. Otherwise, the lineup news from the Blues side is the likely debut for defenseman Wade Redden, who was recently bought out of the contract he had with the New York Rangers, which had kept in the minors since September of 2010.

Nashville Predators

The focus with the Preds is on those 3rd & 4th forward lines. Will Brian McGrattan dress? Will Rich Clune? How much ice time will Craig Smith get?

Early signs from Josh Cooper are not encouraging for Honey Badger fans.

Stay tuned as we'll provide updates in the afternoon as they come available, and make sure to join us in the Game Thread this evening!

Friday's Dump & Chase: Where Have All the Villains Gone?

Nashville Predators News

Man up, Ryan Suter, and be the bad guy your jilted Predators fans deserve - Nashville Scene
J.R. would have preferred a little more theater from Tuesday's game at Minnesota.

Images show street-activated Bridgestone Arena | nashvillepost.com
Yesterday's Sports Authority meeting featured visuals of what the redesigned south entrance (5th & Demonbreun) might look like.

The Weekly Edition of Lighting The Lamp: The Birth Of The Predators - St. Louis Game Time
Here's a view from the St. Louis side of how the Preds began.

A Warren Zevon Hockey Song For Rich Clune - Predlines
Will Clune's tune take an upbeat swing? I have my doubts.

Barry Trotz Hates Turnovers, With Good Reason - Predlines
Turnovers & giveaways are recorded so differently in various NHL arenas as to be completely meaningless as stats. I would bet that teams are keeping their own tallies, though.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Dallas Stars Sign Jamie Benn to Five-Year Contract Worth $5.25 Million Per Season - Defending Big D
As Eric Duhatschek observed on Twitter, this is basically the same type of contract that 29-year-old Joffrey Lupul got in Toronto. Stars fans should be pumped.

Nail Yakupov's Clutch Goal Celebration - The Copper & Blue
#1 overall draft pick Nail Yakupov scored with just 5 seconds left to get Edmonton to overtime, where they beat the L.A. Kings. Incoming criticism of his celebration from the hockey media arriving in 3... 2... 1...

Chicago Blackhawks Dominant in 3-2 Overtime Win Over Dallas Stars - Defending Big D
The Blackhawks look like the class of the league so far.

Game 4 Recap: Buried Beneath The Ice - The Cannon
The Blue Jackets took a 4-0 beating on the road at Colorado.

Recap: Canucks 3, Flames 2 (SO) - Matchsticks and Gasoline
Vancouver earns its first win of the season.

Marleau and Thornton are still awesome, lead Sharks to 3-0 start - Fear The Fin
No, this isn't a recycled post from 4 years ago.

Flyers vs. Rangers recap: VICTORY IS SWEET - Broad Street Hockey
Both Atlantic Division rivals are 1-3-0 after this one.

Extended Game Recap: Montreal Canadiens win 4-1 again, this time against the Washington Capitals - Eyes On The Prize
The Canadiens kept Washington winless.

Game 3 Recap: Hurricanes 6, Sabres 3 - Canes Country
A hat trick for Eric Staal and a pair of goals for Jeff Skinner? Things may be heating up in Carolina.

Islanders 7, Maple Leafs 4: Isles keep focus, come back from 2 goal deficit - Lighthouse Hockey
Touchdown, Islanders!

Recap: Florida Panthers Continue to Struggle; Fall to Ottawa Senators 3-1 - Litter Box Cats
Don't blame Jose Threeorfour for this one, writes Ryan.

The economics of sports insurance: Claim game | The Economist
The Best Magazine In The World provides a basic primer on how various pro leagues protect themselves financially in the event of player injury.

Hearsay: No hard feelings, says Wild's Leipold - sportsnet.ca
It reads like he said this while lighting a cigar with a $100 bill.

"That's a hockey player" | All Things Avalanche — The Denver Post
Yup, he sure looks like one.

College Hockey Inc. Releases New Stat Tool - Western College Hockey Blog
Nice fodder for collegiate stats students, right?

Scott Hartnell out four-to-eight weeks - Broad Street Hockey
A broken foot has the former Predator on the shelf.

How Tomas Vokoun Makes this a Critical Season for Marc-Andre Fleury - PensBurgh
You might have forgotten about this move from last summer, in which the Penguins added Tomas Vokoun as MAF's backup.

Buffalo Sabres set incredible merchandise record one week into 2013 - Puck Drunk Love
Sabres gear is in high demand...

Puke on ice: Rapid City Rush’s beer-chugging promotion leads to bile from fans | Puck Daddy
Yeah, I don't think we'll see this during intermission at Bridgestone Arena.

Puck Daddy chats with Bates Battaglia about ‘The Amazing Race’ and being the dumb hockey playing brothers team | Puck Daddy
For you Amazing Race fans, there's now a hockey angle to look forward to.

Shannon on NHL: Olympic issues at hand - sportsnet.ca
Oh goodie, new stuff for various parties to argue about.

Rangers News: Rangers Trade Chad Kolarik to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Benn Ferriero - Blueshirt Banter
Blockbuster!

New York Rangers Schedule Infographic | The Hockey Writers
Here's a very clever spin on the information contained in my NHL Super Schedule. Now Josh needs to get to work on the other 29 teams around the league...

Nashville Predators @ St. Louis Blues - January 24, 2013

Just three days after dropping a shootout decision to St. Louis in their Martin Luther King Day matinee, the Nashville Predators continue their 2-week road trip with a rematch against the Blues (7:00 p.m. Central on FS-TN).

The Stats

Now that Behind the Net is updating for current season stats, we'll leverage some of that stuff, even if three games in doesn't allow for conclusive judgments:

	Nashville Predators		St. Louis Blues
Record	1-0-2	14th	2-1-0	13th
GF/Game	2.67	10th	3.67	7th
GA/Game	2.00	8th	2.00	8th
5-on-5 SF/60	24.0	28th	34.6	5th
5-on-5 SA/60	27.7	10th	19.0	1st
Fenwick Close	50.00	16th	61.90	1st
5-on-5 Save %	.940	11th	.933	15th
5-on-4 GF/60	18.9	4th	30.6	2nd
# of PP's/Gm	3.33	27th	3.00	28th
4-on-5 GA/60	11.1	23rd	8.2	19th
# of PK's/Gm	2.33	1st	4.33	13th

St. Louis Blues

The Blues finally took their first loss of the season Tuesday night in Chicago, as the Blackhawks topped them 3-2. Back on in St. Louis tonight, they'll look to build on what was last season's 2nd-ranked home record.

Tom Callahan hints that Jaroslav Halak is likely to get the start tonight for St. Louis:

Looks like Halak over Elliott based on who came off first.

— predsradio (@predsradio) January 24, 2013

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Jaroslav Halak

#41 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 5-11

Weight: 179

Born: May 13, 1985

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Halak was yanked partway through Monday's game with the Preds, and will surely be itching to make up for that. Otherwise, the lineup news from the Blues side is the likely debut for defenseman Wade Redden, who was recently bought out of the contract he had with the New York Rangers, which had kept in the minors since September of 2010.

Nashville Predators

The focus with the Preds is on those 3rd & 4th forward lines. Will Brian McGrattan dress? Will Rich Clune? How much ice time will Craig Smith get?

Early signs from Josh Cooper are not encouraging for Honey Badger fans.

Stay tuned as we'll provide updates in the afternoon as they come available, and make sure to join us in the Game Thread this evening!

Blues 3, Predators 0: Halak Shuts Out Nashville

Tonight's game was a pretty classic example of a deep, strong team shutting things down on home ice. The Predators had difficulty creating any offensive threat, and went down 3-0 to suffer their first regulation loss of the season.

There's not much to comment on, just toss this one in the dumpster and move on to Anaheim for Saturday night.

Your advanced stats...

Nashville Predators

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Mike Fisher	C	13:32	4	9	-5	-4	-3
Gabriel Bourque	L	13:31	8	8	0	+1	-0
Martin Erat	R	13:23	3	9	-6	-4	-4
Brandon Yip	R	12:55	9	10	-1	+1	-1
Nick Spaling	C	12:41	9	9	0	0	0
Colin Wilson	C	11:40	9	4	+5	0	+5
Sergei Kostitsyn	L	11:34	6	8	-2	-3	-1
David Legwand	C	11:26	9	5	+4	0	+4
Patric Hornqvist	R	10:35	9	4	+5	0	+5
Matt Halischuk	R	8:50	3	6	-3	0	-3
Craig Smith	C	8:44	4	4	0	0	0
Rich Clune	L	7:01	2	5	-3	0	-3
Roman Josi	D	18:41	11	11	0	+2	-1
Scott Hannan	D	18:21	13	13	0	-3	+1
Shea Weber	D	17:18	9	12	-3	+1	-3
Ryan Ellis	D	13:12	6	4	+2	-2	+3
Kevin Klein	D	12:58	6	9	-3	-3	-2
Hal Gill	D	9:50	5	5	0	-1	+0

You might be surprised to see any positive results here, but the balance of Totals Shots (including even strength & special teams situations) was only 41-34 for St. Louis.

St. Louis Blues

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
T.J. Oshie	C	13:46	9	8	+1	+1	+1
Alexander Steen	C	12:50	12	10	+2	+1	+2
David Perron	L	12:46	11	7	+4	+1	+4
Andy McDonald	C	12:25	10	10	0	+1	-0
David Backes	R	12:13	10	7	+3	+1	+3
Chris Stewart	R	12:00	4	6	-2	+1	-2
Vladimir Tarasenko	R	11:20	12	7	+5	+1	+5
Jaden Schwartz	C	10:49	4	4	0	+2	-1
Patrik Berglund	C	10:30	5	6	-1	+2	-2
Scott Nichol	C	10:20	2	4	-2	-1	-2
Vladimir Sobotka	C	9:53	2	4	-2	-1	-2
Ryan Reaves	R	6:39	1	2	-1	0	-1
Alex Pietrangelo	D	17:08	7	13	-6	+4	-8
Wade Redden	D	15:57	8	10	-2	+5	-4
Kevin Shattenkirk	D	15:29	9	6	+3	0	+3
Roman Polak	D	14:59	13	7	+6	-2	+7
Barret Jackman	D	13:43	5	8	-3	0	-3
Kris Russell	D	13:08	12	6	+6	-1	+6

That Tarasenko kid sure is dreamy, isn't he?

NHL Viewing Guide for Wednesday, January 23 2013

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Next Game

Toronto Maple Leafs
@ Pittsburgh Penguins

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013, 6:00 PM Central
CONSOL Energy Center

Complete Coverage >

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The Pittsburgh Penguins host Toronto in their home opener, so you know that supreme talents Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will want to put on a show for the fans.

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Next Game

Boston Bruins
@ New York Rangers

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013, 6:30 PM Central
Madison Square Garden

NBC Sports

Complete Coverage >

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Tonight's NBC Sports game features the 2-0-0 Bruins skating into Madison Square Garden against the 0-2-0 Rangers. At the very least, the battle between Rick Nash and Zdeno Chara could be the NHL's answer to War of the Gargantuas.

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Next Game

Calgary Flames
@ Vancouver Canucks

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013, 9:00 PM Central
Rogers Arena

Complete Coverage >

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The Flames are a pretty irrelevant bunch, but the possibility for goaltending controversy in Vancouver is just too juicy to ignore.

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Next Game

Columbus Blue Jackets
@ Phoenix Coyotes

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013, 9:00 PM Central
Jobing.com Arena

Complete Coverage >

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Are the 1-0-1 Blue Jackets for real? We'll find out as they make the trip to Phoenix, where the Coyotes have yet to break into the Win column.

Thursday's Dump & Chase: Zombies Invade the NHL

Nashville Predators News

Josh Cooper's hat trick | The Tennessean
How impressive is Martin Erat's start, when you consider that he didn't go overseas to stay in game shape?

Trotz: Gaustad ‘day-to-day’ - Predators Insider
Goose may play, he may not.

Smashville 24/7 - Is Craig Smith in Trotz’s doghouse?
Obviously we all hope that Smith puts things together quickly, but even if he earns a Top 6 spot, that would just bump down one of Erat/SK74/Wilson/Hornqvist. Maybe the real problem is that there's not enough offensive punch at center behind Legwand & Fisher to make proper use of any of those five wingers on a third line.

Klein Adjusting to Yet Another Defensive Partner | PuckScene.com
Scott Hannan is doing all the right things when it comes to fitting in with this team.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Blues Activate Defenseman Wade Redden, Assign Ian Cole To Peoria - St. Louis Game Time
It sounds like the Blues' reclamation project could suit up for tonight's game against the Predators.

Interview: Wade Redden talks with Backhand Shelf about his return to the NHL | Backhand Shelf
I could see how things might spiral out of control for a defenseman on a big contract. The temptation to "try to do more" can be anathema to good team defense, which relies on guys focusing on their own job first.

Sharks finally sign Scott Gomez - Fear The Fin
Scott Gomez joins Redden in the NHL's Resurrected Career Club.

NHL goal scoring dominated by wrist shots, Star analysis shows - thestar.com
This type of study isn't new (here's something similar I did 6.5 years ago), but the visual presentation is pretty cool.

Winnipeg Jets on the road to recovery - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN
Many thanks to Pierre LeBrun (one of the guys who would make my hockey reporters' Mt. Rushmore) for dropping a link to OTF in this story on Winnipeg's tough road in the Eastern Conference.

Brayden Schenn suspended one game - Broad Street Hockey
Charging and jumping up to nail a guy in the head earns the young Philadelphia center a one-game sitdown.

Red Wings defenseman Ian White out 2-3 weeks after surgery to repair deep laceration in leg | MLive.com
Detroit's roster is riddled with injuries, and they just keep adding up.

Steve Downie out for the season - Mile High Hockey
A big point we've heard over and over again is that injuries could play a larger role in determining the fates of teams in this shortened season...

Surprise! Ryan O'Reilly Terminates Contract With KHL Club - Mile High Hockey
Colorado may have another forward on the way, however.

Phoenix Coyotes vs Columbus Blue Jackets Postgame Recap: Hats Off - Five For Howling
Hats off to Steve Sullivan, that is, for scoring thrice in a 4-1 Phoenix win.

With Shortened Season, Canucks' Shootout Win over Flames Speaks Volumes - Nucks Misconduct
Vancouver fans were grateful to see the Canucks get their first win.

Rangers Vs. Bruins Recap: Marian Gaborik's Hat Trick Lifts Rangers Over Bruins In Overtime - Blueshirt Banter
New York's other high-caliber goal scorer lifted them to victory over Boston.

Maple Leafs drop Penguins 5-2 - PensBurgh
Toronto pulled away in the third period to beat Pittsburgh.

Joffrey Lupul fractures forearm on Phaneuf shot; out indefinitely for Maple Leafs | Puck Daddy
Just days after signing Lupul to a 5-year contract extension, this happens.

Edmonton City Council approves deal to build new NHL arena - The Globe and Mail
Will this sort of development prevent the Oilers from losing future Gretzkys?

Greg Zanon talks about his wild beard - Denver Post
Well, it looks like this guy did something productive during the lockout, at least in terms of facial hair.

Stars announce refinance of major loan package | Dallas Stars Blog
The Dallas Stars take another step towards financial stability under their new ownership.

The Non-Haters' Guide to the NHL - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
The Steve Sullivan "karma" video is worth the read all by itself.

We All Come Back | Backhand Shelf
Does a team like the Preds have a chance of developing a multi-generational rivalry with a team like the Habs & Leafs have?

Wayne Gretzky selling house he designed for $15 million, and it’s incredible (PHOTO/VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Are you in the market for a new house? Maybe Puck Daddy can earn a commission...

Bettman Encouraged By Early-Season NHL TV, Attendance Numbers - SportsBusiness Daily Global
Congratulations fans, you've put Gary Bettman at ease.

NHL Interactive: Putting a value on hockey loyalty - Macleans.ca
How much did those "welcome back" promotions cost various NHL teams? Maclean's takes a swipe at that figure.

Chris Mason To Start in Goal

Preds radio play-by-play man Tom Callahan brings word on tonight's goaltending battle:

Backstrom for MIN and Mason for NSH tonight. Bourque is up for Nashville. Game time 7 pm, pregame 6:30 @1025thegame

— predsradio (@predsradio) January 22, 2013

Given that this is Nashville's third game in four nights, it makes sense to let Pekka Rinne take a breather, and prepare for a rematch Thursday against the Blues in St. Louis.

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Chris Mason

#30 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

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In 13 career games against Minnesota, Mason has a 6-5-2 record, with a 3.20 GAA, .881 save percentage, and one shutout.

Wednesday's Dump & Chase: Long Road Trip Off to Good Start

Nashville Predators News

The Preds Are Back To Work (And So Am I) | Predators AJenda
An outstanding read here that's about a lot more than just hockey, I assure you.

Nashville Predators face immediate test with seven-game road trip | The Tennessean
A fortnight on the road might be a good thing for this team right now.

Three Minutes With: Preds prospect Zoltan Hetenyi… | Section 303
With a name like Zoltan, I was expecting a palm reading.

Also, listen in as Barry Trotz joined 102.5 The Game's 1st Quarter this morning for two segments:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Strombabble: Gillis Drops Sexy Quote, Doesn't Actually Tell Us Anything | CanucksArmy
Speculation is reaching a fevered pitch, after Vancouver GM Mike Gillis hints that a deal for Roberto Luongo might be close.

Red Wings Sign Veteran D-Man Kent Huskins - Winging It In Motown
Detroit plugs a hole created by multiple injuries.

Blues At Blackhawks Game Recap: Blues Lose Eighth In A Row In Chicago - St. Louis Game Time
In a battle of two hot teams, Chicago pulled into the Central lead.

Dallas Stars Outplay Detroit Red Wings, Win 2-1 - Defending Big D
Two goals from Michael Ryder lifted the Stars past the Red Wings in Detroit.

Kings @ Avalanche Recap: Avs Win Home Opener Over Defending Cup Champions, 3-1 - Mile High Hockey
That's the way to open your home schedule...

Sharks sweep Alberta with 6-3 win in Edmonton - Fear The Fin
Oiler fans were so jacked up for the home opener, too.

Martin Brodeur Earns Shutout #120 in New Jersey Devils' 3-0 Win Over Philadelphia Flyers - In Lou We Trust
The Predators weren't the only team having a Marty Party last night.

Instant Recap: Winnipeg Jets earn their first win of the season, doubling up on the Washington Capitals 4-2 - Arctic Ice Hockey
Winnipeg notched a victory against their hated division rival in Washington (sounds weird, doesn't it?).

Washington's Mike Ribeiro rips on NHL officiating | Puck Drunk Love
Well, at least we know he cares, right?

Extended Game Recap: The Montreal Canadiens trounce the Florida Panthers - Eyes On The Prize
The Habs took down Florida 4-1.

Game 3: Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes - Raw Charge
Vincent Lecavalier jump-started the Lightning with two assists.

ESPN Source Says Nino Niederreiter 'Camp' Requested Trade from Islanders; Newsday Provides Context - Lighthouse Hockey
Seriously? This kid has proved nothing at the NHL level as of yet.

Source: Lighthouse Hockey Requests Trade from SB Nation - Lighthouse Hockey
Well played, lads, well played.

Brayden Schenn to face disciplinary hearing for Anton Volchenkov hit - Broad Street Hockey
Might this lead to the first Shanaban of the season?

Maple Leafs Rumor: Is MLSE Going To Hire Wayne Gretzky As President? - Pension Plan Puppets
I don't get the excitement here. Either he's hired to be a spokesman for the team, or he actually has a say in hockey operations, where he didn't accomplish anything of note in Phoenix (which has made the playoffs twice since he left).

The Anatomy of a Brawl… by Steph Muraro | Hockey Gal Milwaukee
Stephanie deconstructs some ultra-violence.

New Study Reveals That CTE May Be Detectable In Living Patients - Deadspin
This is a big step forward in the diagnosis and treatment of long-term issues related to violent sports, including hockey, but the road ahead is long.

And now... a puck drop from outer space:

Milwaukee Admirals Sign Brad Winchester For Tryout

This arrived from the Milwaukee Admirals:

The Milwaukee Admirals announced today that the team has signed Madison native and University of Wisconsin alum Brad Winchester to a Professional Try-Out (PTO).

A veteran of nearly 400 NHL contests, Winchester played last season with the San Jose Sharks where he totaled six goals and four assists for ten points in 67 contests. In his NHL career he has scored 37 goals, dished out 31 assists and amassed 552 penalty minutes in 390 games with the Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and Edmonton Oilers.

Winchester played at UW from 1999 through 2003 and collected 84 points (40g-44a). He was drafted by Edmonton in the 2nd round of the 2000 NHL entry draft and split time between the Oilers and their AHL affiliate from 2003 through 2007. He played one season for the Dallas Stars in 2007-08 before signing with St. Louis. Winchester played three seasons for the Blues, and scored a career-high 13 goals in the 2008-09 season. He was traded to Anaheim towards the end of the 2010-11 campaign and then signed as a free agent in San Jose prior to the 2011-12 season.

Winchester will look to make his Admirals debut when the team returns to the BMO Harris Bradley Center Wednesday night to take on the Houston Aeros at 7:00 pm.

Perhaps Winchester can take some of the burden of physical play off the shoulders of Michael Latta, who leads the team in penalty minutes and stands second in scoring.

Nashville Predators 3, Minnesota Wild 1: Marty Erat Scores the Winner

Things sure look better after a win, eh?

Faced with a third period in which the game was on the line (tied 1-1 after the second), this time the Predators took command on an odd goal for Martin Erat midway through, followed by a David Legwand power play score in the final minute to put things out of reach.

The win pushes Nashville's record to 1-0-2 as they head to St. Louis for a rematch against the Blues on Thursday.

Your random observations:

• Rich Clune got into things early once again, fighting Zenon Konopka and taking the worse end of it. It looks like he's literally fighting for a lineup spot, and with just 3:32 of ice time tonight, he's not winning.
• Gabriel Bourque's speed was evident right away, whether by streaking free on a breakaway or zipping around on the forecheck to keep pucks alive in the offensive zone. He didn't get an assist on Spaling's goal, but was in front of the net creating havoc.
• How can you not love a crazy goal like Martin Erat scored in the third to put the Preds up 2-1? It was far enough ahead to goad Backstrom out of the Minnesota net, but Marty put in the effort to chase the puck down and beat everyone back to the net.
• Chris Mason had a fine night in the Nashville goal, you love to see your backup put in a game like that and give Pekka Rinne time to rest & refocus for Thursday at St. Louis.
• As Willy Daunic pointed out on Twitter, Craig Smith's ice time is really drying up. He got just 6:17 tonight, including only one shift in the 3rd period.

Boxscore- Game Summary - Event Summary

As for your advanced stats...

Nashville Predators

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Mike Fisher	C	18:23	10	23	-13	0	-13
Martin Erat	R	17:49	9	17	-8	+1	-8
David Legwand	C	16:38	14	11	+3	-3	+4
Nick Spaling	C	16:33	16	12	+4	-1	+4
Brandon Yip	R	14:53	13	10	+3	+2	+2
Colin Wilson	C	14:33	13	9	+4	0	+4
Sergei Kostitsyn	L	14:30	10	12	-2	+2	-3
Gabriel Bourque	L	14:15	15	10	+5	+2	+4
Patric Hornqvist	R	12:03	6	7	-1	0	-1
Craig Smith	C	5:42	3	5	-2	0	-2
Matt Halischuk	R	4:54	1	6	-5	-2	-4
Rich Clune	L	3:32	1	8	-7	0	-7
Shea Weber	D	23:56	15	20	-5	-1	-5
Roman Josi	D	23:43	14	18	-4	-3	-3
Scott Hannan	D	20:01	22	19	+3	+1	+3
Kevin Klein	D	17:29	18	18	0	-2	+1
Ryan Ellis	D	11:56	6	7	-1	+3	-2
Hal Gill	D	9:35	5	6	-1	+2	-2

It was a joy to see Gabriel Bourque out there again. Sure, he may have been overly pumped-up for his first game back, but his speed is a real challenge for opponents to handle.

Minnesota Wild

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Zach Parise	L	17:15	18	16	+2	+1	+2
Kyle Brodziak	C	17:03	11	8	+3	-1	+3
Dany Heatley	L	16:14	17	10	+7	-1	+7
Mikael Granlund	C	15:47	11	9	+2	0	+2
Mikko Koivu	C	14:34	17	12	+5	+1	+5
Matt Cullen	C	13:45	9	11	-2	0	-2
Devin Setoguchi	R	13:18	9	11	-2	-1	-2
Pierre-Marc Bouchard	C	13:17	9	6	+3	+3	+2
Cal Clutterbuck	R	13:15	10	6	+4	0	+4
Darroll Powe	C	7:43	7	6	+1	-1	+1
Torrey Mitchell	C	7:16	7	6	+1	-1	+1
Zenon Konopka	C	4:28	5	9	-4	-1	-4
Ryan Suter	D	23:15	16	21	-5	-1	-5
Tom Gilbert	D	22:44	19	12	+7	+1	+7
Clayton Stoner	D	22:00	14	13	+1	+2	+0
Jared Spurgeon	D	18:08	16	16	0	-1	+0
Justin Falk	D	12:14	12	10	+2	0	+2
Nate Prosser	D	8:37	11	9	+2	-1	+2

Ryan Suter wasn't a major presence in this one, but Zach Parise was dangerous, with 6 shots on goal.

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

• Gabriel Bourque
• Martin Erat
• Chris Mason

  92 votes | Results

Predators vs Wild Video Highlights

Relive the magic of the Preds' 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Fighting Suters with these video highlights...

Get moving with Nashville Predators ZigLite training shoes from Reebok!

Tuesday's Dump & Chase: Shootout Saves Made With an iPad?

Nashville Predators News

Ryan Suter stands by decision to leave Nashville Predators | The Tennessean
And why wouldn't he?

Preds Fall Short in Shootout Once Again - Nashville Sports Hub
One bright spot is the power play, and about which Robby spoke with Colin Wilson.

Only team effort will fill void left by Ryan Suter | Nashville City Paper
David Boclair cites the number of different ways in which individual players will help fill Suter's former role here.

Nashville Predators' Patric Hornqvist regrets chance to prevent goal | The Tennessean
Hornqvist blames himself for the Pietrangelo goal which tied things up in the 3rd.

Will The Nashville Predators Call Up A Forward? - Predlines

That 4th line last night could sure use some help, but I'm not sure the answer lies in Milwaukee right now (at least, not until Gabriel Bourque is back up to speed).

The Importance of Being Chris Mason - Predneck Nation
Might we see Chris Mason play his first game of the season tonight?

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Technology: apparently Brian Elliot watches opponents moves on an iPad before shootouts | Backhand Shelf
I wonder how many teams around the league do this. Not many, apparently?

Blues At Predators Recap: Tarasenko Has Three Point Night, Halak Pulled, McDonald Hurt - St. Louis Game Time
Head over here for the perspective from St. Louis on last night's game.

Damien "Dangles" Brunner: Red Wings 4 - Blue Jackets 3 (SO) - Winging It In Motown
Detroit got into the win column, thanks in part to a nifty shootout goal by rookie Damien Brunner.

Ducks Hold Off Flames, Win 5-4 - Anaheim Calling
Old man Saku Koivu got the job done for Anaheim.

Turris nets two as Senators win 4-0 over Panthers - Silver Seven
The former Pheonix Coyote is off to a hot start for Ottawa.

Paul MacLean’s evil twin is seriously freaking us out during Ottawa Senators game (PHOTOS/VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Holy Nightmare Fuel!

Sabres 2, Leafs 1: Immediate Reactions - Die By The Blade
Credit the Buffalo penalty killers for fighting through some tough circumstances in the early going.

Islanders 4, Lightning 3: Scoring arrives, followed by bounces and angst - Lighthouse Hockey
It sounds like the speedy Michael Grabner is leading the way on Long Island.

The post giveth and the post taketh away: Bruins win 2-1 - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Boston took a shootout victory to move to 2-0.

The free concession food offered in Boston today might be a bit dicey | Backhand Shelf
The animated .GIF here is hilarious. Remember, if you thought Jeremy Jacobs was creepy as owner of the Boston Bruins, he's also the chairman of the concessions company that serves many NHL arenas, including Bridgestone here in Nashville.

Blackhawks Add Some Goaltending Depth - Second City Hockey
The backup situation in Chicago may be a bit unsettled.

Panthers trade Jacques to Lightning - Litter Box Cats
Tampa Bay picks up a knuckle-chucker.

30 Thoughts: Jamie Benn among 'The Unsigned Three' | Hockey | CBC Sports
Elliotte Friedman reminds me why I'm glad I kept Marian Hossa on my fantasy hockey team.

P.K. Subban vs. His Peers - Eyes On The Prize
What's it going to take for Montreal to sign this guy?

Another Cold War: Why NHL Players Need a Thriving KHL - Battle of California
Having a viable option to go play overseas was valuable over the last few months. What about next time?

Hooray for post-NHL lockout hockey, in all its sloppy glory | Puck Daddy
Sure, it drives coaches nuts, but sloppy play can lead to more offensive opportunities.

Down Goes Brown: Other ways NHL teams are trying to make things up to the fans
Oh, snap: "Nashville Predators: For each home game, fans who purchase tickets, concessions and team merchandise can have the chance to place their money directly into a wheelbarrow being held by a smirking Shea Weber."

Anders Lindback goes from Nashville goalie factory to under microscope in Tampa | Puck Daddy
How will Anders fare on his own?

KHL invents playoff losers’ bracket, winner gets draft pick; NHL, steal this idea | Puck Daddy
Verrrrry interesting...

World Cup of Hockey: When should they actually play this thing? | Puck Daddy
Will they bring back this classic international tournament?

Some thoughts on the Asham/Glass tilt, and fights off the opening draw | Backhand Shelf
What purposes do fights right at the start of a game serve?

A Tactical Hockey Fight? | mc79hockey.com
Meanwhile, did a fight at the end of the Vancouver/Edmonton game help the Oilers avoid a tough matchup?

PDO explained | Backhand Shelf
A very handy guide for the start of the season.

Blues 4, Predators 3 (SO): Missed Chances Cost Nashville

The Nashville Predators had a 3-2 lead heading into the 3rd period thanks to a goal and two assists from Patric Hornqvist, but the persistent Blues came back thanks to a goal by Alex Pietrangelo, before ultimately taking the shootout decision handily. The Preds had some good chances to put the game away in the third, but couldn't close the deal and fell to 0-0-2 on the season, as they jet up to Minnesota for a game tomorrow night.

Random Observations:

• After giving Scott Hannan his props on Saturday, I have to say I didn't like his play on the first St. Louis goal, he gave Vladimir Tarasenko way too much space and dropped down for a block early, allowing the Blues' rookie to step towards the middle and use Hannan as a bit of a screen on his shot.
• A boarding penalty is not the way to make a first impression, Richard Clune.
• How impressive was Patric Hornqvist's goal to make it 3-2 in the 2nd, though? That goal chased Jaroslav Halak from the game, and showed the kind of savvy only seen by guys who spend a lot of time right around the net. He knew that both the goalie and defenseman were expected him to pass the puck across the crease instead of shoot.
• Shea Weber's showing some feistiness here in the early days of the season, and that can set a tone for later on. David Perron took a tumble behind the net after hanging too close to Pekka Rinne at one stoppage, thanks to a Weber shove.
• St. Louis has themselves one helluva player in Tarasenko. It's not just the speed and skill that strike you, but the confidence he has to attack the defense is remarkable. Back in the 80's I remember Hubie Brown describing Isaiah Thomas as having "the guts of a burglar", and that rings true with Tarasenko.
• Sergei Kostitsyn had a couple open-net chances that he couldn't quite pull the trigger on, and when you toss in some early shots that rang off the post, this one didn't have to be so tight in the later stages.
• Craig Smith had an awful game tonight, unable to handle passes cleanly, including one from David Legwand in the OT which should have led to a good wrist shot. Even a chance to go first in the shootout didnt pan out.
• Overall, the Predators were outshot mightily by St. Louis (no surprise there, if you read our preview), leaving Pekka Rinne no margin for error.

Boxscore - Event Summary - Game Summary

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

• Patric Hornqvist
• Pekka Rinne
• Colin Wilson

  94 votes | Results

Predators vs Blues Jackets: The Advanced Stats

One of our best indicators of how the overall flow of play proceeds is the Corsi Rating, which reflects the total number of shots fired by a player's team while he's on the ice, minus the number fired by the opposing team. We limit this review to even-strength situations, so it's a fair comparison (if you work the power play, of course you should be on-ice for plenty of shots).

By Total Shots, we mean the Shots on Goal that you see tallied on the scoreboard during a game, as well as those shots which are blocked by an opponent, or miss the net. It's meant to describe which team spent more time in the offensive zone applying pressure when an individual on the ice, as close as we can guess. This value can be heavily influenced by how a player gets deployed (taking more faceoffs in the offensive zone than the defensive one will boost a guy's numbers), so I have included Net Zone Starts (positive number = that guy got extra faceoffs in the offensive end), then Adjusted Corsi results based on that usage.

For each of the tables below, I list the forwards followed by the defense, in descending order of ice time. Hopefully I can provide these after each Preds game. Please let me know in the comments how this format works for you. I want to convey the meat of the thing, without getting bogged down with too much information.

Follow @Forechecker

Nashville Predators

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Mike Fisher	C	18:44	17	13	+4	+3	+1
Colin Wilson	C	18:21	19	13	+6	+1	+5
Sergei Kostitsyn	L	18:06	14	13	+1	+3	-2
Martin Erat	R	17:30	15	14	+1	+5	-5
Matt Halischuk	R	15:52	16	8	+8	-5	+14
David Legwand	C	15:50	12	12	0	0	0
Nick Spaling	C	14:20	15	7	+8	0	+8
Patric Hornqvist	R	14:10	12	13	-1	0	-1
Paul Gaustad	C	13:17	12	7	+5	-6	+12
Brandon Yip	R	12:29	12	5	+7	-1	+8
Craig Smith	C	09:46	7	11	-4	0	-4
Brian McGrattan	R	06:14	7	1	+6	+1	+5
Roman Josi	D	25:04	31	14	+17	+1	+16
Shea Weber	D	23:28	28	12	+16	+1	+15
Kevin Klein	D	21:02	22	12	+10	-2	+12
Scott Hannan	D	19:46	15	16	-1	0	-1
Hal Gill	D	16:35	9	17	-8	-2	-6
Ryan Ellis	D	15:11	7	13	-6	0	-6

Yeah, I think that Roman Josi/Shea Weber pairing looks pretty good so far, eh? Up front, Craig Smith does stick out like a sore thumb.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
John Moore	D	15:43	13	11	+2	+4	-2
Nikita Nikitin	D	20:24	14	17	-3	-5	+3
Jack Johnson	D	24:20	15	27	-12	+2	-14
Matt Calvert	L	10:22	4	10	-6	-1	-5
Cam Atkinson	R	16:07	11	22	-11	-2	-9
Derek Dorsett	R	15:33	13	9	+4	-1	+5
Derick Brassard	C	17:50	10	25	-15	0	-15
Brandon Dubinsky	C	16:51	13	11	+2	+1	+1
R.J. Umberger	C	16:57	11	20	-9	+1	-10
Ryan Johansen	C	14:23	13	11	+2	+1	+1
James Wisniewski	D	22:31	13	26	-13	+1	-14
Vinny Prospal	L	16:04	15	16	-1	+2	-3
Derek MacKenzie	C	09:51	4	9	-5	-3	-2
Adrian Aucoin	D	16:01	12	12	0	+5	-6
Jared Boll	R	07:47	3	5	-2	0	-2
Artem Anisimov	C	17:04	12	9	+3	0	+3
Fedor Tyutin	D	22:07	17	19	-2	-5	+4
Nick Foligno	L	15:50	11	14	-3	+3	-6

By contrast, the top defense pair for Columbus spent a lot of time scrambling in their own end.

For more on the Corsi Rating and its utility in hockey stats analysis, head over to Arctic Ice Hockey's tutorial.

Nashville Predators vs St. Louis Blues: Preds Drop 2nd Straight Shootout

Nashville dropped another shootout decision on home ice Monday, after giving up a 3-2 third period lead.

Remember folks, it's a 5:00 p.m. Monday afternoon start for this one, as the Predators host their traditional Martin Luther King Day game. The Preds are 3-4-0 all-time on the holiday, after having beaten the Islanders last year 3-1.

Need tickets to the Blues & Preds on MLK Day? Check out TiqIQ!

The Stats

Since it's too early for the stats to mean much, let's review the numbers from last season:

	St Louis Blues		Nashville Predators
Record	49-22-11	3rd	48-28-6	5th
Goals For/Game	2.51	21st	2.83	8th
Goals Against/Game	1.89	1st	2.50	10th
5-on-5 Shots For/60 Min.	30.2	10th	27.4	24th
5-on-5 Shots Against/60	26.0	1st	30.5	25th
Fenwick Close	55.07	1st	46.08	29th
5-on-5 Save %	.936	1st	.924	7th
5-on-4 GF/60	5.8	17th	7.6	1st
# of PP's/Gm	3.29	15th	3.05	26th
4-on-5 GA/60	4.7	5th	6.1	15th
# of PK's/Gm	3.44	19th	2.98	6th

Even setting aside the career year that Brian Elliott had in the Blues' net, the St. Louis skaters carried the flow of play at a dominating level. The Preds went 4-1-1 against the Blues last season, however, so they certainly shouldn't lack for confidence.

Last Time Out

While the Predators ground out a shootout loss to the Blue Jackets, St. Louis demolished Detroit in their home opener 6-0, turning Blues fans all giddy. Not that I blame them, we'd be giddy too if a rookie stepped into the lineup and scored twice in his first game, including this doozy:

Who to Watch Out For

Besides rookie Vladimir Tarasenko, who is seen above, keep an eye on these Blues:

---

Chris Stewart

#25 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 228

Born: Oct 30, 1987

---

Stewart scored twice on Saturday and adds depth to a talented group of forwards that includes David Perron, T.J. Oshie, and David Backes.

---

Alex Pietrangelo

#27 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 206

Born: Jan 18, 1990

---

After finishing 4th in the Norris Trophy voting last season, Pietrangelo is primed to make a run for the prize this year, in just his 3rd full NHL season.

Preds Primer

Due to the early start there won't be a morning skate, so we may have to wait until late afternoon before hearing about any potential lineup changes. With Vic Bartley heading back to Milwaukee, the possilbilities include Richard Clune possibly getting a chance to play instead of McGrattan, or Jonathon Blum getting some work on defense. The lines on Saturday started out as follows:

Sergei Kostitsyn	Mike Fisher	Martin Erat
Craig Smith	David Legwand	Patric Hornqvist
Colin Wilson	Paul Gaustad	Matt Halischuk
Brian McGrattan	Nick Spaling	Brandon Yip

In the third period, however, Smith's ice time was slashed, and Wilson got the chance to play alongside Legwand and Hornqvist. The defense was largely as follows:

Roman Josi	Shea Weber
Scott Hannan	Kevin Klein
Hal Gill	Ryan Ellis

So what do you think, will Barry Trotz shuffle the deck at all?

Preds vs Blues Video Highlights & Advanced Stats

Despite getting much more power play time than St. Louis (8:41 to 3:32), the Nashville Predators were outshot handily by St. Louis.

Nashville Predators

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Colin Wilson	C	17:23	11	21	-10	-4	-8
Mike Fisher	C	16:35	10	11	-1	-5	+1
Nick Spaling	C	16:09	11	21	-10	-3	-9
Matt Halischuk	R	14:37	10	16	-6	-1	-6
Martin Erat	R	14:30	7	14	-7	-3	-6
David Legwand	C	14:22	7	17	-10	-4	-8
Sergei Kostitsyn	L	12:55	10	10	0	-4	+2
Patric Hornqvist	R	11:55	8	16	-8	-4	-6
Craig Smith	C	10:30	7	7	0	0	0
Brandon Yip	R	9:05	3	10	-7	-1	-7
Brian McGrattan	R	6:20	2	5	-3	-1	-3
Rich Clune	L	4:53	1	5	-4	-1	-4
Shea Weber	D	22:06	13	20	-7	-4	-5
Scott Hannan	D	21:14	13	31	-18	-6	-16
Kevin Klein	D	20:59	12	31	-19	-5	-17
Roman Josi	D	18:33	11	15	-4	-4	-2
Ryan Ellis	D	13:09	6	15	-9	-1	-9
Hal Gill	D	9:44	5	6	-1	-2	-0

How about Colin Wilson, leading the Predators in even-strength ice time?

Possession-wise, this was a tough night for the Preds, as was to be expected considering how strong the Blues were last season in that regard, and how weak Nashville was. The Hannan/Klein pairing took the brunt of the damage.

St. Louis Blues

Player	Pos	ES TOI	Total Shots For	Total Shots Against	Corsi	Net Zone Starts	Adjusted Corsi
Alexander Steen	C	15:37	20	6	+14	+4	+12
Patrik Berglund	C	15:31	19	13	+6	+2	+5
Andy Mcdonald	C	15:12	18	7	+11	+4	+9
T.J. Oshie	C	14:59	16	11	+5	+4	+3
David Perron	L	14:55	13	5	+8	+4	+6
David Backes	R	13:20	13	9	+4	+4	+2
Vladimir Tarasenko	R	13:18	15	6	+9	+4	+7
Chris Stewart	R	12:15	12	9	+3	+2	+2
Jaden Schwartz	C	10:18	12	11	+1	+3	-0
Vladimir Sobotka	C	10:18	12	7	+5	0	+5
Scott Nichol	C	8:01	7	2	+5	0	+5
Ryan Reaves	R	5:25	4	1	+3	+1	+3
Alex Pietrangelo	D	19:41	29	10	+19	+6	+17
Ian Cole	D	18:44	24	8	+16	+6	+14
Roman Polak	D	18:18	14	9	+5	+2	+4
Kris Russell	D	17:52	20	10	+10	+3	+9
Barret Jackman	D	15:41	14	12	+2	+2	+1
Kevin Shattenkirk	D	15:30	18	11	+7	+3	+6

It's interesting to note the more egalitarian spread of ice time among the St. Louis defense as compared to Nashville's, that can be looked at as a reflection of how the Preds try to manage usage based on individual player strengths.

And now, the video highlights:

For an explanation of the tables above, check out our post covering Saturday's game.

Nashville Predators @ Minnesota Wild Preview: Suter Gone Wild

While the Predators have seen some improvement from Game One to Game Two, they don't have any wins to show for it, while the Wild have jumped out of the gate with consecutive victories over Colorado and Dallas. Can the Preds find their stride against the team Craig Leipold left them for?

Get moving with Nashville Predators ZigLite training shoes from Reebok

The Stats

Until we get a few more games under everyone's belt, we'll run with last year's stats and expound from there:

	Nashville Predators		Minnesota Wild
Record	48-28-6	5th	35-36-11	24th
GF/Game	2.83	8th	2.58	23rd
GA/Game	2.50	10th	2.58	10th
5-on-5 SF/60	27.4	24th	24.8	30th
5-on-5 SA/60	30.5	25th	31.6	25th
Fenwick Close	46.08	29th	44.91	30th
5-on-5 Save %	.924	7th	.927	4th
5-on-4 GF/60	7.6	1st	7.0	6th
# of PP's/Gm	3.05	26th	2.24	22nd
4-on-5 GA/60	6.1	15th	5.5	13th
# of PK's/Gm	2.98	6th	2.37	15th

Fundamentally, the Wild were a poor team last season, and a hot start gave way to a horrid second half as they plummeted through the standings and finished out of the playoffs. One of the more interesting stories to watch from a stats perspective is how much Minnesota improves thanks to their splashy free agent spending.

Last Time Out

Sunday, the Wild took a 1-0 victory on home ice over the Dallas Stars, as they buckled down to hold a late lead (something the Preds have failed to do so far):

The third was much more fast paced as the Stars turned up the heat and brought the pressure. Josh Harding stood tall when he needed to, and the Wild's defense certainly stepped up their game to match the Stars charge. For the Stars, their new kid, Chris Nilthrop, was outstanding. He looked a bit out of sorts in the first period, but after that, put a very good Wild team on lock down. A little support from his team, and he could have stolen this one.

Josh Harding knows all about being on the other end of this stick, trust me.

--- Hockey Wilderness

Who To Watch Out For

Hmm...

---

Zach Parise

#11 / Left Wing / Minnesota Wild

Height: 5-11

Weight: 195

Born: Jul 28, 1984

---

Parise just scored his first goal as a Wild on Sunday, but will be looked to as a leading scorer up front.

---

Ryan Suter

#20 / Defenseman / Minnesota Wild

Height: 6-1

Weight: 198

Born: Jan 21, 1985

---

We're all familiar with this guy. Some see him as a turnocat, but to me he was just a pro waiting for a chance to choose his career path.

Preds Primer

Paul Gaustad's absence from the lineup last night due to an upper body injury gave Richard Clune a chance to make his Nashville Predators debut, on the 4th line:

Sergei Kostitsyn	Mike Fisher	Martin Erat
Craig Smith	David Legwand	Patric Hornqvist
Colin Wilson	Nick Spaling	Matt Halischuk
Rich Clune	Brandon Yip	Brian McGrattan

The d-pairings, on the other hand, remained the same last night:

Roman Josi	Shea Weber
Scott Hannan	Kevin Klein
Hal Gill	Ryan Ellis

Shea Weber Season Preview: We Have a Hulk™

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Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 232

Born: Aug 14, 1985

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	GP	Goals	Assists	Points	+/-	PIM	Shots	Avg TOI
2011-12	78	19	30	49	+21	46	230	26:10
Career	480	99	164	163	+44	369	1307	22:46

Last Season

The perfect blend of defensive ability -- thanks to his size, strength, and grit -- and offense ability -- thanks to his Howitzer of a slapper -- Weber posted 49 points in 2011-2012 (19 G, 30 A), good for the second best offensive season of his career. (18 of those 49 points came against Central Division opponents.) Clearly an elite defenseman, many thought Weber got the titanium shaft when the Professional Hockey Writers Association decided all of a sudden that a whole bunch of offense mattered more than defensive ability in last year's Norris Trophy voting, and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators somehow managed to beat Weber by just 12 points. Called upon by Barry Trotz to play in all situations, Shea played big minutes against the top lines in the league, and routinely frustrated the best of the NHL's best. (As if the world needed any more evidence that he's the best in the world at his position.)

In the playoffs last year, Shea became persona non grata in Hockey Town when #Webering became a thing in the Western Conference Quarterfinal (revisit OtF's coverage of the incident).

But perhaps more interesting than anything Shea did during the regular season or playoffs last year, he helped give Nashville Predators ownership lots of positive press this summer (at least that's how I'm choosing to think about it) when he signed a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers in the offseason, thereby giving the folks at 501 Broadway an opportunity to match, locking up their captain for virtually the rest of his career. We weren't scared at all in Nashville. Nope.

The Outlook

All eyes are on Weber this year, since his long-time Nashville blueline partner Ryan Suter inked a 13-year, $98 million deal with the Minnesota Wild, who also signed Suter's pal and former New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise to an identical deal. Weber appears confident that Roman Josi is the answer to an absent Suter, and Dirk concluded a year ago that Suter wasn't really any better than Weber (personally, I think there is no Ryan Suter without Shea Weber -- not that I'm still bitter or anything), but how the new first pairing fares in the first two weeks of the season will probably make or break the team's chances of making the playoffs.

The Question

Will the Sicamous Sasquatch be able to lead Nashville out of the fog of questions surrounding the blueline, and will that be good enough to finally win him a Norris Trophy?

Nashville Predators vs St. Louis Blues Preview: Happy Hockey MLK Day

Remember folks, it's a 5:00 p.m. Monday afternoon start for this one, as the Predators host their traditional Martin Luther King Day game. The Preds are 3-4-0 all-time on the holiday, after having beaten the Islanders last year 3-1.

Need tickets to the Blues & Preds on MLK Day? Check out TiqIQ!

The Stats

Since it's too early for the stats to mean much, let's review the numbers from last season:

	St Louis Blues		Nashville Predators
Record	49-22-11	3rd	48-28-6	5th
Goals For/Game	2.51	21st	2.83	8th
Goals Against/Game	1.89	1st	2.50	10th
5-on-5 Shots For/60 Min.	30.2	10th	27.4	24th
5-on-5 Shots Against/60	26.0	1st	30.5	25th
Fenwick Close	55.07	1st	46.08	29th
5-on-5 Save %	.936	1st	.924	7th
5-on-4 GF/60	5.8	17th	7.6	1st
# of PP's/Gm	3.29	15th	3.05	26th
4-on-5 GA/60	4.7	5th	6.1	15th
# of PK's/Gm	3.44	19th	2.98	6th

Even setting aside the career year that Brian Elliott had in the Blues' net, the St. Louis skaters carried the flow of play at a dominating level. The Preds went 4-1-1 against the Blues last season, however, so they certainly shouldn't lack for confidence.

Last Time Out

While the Predators ground out a shootout loss to the Blue Jackets, St. Louis demolished Detroit in their home opener 6-0, turning Blues fans all giddy. Not that I blame them, we'd be giddy too if a rookie stepped into the lineup and scored twice in his first game, including this doozy:

Who to Watch Out For

Besides rookie Vladimir Tarasenko, who is seen above, keep an eye on these Blues:

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Chris Stewart

#25 / Right Wing / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-2

Weight: 228

Born: Oct 30, 1987

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Stewart scored twice on Saturday and adds depth to a talented group of forwards that includes David Perron, T.J. Oshie, and David Backes.

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Alex Pietrangelo

#27 / Defenseman / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-3

Weight: 206

Born: Jan 18, 1990

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After finishing 4th in the Norris Trophy voting last season, Pietrangelo is primed to make a run for the prize this year, in just his 3rd full NHL season.

Preds Primer

Due to the early start there won't be a morning skate, so we may have to wait until late afternoon before hearing about any potential lineup changes. With Vic Bartley heading back to Milwaukee, the possilbilities include Richard Clune possibly getting a chance to play instead of McGrattan, or Jonathon Blum getting some work on defense. The lines on Saturday started out as follows:

Sergei Kostitsyn	Mike Fisher	Martin Erat
Craig Smith	David Legwand	Patric Hornqvist
Colin Wilson	Paul Gaustad	Matt Halischuk
Brian McGrattan	Nick Spaling	Brandon Yip

In the third period, however, Smith's ice time was slashed, and Wilson got the chance to play alongside Legwand and Hornqvist. The defense was largely as follows:

Roman Josi	Shea Weber
Scott Hannan	Kevin Klein
Hal Gill	Ryan Ellis

So what do you think, will Barry Trotz shuffle the deck at all?

Monday's Dump & Chase: It's a Matinee Kind of Day

Nashville Predators News

Benching Craig Smith And The Boring Moralism Of Trotz's Doghouse - Nashville Sports Hub
Sam's spitting mad over the 3rd-period demotion of Craig Smith on Saturday night.

David Climer: Nashville Predators feel pressure to win | The Tennessean
Will the longtime presence of the existing coaching staff and many of the players help the Preds in the early going?

Nashville Predators say power play holds early advantage | The Tennessean
Ooh, there's an update on Gabriel Bourque (whose speed would be most welcome on the third line).

Predators ponderings - Predators Insider
Josh Cooper shares three observations from Saturday night's game.

Smashville 24/7 - Defensemen gaining chemistry on the fly
The new defense pairs seem to have had a good Game One.

Ads swept in two at Abbotsford | Admirals Roundtable
To be fair, the Admirals skated without three defensemen who played major roles for them in Blum, Ellis & Bartley.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Phoenix Coyotes vs Chicago Blackhawks Postgame: Banner Night Goes Awry - Five For Howling
At least the fans in the desert got to see that Pacific Division championship banner raised to the rafters before Chicago took a 6-4 decision.

Dallas Stars Downed By Wild, 1-0 - Defending Big D
Zach Parise scored his first goal for Minnesota.

Sharks recover from terrible start to douse Flames in opener - Fear The Fin
San Jose had their opener yesterday, and handled Calgary 4-1.

Oilers Re-write The Script, Come Back To Win In Shootout - The Copper & Blue
Edmonton topped Vancouver, with Ales Hemsky stealing the show.

Despite getting dental work done on Saturday, Stars’ winger Reilly Smith sees action vs. Wild | Dallas Stars Blog
Because he's a hockey player!

Neal, Malkin Continue Hot Start in 6-3 Win Over Rangers - PensBurgh
The Penguins are off and flying.

Stafford, Ott Set Different Tone For Sabres In 5-2 Win Over Flyers - Die By The Blade
Buffalo got their season started on a high note, handily defeating Philadelphia.

Joffrey Lupul's Contract Value: Point/Counterpoint - Pension Plan Puppets
The Maple Leafs committed to a new 5-year contract for Joffrey Lupul - was it the right move?

Ratings win for NHL: 2013 openers give NBC record regular-season numbers | Puck Daddy
Nice ratings for Opening Day, but hockey still has a long ways to go.

Exploring NHL Helmet Decals - Blog - icethetics.info
A sampling of stickers adorning buckets around the league.

And lastly, to get those hockey juices flowing... here's Hockey Night in Canada's intro video for the season: