Monday's Dump & Chase: The Calm Before the Storm

Nashville Predators News

Nashville Predators ready to get back to work | The Tennessean
Josh Cooper got reaction to the local Preds about the CBA resolution.

You can boycott NHL hockey if you want but you’ll be sacrificing something special… | Section 303
Jeremy argues that the connection between fans is every bit, if not more important, than the one between fan & team.

With lockout over, Predators go on the defensive | The Tennessean
There will be a new look to the defense corps this season, and it may prove to be the most critical area of the team.

Admirals End the Lockout in Style Stealing a 3-2 Comeback Shootout win over Grand Rapids | Admirals Roundtable
It sounds like Milwaukee reversed Saturday night's storyline, coming back from down 2-0 late to pull out a shootout win.

Lockout Tentatively Over | Admirals Roundtable
Ryan gives us his initial thoughts as to who might make the trip to Nashville.

Also, here's a welcome voice... Pete Weber with a morning update on 102.5 The Game:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

NHL gets back to business - The Globe and Mail
As soon as the new CBA is formally approved, general managers will have a great deal of work to do, in very little time.

Lockout Lit presents: an excerpt from H.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Return of the League' - Lighthouse Hockey
And here I thought Bettman would be cast in the role of Gollum.

Last truncated NHL season in 1994-95 was ‘awesome’ - The Globe and Mail
The main thing I recall about the last "short season" was that the individual awards (Hart Trophy, Norris Trophy, etc.) just didn't seem to carry as much weight. I wonder, for example, if the fact that Eric Lindros' one MVP season came in '95 undermines his Hall of Fame candidacy.

Hard to see a winner in NHL labour truce | Hockey | CBC Sports
Elliotte Friedman outlines how the final obstacles were overcome and a deal finally got done.

NHL on TSN identifies six urgent matters facing teams
Here's a review of roster issues facing a number of teams around the league, but not Nashville so much.

NHL: Fans will always forgive after work stoppages - ESPN Chicago
Darren Rovell did a Twitter poll, so you know the research is solid here.

Which NHL Central Clubs Will Thrive in a Shortened Season? - The Hockey Writers
A good overview of how the division rivals shape up right now.

Dowbiggin: New CBA means it’s time to drop the puck and drop Bettman too - The Globe and Mail
Now this would be a popular move...

Larry Brooks: NHL players could get lockout payback by spurning Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs - NYPOST.com
Larry Brooks is feeling vindictive, but I can't imagine many, if any, players would follow his advice here.

Free NHL Center Ice probably won't happen - SBNation.com
Steve Lepore explains why a free TV package isn't likely to be part of the NHL's apology campaign.

5 Questions Facing the Nashville Predators

How Badly Will Ryan Suter Be Missed?

Besides the obvious point about Suter being a top-level defenseman who could play major minutes in all situations, the advanced stats illustrate just how essential Suter was to the team. Roman Josi & Ryan Ellis may step in on the power play, and Scott Hannan could fit in well on the penalty kill, but the bulk of a defenseman's work is done at even-strength, and that's where the greatest challenge lies.

The Preds were 29th in the league last season in the Shots For & Against battle during close-game situations, a weakness that was covered up in large part by Pekka Rinne's goaltending (we make the "close game" distinction because when a team is leading, they tend to take fewer shots than the team trying to catch up, blurring the picture if you just look at simple Shots For & Against). Suter was one of the Preds' best in that regard, so losing him places an even greater burden on Rinne to hold down the fort.

Can Craig Smith Deliver on His Potential?

For the first two months of the 2011-2012 season, the Honey Badger was all the rage among Preds fans, as he led the team in scoring and brought fresh energy to the forward lines. From there on, however, the rookie's production dried up. Will the combination of a shortened schedule and another year of maturation bring us a contender to lead the Preds in scoring?

Is Pekka Rinne Ready to Dominate?

While there was concern that Peks had injured his groin playing in the KHL, indications yesterday were that physically he should be OK. The question is, however, is whether there's any rust to work off, considering the fact that his last game for Dinamo Minsk came on December 9th.

Is This the Year the Wheels Come Off in Detroit?

The Red Wings have long served as the benchmark for Nashville to measure itself against, which makes last season's accomplishment (finishing ahead of Detroit in the standings, then beating them in the playoffs) all the more meaningful. This season, the Predators have the potential to put the Wings in their rear-view mirror, as Detroit moves on without surefire Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. Add in the departure of Brad Stuart via free agency, and the retirement of Brian Rafalski the year before, and that Detroit blueline doesn't look nearly as impressive as it once did.

Is St. Louis For Real?

The Blues jumped from 4th to 1st in the Central Division last season thanks to a coaching change (bringing in Ken Hitchcock), outstanding possession numbers, and some insane goaltending. Can they live up to the lofty standard they set in 2011-2012, or are they due to fall back to Earth? I'll give you a word of warning with this one - I'd feel more comfortable about a team being able to repeat in those two areas than one which rode hot shooting percentages on their way to success, as the Preds did in both 5-on-5 and on the power play (with those two links, the lower a team is on the list, the hotter their shooting was).

A Season of Opportunity

In light of these issues facing the Preds and their key Central Division rivals, the potential is out there for Nashville to push further into uncharted territory. While this team has been competitive for years, and has enjoyed some playoff success the last two seasons, there haven't been any "wins" yet that warrant raising a banner to the rafters at Bridgestone Arena (a division regular season title, a Presidents Trophy, a conference playoff championship or Stanley Cup).

Is this the year to change all that?

Sunday's Dump & Chase: The Lockout is Over!

Nashville Predators News

VIDEO: Preds ECHL affiliate draws 12,000+ for Teddy Bear Toss… | Section 303
Here's a stunt that never gets old.

Baron’s Stars Shine In Shootout Win Over Ads | Admirals Roundtable
Milwaukee's best took on the star-studded lineup of Edmonton's affiliate (Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz, etc.) and squandered a two-goal lead in the third.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

NHL lockout over after 113 days; Owners, players tentatively agree on new CBA - SBNation.com
A 10-year CBA has been agreed to, and now it just has to be drawn up & ratified. Check here for the major details, which include an 8-year max on player contracts.

NHL, NHLPA still at the bargaining table; Granlund pulled from Aeros lineup | StarTribune.com
Last night, the Wild held Mikael Granlund out of an AHL game, to avoid injury risk given the likelihood of NHL training camps opening soon.

Kopitar's knee injury may take 2-3 weeks, so let's give thanks for center depth - Jewels From The Crown
Should Kings fans be concerned, after their star center was injured in a Swedish league game?

How the New CBA Impacts the Nashville Predators

Salary Cap/Floor

A major issue during the negotiations was how the league would move the salary cap lower as the players' share of Hockey Related Revenue declines over time from 57% to 50%. Initially, the NHL wanted to set the 2013-2014 salary cap at $60 million (this season, the cap is $70.2 million), which would force many high-spending teams to trade away or buy out players they already have under contract.

Ultimately, the two sides agreed to a cap next season of $64.3 million, with a floor of $44 million. That will be much less of a hassle for those teams to fit under, and there are two "compliance buyouts" available per team which allow them to shed contracts if they need to.

For the Nashville Predators, this shouldn't be a problem. Their cap figure currently stands at $54.7 million per CapGeek. This summer, the Restricted Free Agents they'll have to deal with are Patric Hornqvist, Nick Spaling, Matt Halischuk & Roman Josi, so they should still be able to stay well below the top of the cap range.

Will that level of payroll affect the next point, however?

Revenue Sharing

The NHLPA had expressed an interest in expanding the scale & scope of revenue sharing right from the beginning of the CBA negotiations, and indeed that is happening under this new deal. While we have yet to see the mechanics of how the new system will work, one important point regarding Nashville under the old CBA was that a portion of revenue sharing was only made available to teams spending under the midpoint of the range between the salary cap & floor. While they stand below that line today, it looks likely that they would be above it for the 2013-2014 season, so we'll have to see if that language is still in there. If so, that may put pressure on the Preds this summer.

Regardless of that "mid-point" issue, there will be more teams feeding from the revenue sharing trough going forward, because now teams in large markets (i.e. New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks) will be allowed to receive funds, where previously they were not. While more funds are coming through that system, there are also more recipients, so we don't know how that will work out for the Preds.

Limits on Contract Length & Salary Variance

The new CBA will limit teams re-signing their own free agents to an 8-year maximum, or 7 years for a free agent on the open market. In addition, salary can only vary 35% from year-to-year, with no season's pay being less than 50% of the highest salary under that contract.

In other words, no more contracts that pay a guy more than $10 million early on, with a few years at $1 million at the end to bring the average (and thus cap hit) down, like what we see with Shea Weber's contract.

The Predators are already on the hook for Weber's deal, and it's unlikely that they would fall into such circumstances again, so this aspect of the new CBA won't have much direct effect on them.

Arbitration

Salary arbitration rights are largely unchanged, but teams won't be able to walk away from an arbitrator's ruling unless the award is $3.5 million or more (recall that the Preds signed J.P. Dumont in 2006 because Buffalo walked away from such a ruling, making him a free agent). With Patric Hornqvist headed for RFA status this summer, it's conceivable that this clause could be a factor in his situation.

2013 Nashville Predators Preview: 2012 Free Agency Recap

The New Guys In Town

At the major-league level, there are pretty much just two new guys:

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Chris Mason

#30 / Goalie

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

Contract: 1 year, $1.25 million

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After last season’s backup Anders Lindback was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Chris Mason signed for another go-round with the Predators, his third stint in Nashville. Mase should make a fine reliever for Pekka Rinne - he's experienced enough to know how to prepare for relatively inconsistent game action, and won't chafe for a #1’s typical workload. Plus, he's familiar with the coaching staff, many of the players, and the community itself.

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Scott Hannan

#22 / Defenseman

Height: 6-2

Weight: 220

Born: Jan 23, 1979

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Expect Hannan to man the left side of the 2nd or 3rd pair at even strength, and contribute on the penalty kill. A longtime stay-at-home defenseman who played with the San Jose Sharks for the first several years of his career, Hannan is now on his fifth NHL team after spending the 2011-2012 season with the Calgary Flames.

Some free agents were signed to 2-way or minor league deals and are expected to play in Milwaukee, like defenseman Joonas Jarvinen and winger Daniel Bang.

Who Left Nashville

The unrestricted free agents who left town make a pretty notable list:

• Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild: 12 years, $98 million
• Jordin Tootoo, Detroit Red Wings: 3 years, $5.5 million
• Andrei Kostitsyn, KHL
• Francis Bouillon, Montreal Canadiens: 1 year, $1.5 million
• Jack Hillen, Washington Capitals: 1 year, $650,000

Alexander Radulov flew back over to Russia to resume his KHL career, although technically the Predators still hold his rights as a restricted free agent.

Other players who are no longer considered part of the Predators' system include Antti Pihlstrom, Brodie Dupont, Ryan Flynn, Zack Stortini, Scott Ford, and Tyler Sloan.

Free Agents Retained

Despite the number of departures, a number of key players signed new contracts to stay in Nashville:

• Shea Weber, 14 years $110 million
• Kevin Klein, 5 years $14.5 million
• Paul Gaustad, 4 years $13 million
• Sergei Kostitsyn, 2 years $6 million
• Colin Wilson, 3 years $6 million
• Hal Gill, 2 years $4 million
• Craig Smith, 2 years $4 million
• Gabriel Bourque, 2 years $1.55 million
• Brandon Yip, 1 year $750,000
• Brian McGrattan, 1 year $600,000
• Jeremy Smith, 1 year $660,000***
• Jonathon Blum, 1 year $650,000***
• Jack MacLellan, 1 year $600,000***
• Chris Mueller, 1 year $550,000***
• Kevin Henderson, 1 year $550,000***
• Mike Moore, 1 year $550,000***

***denotes two-way contract, paying a lesser amount at the AHL level

In addition to these deals, Mike Fisher added two years at a total value of $8.4 million to his contract, which was previously set to expire this summer.

Roster Holes Left to Fill

Honestly? There really aren't any for now. Thanks to the flurry of contract activity right before the lockout began, the Predators have an intact lineup. Trade opportunities may present themselves as other teams need to maneuver and fill out their rosters, but Nashville could run with the guys they have under contract today.

2013 World Junior Championships: USA Wins Gold Over Sweden, 3-1

Gibson, a draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, was named tournament MVP while teammate Jacob Trouba was named Top Defenseman. Grimaldi was the star of today's game, however, as his two goals made the difference and he contributed some pesky forechecking to contain any attempt at a Swedish comeback in the third period.

For Team USA, this is their third championship all-time at the WJC's, with the previous ones coming in 2010 and 2004.

Follow @Forechecker

Nashville Predators draftee Jimmy Vesey had one shot on goal during the game, finishing the tournament with one goal and four assists. For a look at other Preds who have World Junior Championship history, check out this recent article over at Predlines.

Next year's tournament will take place in Malmo, Sweden. If anyone wants to sponsor me to go over there and cover that event, I'm all ears! Ages ago I made some business trips to nearby Lund, and it's just an incredible place to visit.

Saturday's Dump & Chase: Arena Upgrades on the Way

Nashville Predators News

Changes coming to Bridgestone Arena | nashvillepost.com
Plans are being drawn up for major renovations to the south entrance the arena, which faces the new Music City Center. It's great to see the way this building has evolved over the years, rather than just staying as-is and requiring replacement after 20 years or so.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

MOTY 2013: WJC Edition | mc79hockey.com
Tyler takes a slightly more sophisticated angle on Canada's hockey prowess than Don Cherry did the other day.

Mediator, 'disclaimer' play crucial roles in NHL talks | Hockey | CBC Sports
Eliotte Friedman provides some insight into how a federal mediator carefully helps to usher the talks along.

Woman arrested after drunken, on-ice striptease at men’s rec league hockey game | Puck Daddy
Oh, Canada.

Ten Thousand Things: Or, Why Sports Nationalism is Good Nationalism | Backhand Shelf
Hey, better we cheer against each other in sports than go a-pillagin', eh?

Greed | The Committed Indian
Sam's not about to appoint Gordon Gecko as the next NHL Commissioner.