Who is the Greatest #25 in Nashville Predators history?

Our series continues to #25. Though we only have three candidates, this is the most popular number amongst Russian players who have ever donned a Predators jersey.

Sergei Krivokrasov

The first Sergei to have played for the Predators joined the team in the 98-99 season after a stint with the Russian Olympic squad in Nagano, Japan, which made it all the way to the gold medal game before losing 1-0 to the Czech Republic. Krivoskrasov proved to be a very important addition for the Preds, scoring 25 goals and 48 points during his first season with them. He set team records not only for most scored goals scored, but most powerplay goals registered (10). He also served as their representative at the 1999 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa. The next season was not as productive for Krivoskrasov, scoring only 9 goals, 17 points, and accumulating a -7 +/-rating. Upper management decided to dump Krivoskrasov at the Trade Deadline, trading him to the Calgary Flames for Cale Hulse and a third-round selection in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Denis Arkhipov

The first Denis to play for the Predators (the second being Denis Grebeshkov), Arkhipov was selected 60th overall in the third round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. In his first season for the Preds, he split his time with between Nashville and Milwaukee before becoming a regular in Music City the following season. He played in all 82 games with a career high of 20 goals and 42 points. He ended up leading the Predators in goals, game-winning goals (6) and shooting percentage (16.9%). Arkhipov centered the "Vowel Line" which also included, Vladimír Országh on right wing, and Martin Erat at left wing. Arkhipov continued two more seasons with the Predators, scoring 20 goals and 56 points during that span. When the NHL Lockout hit the following season, Arkhipov returned to his homeland for a year before signing as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He would never reach the same level he had attained with the Predators.

Jerred Smithson

Smithson spent a greater length of time (approximately 8 seasons) with the Predators organization than our other two candidates, coming from the Los Angeles Kings in the offseason before the NHL Lockout. After a season with the Admirals, Smithson was quickly promoted to 501 Broadway. In 8 seasons with the Predators, he amassed 35 goals and 81 points, proving himself to be a reliable and prudent checker. Smithson's claim to fame, of course, is scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. This milestone entirely changed the Predators' destiny, as this was the first Game 5 they had ever won in the Playoffs, the first game they had ever won in overtime in the Playoffs, and the first time they were going back home ahead 3-2. This win gave the Predators the confidence to finish off Anaheim the following game and proceed to play in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history. After 53 games in the 11-12 season, Smithson was traded to the Florida Panthers for a 2012 6^th round draft pick due to a slump in his productivity.

Poll

Who is the Greatest #25 in Nashville Predators history?

• Denis Arkhipov
• Sergei Krivokrasov
• Jerred Smithson

  132 votes | Results

Old Time Hockey Rebels: The "Love Me Littles" of Queen's University

It takes a rebel to change the course of hockey history.

Jacques Plante defied his coach in order to wear a goalie mask, quite literally changing the face of the game forever. Ted Lindsay stood up to the establishment to try and establish a players' union back in the 1950's, laying a foundation upon which the modern NHLPA is built.

Long before those legends came on the scene, however, back in the 1890's, a group of young ladies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario ignored the words of the local archbishop to pursue what was then a very new sport for women.

So let's take a trip back in time with OTF reader Linda Sparks, who related some remarkable background information and photos via email...

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About two summers ago, unknown to me at the time, I was researching one of the first pioneers of women's ice hockey in Canada. Her name was Marion Fraser and I was to discover that she was indeed a very young and stubborn woman. At the time that Marion Fraser was making ice hockey history, she was merely eighteen years old and attending Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. According to the Queen's archives Marion Fraser attended Queen's University from 1894 till 1896, and although she seemed to have struggled with her studies, Marion excelled in hockey, which was a feat in itself, considering that the Archbishop of Queen's had said at the time something to the effect that young women didn't play ice hockey, for it was greatly frowned upon.

Had Marion Fraser and her teammates on the women's ice hockey team, listened to the then-Archbishop of Queen's University ... well who knows where women's ice hockey would be now.

Looking back in time, women's ice hockey in North America and in particular in Canada dates back to the 1890's, when it was first played at the university level. Queens's University in Kingston, Ontario was one of the first Canadian universities to field a women's ice hockey team - due to the determination and the strong will of the very young women, who at first, called themselves The "Love-me-Littles" back in 1895. Although the young women weren't getting too much support they still carried on with " very enthusiastic" ice hockey practices and in the following year of 1896, they became known as the Morning Glories and took to the ice!

The Daily British Whig of March 6, 1896 (P.1), reports the Morning Glories of Queen's College defeated the Blues and Blacks of the Ladies College in a "unique game of hockey":

Miss M. Fraser (centre or rover) scored one goal for the Glories in a 2-1 victory over the Blues and Blacks. Other members of the Queen's team were: K. McLean, goal; E.Griffin, point; M. Parker, cover point, N. Watson, centre; D. Yates, wing; and A. Brock, wing.

"Play was brilliant and free from rough house....The only thing uniform about their costumes was the length of their skirts which reached just to their boot tops."

In the return game, played before 1,200 fans, The Daily British Whig of March 11, 1896 reports that Miss. M. Fraser scored one goal in a 4-2 loss to the Blues and Blacks.

The line-up for the Blues and Blacks as reported on March 11, 1896 were: B. Smythe, goal; E. Low, point; A. Ferris, cover point, Marguerite Carr-Harris; F. Taylor, centre or rover; E. Hendry, wing; M. Cotton, wing.

It was also reported that "Miss Carr Harris repeatedly rushed and lifted the puck into the goal." And that she scored twice for the Blues and Blacks of the Ladies College."

Sadly, Marion Fraser died in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1922 after falling out of window, that she had just opened for some fresh air.

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Linda was prompted to do this research after she and her husband (who is Marion Fraser's nephew) came into possession of the hockey stick (autographed by Fraser's teammates) and photo from 1896 which you can see now in this exhibit at the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario.

Hmm... I wonder where this gear would rank on the recent Uni-Watch list of NHL uniforms? It looks like the modern women's hockey team at Queen's University (now known as the Gaels) has kept much of that color scheme, and even the signature "Q" hasn't changed much.

Anyways, here's more on Linda, to whom I owe great thanks for this post:

While raising her three children, Linda Sparks began to write articles for a local newspaper in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada which lead to her having her own weekly column entitled The Faces of West Quebec which won the second place in the reader's poll as the most read column. One of the highlights of Faces of West Quebec was an interview with Canadian and fellow Aylmerite Dean DeBlois of Lilo and Stitch fame who had co-written and co-directed the animated hit film with Chris Sanders for Disney Films.

From there, she went on to interview the late Harry Elton, who was one of the original producers of television's long running soap opera Coronation Street and the voice heard on CBC radio as the host of CBO's Morning Show and the classical music programme Mostly Music.

She then took scriptwriting and producing courses at the Canadian Screen Training Center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada before she went to work for the Ottawa-Gatineau Film and Television Office in the city of Gatineau, Quebec.

While working out of the OGFT office, Linda began to network as a location scout with other producers as well as directors from across Canada and abroad. One of her more memorable experiences while working in the film industry was working on the Rolling Stones video shoot Streets of Love at the Zaphod's club in the Byward Market in the city of Ottawa. Linda is currently working on writing her first fictional book for young adult readers about growing up and playing hockey in North America.

Players brace for Round 2 of CBA talks: Monday's notes

This will be an interesting week to follow the NHL CBA talks, as the two sides are expected to meet again starting Tuesday, after decamping for informational and strategic updates over the last several days. Meanwhile, players are doing the on-ice work to get ready for a mid-September opening of training camp, including the mysterious Jack MacLellan...

Best of Nashville 2012 - The Nashville Scene

This year they have a reader poll for "Best Sports Blog". Can you help us defend our title from 2011? Vote daily!

Nashville Predators News

In Search of Jack Maclellan | PuckScene.com
Patten stalks some big game.

It’s not believed many Predators will play in Europe if there’s a lockout… | Section 303
Especially since most observers expect a short lockout, not a full season lost, don't expect to see guys heading over for short-term gigs in various leagues.

Hold on to your hats, we’re going on the air! | The Predatorial
So it looks like Kris is taking over the Monday Night Forehand podcast, as Justin & Big Ben are joining 102.5 The Game as Penalty Box Radio next month.

Analysis: Nashville Predators may still have edge over Detroit Red Wings | The Tennessean
Have we finally reached the point where the Preds come into a season favored to top Detroit?

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Players standing beside, learning from Donald Fehr - National Post
The players do seem to be better prepared for this battle than they were in 2004, that's for sure.

Player Choices : Tom Benjamin's NHL Blog :: CanucksCorner.com
Tom says that the players should either fold early, or plan for an entire year cancelled.

NHL: Labor talks focus on revenue sharing | BlueJackets Xtra
Aaron Portzline points out that on the revenue sharing front, the players and owners aren't quite as far apart as has been portrayed.

CHLPA claims players ‘forfeit their youth’ in latest error-filled manifesto - Buzzing The Net
Remember, it's all about "EDUCATAION"! *facepalm*

Let's Chat About the Columbus Defense - The Cannon
Is the balance of talent on the Blue Jackets' roster tilting towards the defense?

Who is the Greatest #24 in Nashville Predators history?

Our jersey number series continues with #24, where we find a mix of wingers, including one who was chosen by OTF readers as part of an All-Time Nashville Predators team voted on a few years ago...

Scott Walker

Walker joined the Predators for their inaugural campaign, where he ended up playing for seven consecutive seasons. The Cambridge, Ontario native was given more responsibilities and expanded ice time, allowing him to score a career-high of 15 goals and 40 points in his first year. Walker's next explosive season came in the 2000-2001 season, breaking his previous record with 25 goals and 54 points and leading that team with most goals and powerplay goals (9) scored. Walker underwent a slump during the next two years, though he was named as the Predators' interim captain from January 12-25, 2003 when Greg Johnson was sidelined with injuries.

Nevertheless, he bounced back again in the 03-04 season when he accumulated 25 goals and 67 points in 75 games, becoming the highest-scoring player in Predators history. Not only did he have the most goals, assists, and points of the entire team, but he was also named the NHL Offensive Player of the Week of December 22^nd. After an unimpressive follow-up season, Walker was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Josef Vasicek on July 18, 2006.

Brandon Bochenski

Spending the majority of his career honing his skills in the AHL, Bochenski was traded to the Predators by the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations on February 26, 2008. After 8 regular season games with the Preds, he scored 1 goal and 3 points. Bochenski followed the team to the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings, though he was unable to record a single point in the three games he was put on the ice. That summer, Bochenski signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Ben Guite

Another tenured minor league player, Guite signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators on July 14, 2009, spending the majority of the season with the Admirals (6 games with the Predators). In 64 games with the Ads, he recorded 8 goals and 21 points. Guite left as a free agent in the offseason and signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on August 18, 2010.

Matt Halischuk

"Hally" was traded to the Predators on June 19, 2010 from the New Jersey Devils for the Preds' beloved captain Jason Arnott, who returned to the team for which he scored the Stanley-Cup winning goal in 2000. In his first season with the organization, Halischuck split his time between the Admirals and the Predators, scoring 4 goals and 12 points in 27 games for the Preds in the regular season (along with a fairly impressive +5 rating). Halischuck was called up to play in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Preds. Not only did he help the Predators win their first ever first-round series in the playoffs, but he also scored the game-winning goal in the 2nd overtime of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinal series against the Vancouver Canucks to even up the series at 1-1. It was Nashville's first-ever win in the second round of the playoffs. Though the Predators' remaining time in the playoffs was cut short, Halischuck's contract was extended to two more years with the Predators in the offseason. This past season, Halischuck amassed 15 goals and 28 points while playing on the third line with Nick Spaling and Gabriel Bourque.

Halischuck has proven to be a phenomenal addition to the Predators and he is not even close to reaching his fullest potential. He is aggressive on plays and does not hesitate to take shots, which explains him scoring the seventh-highest amount of goals for the team this past season. Expect the right winger to be paired up with rising stars Craig Smith and Gabriel Bourque now that Jordin Tootoo has gone to the dark side.

Poll

Who is the Greatest #24 in Nashville Predators history?

• Brandon Bochenski
• Ben Guite
• Matt Halischuck
• Scott Walker

  271 votes | Results

20 Days Left in the CBA: Sunday's notes

Hang in there, folks, we're getting close to September, when training camps open and we all have a chance to get into the rink to see how the latest version of the Nashville Predators shapes up. Of course, that means the players and owners need to agree on a new CBA within the next three weeks... but a guy can hope, right?

Best of Nashville 2012 - The Nashville Scene

This year they have a reader poll for "Best Sports Blog". Can you help us defend our title from 2011? Vote daily!

Nashville Predators News

Hockey Night in Nashville: Blum motivated to make NHL squad
This is a make-or-break year for Jonathon Blum, and it's good to hear how he's been spending his summer here getting ready for camp, whenever it opens.

The Hippodrome: We're Playing For Nothin' | Pith in the Wind
I do like the way J.R. leverages the multiple #MySmashville winners.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Russia’s Dynamo Targets Ovechkin | Sports | RIA Novosti
The Swedish Elite League has sworn off NHL players in the event of a lockout, but might the KHL make a run at some?

Sault Ste. Marie police: Three Greyhounds players charged with sexual assault | Buzzing The Net
Whoa, boy.

Police in Kenora recover stolen 1907 Stanley Cup banner, flag - The Globe and Mail
Cheers, Thistles fans!

Slap shot the weapon of hockey's hardest shooters - NHL.com
See where Shea Weber ends up on this list of all-time slap shots.

Hockey’s most arbitrary, yet mainstream, statistic | Backhand Shelf
Assists are indeed tricky territory.

Little League World Series: Goodlettsville Survives Scare Much Like Preds/Hawks From 2010

In case you missed it this afternoon, the team from Goodlettsville captured the U.S. title at the Little League World Series, and move on to face Japan tomorrow to win the whole darned thing.

But whoa, what a roller coaster ride it was. Leading 15-5 heading into the 6th inning, Goodlettsville only needed three outs to close out the game. Instead, however, the team from Petaluma, California staged a furious comeback, scoring 10 rounds to force extra innings. I was hanging out with my boys watching, and my youngest was just about losing his mind watching that lead melt away.

We've Seen This Before

As for me? I couldn't help but think back to Game 5 of the 2010 playoff series between the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks. After taking a 3rd-period lead in the United Center, the Preds were in position to close out the Hawks and take a 3-2 series lead back to Bridgestone Arena. Heck, they even had a power play in the final minutes after Marion Hossa boarded Dan Hamhuis.

Well, we all know how that worked out. The Game 5 Horror saw the Preds cough up a shorthanded goal to Patrick Kane in the final minute, leading to an overtime that never should have happened. In OT, they failed to convert on their power play and allowed Hossa to score the game winner just seconds after he came out of the penalty box. The game was lost, and the Preds were subsequently knocked out in Game 6.

That might have been the biggest meltdown I've seen in a playoff game, and I was worried that we were seeing a repeat this afternoon. Most anyone would have been rattled to fritter away a 10-run lead like that - heck, I know us viewers were!

The Boys Bounced Back

The Goodlettsville Little League team, however? They bounced back in tremendous fashion. They blew things open once again with 9 runs in the 7th inning, and shut things down in a business-like manner in the bottom of the inning to close out the win.

It was a thrilling win, and you have to think that surviving this bit of adversity will only help them out against Japan. If dropping a 10-spot when victory was so close didn't rattle them, nothing will.

One on One with Ryan Jones

This week I had the opportunity to have a long talk with former Predator Ryan Jones about his time in Nashville and his career in Edmonton.

Hockey Season is gearing up. Once again ice rinks across the country are being flooded with youngsters for 6 A.M. practices. Though my counterparts in the southern regions of the states probably don't feel it yet, the weather is already beginning to cool here in Ohio.

Miami University, my alma mater, has a long established excellence in NCAA hockey. The hockey program here has produced three Stanley Cup winners, a Hobey Baker winner, and even some Olympians. Last week, teammates, both old and new, gathered at Miami's Goggin Ice Arena to practice together during Miami's Pro Camp. One of the attendees was former Nashville Predator Ryan Jones.

Jones, if you remember, was part of the Nashville Predators organization from 2008-2010. "Junk Man Jones" could never really stick in the lineup at the time as inconsistent play and the organization's depth at his position made it hard for the former CCHA star to find a home in Nashvllle, posting just 28 points in 87 games. Still, many in Nashville fell in love with his blue collar style of play and his flowing hair. Many fans were sad to see him go when the Predators waived him after acquiring Denis Grebeshkov from the Edmonton Oilers in 2010. The Oilers picked Jones off of waivers, and the gritty forward has been with them ever since. Jones certainly has found his niche with the Oilers, posting 59 points in 168 games, including two years with 17 and 18 goals while being a top PKer for Edmonton.

I had a chance to sit down (well stand up) with Ryan Jones a couple of days ago and discuss his career and the time he spent in Nashville.

Me: So would you say your time in Nashville was a positive experience overall, regardless of how it ended?

Jones: "It's always good when you get a chance in the NHL. It was a little bit of a different situation then I am in now. I was constantly battling for a line up spot. I didn't play well enough to garner much confidence from the coaches. While I was there it was just a tough situation. Its hard to do that when you are lacking confidence in your game. I definitely wouldn't change anything it was a fun time and met some great guys. You know it was the start of my carrier basically."

Me: You certainly have seemed to find your confidence in Edmonton.

Jones: "Yeah. It was something the organization was lacking a little of what I brought. I am a power forward who can kill penalties (something Edmonton lacked at the time). I am a guy who can be brought in different situations. That's one thing they voiced to me, versatility is one thing that has kept them wanting me in the organization."

"I didn't get a ton of opportunities when I was in Nashville. When I got to Edmonton, it seemed like they were going to allow me to do whatever I could to earn my ice time. When the chance was given, I was fortunate enough to produce."

Me: Do you still stay in contact with some of the guys in Nashville?

Jones: "Yeah, there's a few guys there I still talk to. Cal's one of them, Hornqvist is another."

Me: Nashville has put some good guys on waivers over the years. Some of us saw your tweet a while back about a fellow waiver victim.

Jones: {Laughing} "Nashville has put some guys on waivers that have gone on to have unbelievable careers. Rich Peverly is one that comes to mind. It's one of those situations where it's not the right fit for one team, but if you can find your niche with another, you can do good things for other clubs."

Me: Would you say Barry Trotz is too hard on young, developing players?

Jones: "I don't know about that. They've had a lot of success and Trotzy's a good coach. It seems like they do go through a lot of young guys, guys that come in and be the next greatest thing and a year or two later they aren't in the organization anymore. For whatever reason, I'm not sure. They have great leadership in the locker room with their older guys, especially Weber back there. He's really what drives that organization. Guys just have to step up and that is one thing I wasn't able to do there."

Me: How is playing in Edmonton different from Nashville?

Jones: "It's obviously different than Nashville. You can walk around everywhere in Nashville and no one recognizes you. You are mainly trying to figure out what country star is next to you at the table half the time. In Edmonton it is the exact opposite. It's pretty cool to be noticed and have the fans come up and talk to you about the game and tell you how much they appreciate what your doing. It's a fun fun place to play hockey, and yeah its kind of cliché but I think Edmonton is the best place in the league to play.

Me: Are you going to start putting requests to the coaches to be on a line with Eberle and Hall?

Jones: {Laughing} "Probably not to start. You just never know. I played with every forward in that lineup last year. Whatever situation I am given for that game I will continue to play the way that I do. I can't control where I am in the lineup. I can only control how I play."

Jones went on to say that he is excited about his season in Edmonton and that they have a good, young core to play around, but it wasn't picked up by the recorder. He also made a pitch for my brother (a high school hockey player in Nashville) to not go to Notre Dame, but instead join the Miami RedHawks.

I would like to thank Jonesy for his time and for doing this interview. The guy is simply an outstanding individual off the ice (can't really speak for on!). I wish he was still a Predator, but I am glad he has found the right place for him to continue his young career. I wish him the best this season.

I hope you enjoyed this piece, I know it isn't strictly Predators related, but it highlights that these guys that we cheer for on the ice really are people just like the rest of us.