Tuesday's Dump & Chase: Will NHL Players in Russia Come Back?

Nashville Predators News

One way or another, Predators' schedule likely to be a tough one | Nashville City Paper
The travel disparity between the Eastern & Western Conference will be amazing. I'll make sure to create a new Super Schedule whenever the NHL lays out the regular season slate.

Winning Heals All Lockout Wounds For Nashville Predators - Nashville Sports Hub
Given the shortened schedule, a good start could lead to all sorts of possibilities for this team.

Save The Playoff Talk For The Playoffs - Predlines
Thank you thank you thank you, Jason, for saying this. Here's to Shea Weber shaving until it's really playoff time.

Monday Moves | Admirals Roundtable
The pieces are starting to be re-arranged as the Preds prepare to bring a few players back from Milwaukee.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

The Lubomir Visnovsky to New York Islanders (Except Not) Saga - Lighthouse Hockey
The defenseman, despite have a contract with the Islanders, says he's planning to stay in the KHL. And here you thought we were all done with this nonsense...

By the way, has anybody seen Sergei Kostitsyn lately?

NHL player now back from RUS says KHL teams putting major pressure and huge money on table to keep NHLers from returning to North America.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 8, 2013

Down Goes Brown: Surprises in the new NHL CBA deal
"Since the two sides have historically been unable to agree on who should control the purse strings, from now on they've decided to just make Mike Fisher hold them."

The NHL lockout: Peace in our time | The Economist
Given the relatively minor upgrade to the revenue sharing system, we may well see another nasty negotiation once this CBA expires in a decade or so.

Marketing master must figure out how to regain NHL’s mojo - The Globe and Mail
Expect to hear the name John Collins much more in the years ahead. Among the NHL's leadership group, he seems the natural choice to succeed Gary Bettman as commissioner, whenever that time comes.

NHL and union finally realized they needed a season most of all - The Globe and Mail
After all the ill will of the last few months, Ken Dryden hopes that the owners & players come to realize their dependence on one another.

Delta Prevents Musician from Bringing Vintage Gibson Guitar On Board, Ends Up Destroying It - Gawker
A sad, sad tale suggested to me by cisar, regarding the lead singer of the Zambonis (thus the hockey connection).

The 2012 OTF User Awards

Thanks to our tech gremlins at Vox Media, here is a look at the most active users in the OTF community over the course of 2012:

Most FanPosts

 cbrooksy 19 

 Hockey Hillbilly 15 

 davisca 10 

 Evanbio 9 

 jmkiii58 8 

 TCountyPred 7 

 predswilrule 7 

 xIke 7 

 Lorn_Sc 6 

 bvkv09 6 

Most FanShots

 Dirk Hoag 106 

 George Scoville 11 

 OddManRush 8 

 Marc Torrence 5 

 bvkv09 4 

 Evanbio 4 

 cbrooksy 4 

 CAustin 4 

 davisca 4 

 LuvthePreds 4 

Most Comments

 davisca 20542 

 Herzausstein 8593 

 JBoogie22 5111 

 DonBorvio 4325 

 3DLink 3277 

 musamonster 3189 

 CAustin 3136 

 Josiah2729 3120 

 LuvthePreds 3086 

 Incipient_Senescence 2741 

Now just think, how high would those numbers have gone if we actually had NHL action to follow over the last few months?

Thanks to all of you who participate or even just drop by to read our site, and here's to a bigger & brighter 2013 for all of us.

NOTE: Recent changes to the layout of the front page for all SB Nation sites have raised the prominence of FanPosts and FanShots, so have at 'em, folks!

With NHL Lockout Over, 2013 Stanley Cup Odds Shift

Here are revised 2013 Stanley Cup odds for each team, with Bovada's June 2012 odds in parentheses for comparison (stick tap to Sean Leahy):

1. Pittsburgh Penguins -- 8:1 (down from 7:1)
2. New York Rangers -- 17:2 (up from 12:1)
3. Vancouver Canucks -- 9:1 (up from 12:1)
4. Los Angeles Kings -- 12:1 (down from 11:1)
5. Philadelphia Flyers -- 12:1 (up from 14:1)
6. Chicago Blackhawks -- 14:1 (down from 12:1)
7. Boston Bruins -- 16:1 (down from 14:1)
8. Detroit Red Wings -- 16:1 (down from 12:1)
9. St. Louis Blues -- 16:1 (down from 12:1)
10. Minnesota Wild -- 18:1 (up from 75:1)
11. San Jose Sharks -- 20:1 (up from 22:1)
12. Carolina Hurricanes -- 22:1 (up from 50:1)
13. Washington Capitals -- 22:1 (up from 25:1)
14. Buffalo Sabres -- 25:1 (no change)
15. Edmonton Oilers -- 25:1 (up from 60:1)
16. Toronto Maple Leafs -- 25:1 (up from 35:1)
17. Nashville Predators -- 28:1 (down from 18:1)
18. Tampa Bay Lightning -- 28:1 (down from 25:1)
19. Montreal Canadiens -- 30:1 (up from 60:1)
20. New Jersey Devils -- 30:1 (no change)
21. Anaheim Ducks -- 40:1 (down from 25:1)
22. Colorado Avalanche -- 40:1 (no change)
23. Dallas Stars -- 40:1 (no change)
24. Florida Panthers -- 40:1 (down from 35:1)
25. Ottawa Senators -- 40:1 (no change)
26. Phoenix Coyotes -- 40:1 (no change)
27. Calgary Flames -- 50:1 (no change)
28. Winnipeg Jets -- 50:1 (down from 40:1)
29. New York Islanders -- 66:1 (up from 75:1)
30. Columbus Blue Jackets -- 100:1 (down from 75:1)

The Odds Follow Ryan Suter

Ryan Suter's defection to Minnesota on July 4 seems to have factored most heavily in Bovada's odds shifts. Nashville's odds of winning the 2013 Stanley Cup saw the biggest revision downward, while Minnesota's odds saw the biggest revision upward (note: Zach Parise's decision to sign with Minnesota likely played a role in the magnitude of Minnesota's shift; we only note here that Suter's move likely factored into both Nashville's downward revision and Minnesota's upward revision). If you're still nervous about the Predators' blue line in Suter's absence, take solace in the fact that Shea Weber isn't worried (but hey, he has 110 million reasons to not worry), and remember to fear the beard. You can also answer other teams' fans by reminding them that we have a hulk.

We predicted in June that the Preds' Cup-winning odds would likely be revised downward as they entered Free Agent Frenzy, so consider this a notch etched in our crystal ball. Fans in our poll believed by a pretty overwhelming margin that 18:1 odds were a little too generous for Nashville (51% said "Yes," 36% said "No," and 12% were unsure when asked if Bovada's June 2012 odds were too generous for Nashville). So pat yourselves on the back for your predictive power -- notches in your own crystal balls optional.

One wonders if (a) the Detroit Red Wings, who saw their last season come to an end on April 20, 2012 as they were defeated 4 games to 1 by Nashville, shouldn't be getting better odds in a short season, since that would seem to favor a still-aging squad, or (b) the Wings should be getting worse odds on the heels of Tomas Holmstrom's retirement announcement.

In any case, here's a fearless prediction: the Central Division will once again be the NHL's toughest division, no matter how many games they play.

Tell us in the comments (a) what change/non-change surprised you the most, (b) who you'd take at these odds if money were no object, and (c) whether or not you feel sorry for Columbus, who tumbled from a 75:1 favorite to a 100:1 favorite as the result of losing Rick Nash...

Evening Dump & Chase: The Worst NHL Article Ever Written

Nashville Predators News

Thanks to former ‘purse holder’ Mike Fisher, end of NHL lockout is People’s top story | Puck Daddy
Carrie Underwood drives the clicks, people.

Predators players switch locations - Predators Insider
Josh Cooper got reaction after some of the Preds had their first skate at Centennial Sportsplex in several months.

David Poile tells his scouts to look eastward - Nashville Predators Examiner
An interesting idea here, that the Preds are most likely to find trade partners in the Eastern Conference (thanks to only intraconference games on the schedule this season).

Smashville 24/7 - What should top Poile’s priority list?
Ryan wants to see a true #1 center lead the way. For the word straight from the GM's mouth, check out his press availability this afternoon:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

'Hockey Cliff' Averted, Lockout Ends - CNBC
This article is so hilariously bad, you just have to read it. From "ZZdeno Chara" to "Shea Webber", to misunderstanding how salary cap dollars <> actual payments to players, to the use of "Revenue Sharing" in a way which no hockey writer would... it's a trip. There's even a link to "The NFL's 10 Best Cheerleading Squads 2013" thrown in for no apparent reason!

30 Thoughts: How the shortened NHL season could work | Hockey | CBC Sports
As always, Elliotte Friedmand brings the goods.

NHL Network fails to cover the sport's biggest story - Awful Announcing
Seriously, what a waste of bandwidth.

How can the NHL thank its fans? Improve its GameCenter Live service | Backhand Shelf
Rather than the Center Ice package, some are looking to GameCenter Live's online streaming as the way to win back fans.

The Incredible Shrinking League | The Classical
The NHL has fallen out of the conversation alongside MLB, NFL & the NBA, and this lockout has only made recovery more difficult.

How Bad Does Hockey Hazing Have To Be To Get An Entire Women's College Team Suspended? - Deadspin
Well, this is odd.

Pro sports profits: Hobbies for rich people shouldn't pay a return - Slate
Matthew Yglasias examines the notion that pro sports teams should be expected to turn a profit.

Nationalized Hockey League: Why the U.S. government should take over the NHL - Battle of California
I approve this message.

Sponsors may be leery of NHL as hockey set to return, brand expert says | National News | Lethbridge Herald
Getting fans back in the building is easy - they love the game. Corporate sponsors, on the other hand? They're not so forgiving.

The post-game pyrotechnics show for the German league outdoor game was amazing (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Deutsche Hockey, uber alles.

Trees for goals is now a thing because Andrew Ference is excellent - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Now here's a nice way to engage with fans...

A visit to the World Junior Hockey Championships - Grantland
Katie Baker shares her Ufa experience.

Saying Good-bye to the 10 Horrible People We Met During the NHL Lockout - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
Thank goodness these people are all gone, am I right Complains About Every Mishandled Pass Guy?

Tomas Holmstrom’s Retirement and Legacy - Octopus Thrower
Slightly less celebrated than Nicklas Lidstrom, to be sure, but this is a significant loss for the Red Wings. I remember when Holmstrom first joined Detroit, and it was doubtful whether his skating would allow him to stay in the league.

Flames fighting injuries as shortened season approaches - The Globe and Mail
Calgary is one of the teams that will have to start the season without key personnel.

The Healing Begins for Hockey Fans

Bitter? Jovial? Apathetic? Hopeful?

Pick an adjective and most NHL fans have probably experienced it over the past three plus months. The labor dispute that many NHL fans felt was unnecessary turned into a war of attrition as players and owners pointed fingers at one another while carelessly tugging at the heart strings of their fans. Both the NHL and the NHLPA have acted like victims of some great bully, as both sides have tried to sell their story to the fans of the game. What they do not understand, however, is that the fans are the true victims of this shortened season.

NHL fans, like any other professional sports fans, lay down their hard-earned money night after night to be entertained by the home team. For the hockey faithful, game night is a time of magic and excitement. It's a night of camaraderie and a chance for not only family and friends, but complete strangers to connect over their love of the sport. It's the night where young kids can watch their sports heroes perform great acts of strength and skill. It's a night where fans can experience three hours of exceptional entertainment.

The NHL has lost 625 of those nights.

The problem that the NHL and NHLPA now face is the disillusion of the fan base. The man behind the curtain has been revealed. The magic has momentarily run out.

I have been asked time and time against over the course of these bitter months "Will the fans come back?" or even "Should we come back?" I must admit, it has been a question that has weighed heavily on my heart and is part of the reason I have been avoiding the keyboard over the past few months. The 2012-2013 NHL lockout was the most unnecessary work stoppage in professional sports history. NHL fans are some of, if not the most, passionate in all of major sports. We love our game. For most of us, hockey isn't just a sport but a way of life. Our lives have been interrupted. Just last night one of my good friends in Columbus called me up and asked "What should we do?"

I don't have an answer for him and I don't have an answer for you, dear reader. Part of me wants to crow like Peter Pan and go dancing in the street. The other part of me has become so embroiled in these negotiations that I feel nothing but animosity for the NHLPA and the NHL. We as fans have supported one side or the other during these difficult months, yet there seems to be a pervasive disgust for both sides. I think the main divide for the fan base is not which side was in the right, but how we can voice our feelings and displeasure. Or should we just be thankful hockey is back?

Many people have tried organizing protests against the NHL. I have heard everything from walking out of third periods to never buying tickets or merchandise. Some have suggested chants during games or signs to show fan solidarity. I certainly understand those sentiments, but I will probably not be joining in that crowd becaue I am thankful we have a season. I would encourage you to do whatever feels right for you and then not to judge others for not taking the same action. If that means walking out of third periods or not buying merchandise anymore so be it. I will not think any less of you or more of you. We are all individuals who have suffered a terrible blow. We have collectively suffered. Healing takes different times and different paths for each individual.

I encourage you to remember those families affected by this lockout. Sometimes we forget about the people within the organization, the ones who work tirelessly behind the scenes in the normal day to day operations. These people are probably the most affected by the stoppage and I know they have had a very stressful few months. If you have a chance, thank them for their work. Their dedication to the organization is invaluable and no one is more relieved about the new CBA than these individuals.

Let the healing and hockey begin!

2013 Nashville Predators Schedule: 48 Games Looks Likely, Starting January 19

After word broke Sunday morning that the framework of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement had been struck, the possibility was floated that a January 15 start might offer the NHL the chance to hold a 50-game regular season, which would allow for each team to play 5 games against each divisional opponent, along with 3 against the other teams in their conference, which struck many as being as sensible and balanced as the circumstances would allow.

An alternative 48-game option might see teams play each divisional opponent seven times (7 x 4 = 28), then the other conference opponents twice each (2 x 10 = 20). It sounds like 48 is the more likely scenario, although the format just noted has not been confirmed.

UPDATE: Elliotte Friedman suggests this as a 48-game formula:

Three games against the 10 teams not in your division. Against the four teams in your grouping, you play two of them five times each (three at home, two on the road against one and vice versa with the other) and the other two four times each. That's 30 non-divisional games and 18 internal ones.

The daunting task of drawing up the CBA and getting it formally approved by the league's Board of Governors and the NHLPA will take some time, and those tasks must be completed before things can officially get rolling:

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Canadian Press on Monday morning that it's looking "more and more" like that is the maximum number of games that can be fit in...

The sides are currently working on a memorandum of understanding which will be put to a vote of their constituents.

Meantime, the league has circulated a memo to teams telling them to be ready to play by Jan. 19.

--- NHL.com

Predators vs. Stars To Begin?

Jim Diamond of the Nashville Predators Examiner hinted yesterday that perhaps the Stars might be Nashville's first opponent:

Still unconfirmed, but word on the street is that the Preds will play Dallas in their first game. Not sure if it will be in Nash or Dallas.

— Jim Diamond (@diamondhockey) January 6, 2013

Stay tuned for further details, and just imagine how furiously busy the Preds' sales staff will be, having to start selling tickets to games just 12 days away. Being a 12-game partial season ticket holder, for example, I received a note yesterday that we'll re-select our games once the new schedule comes out.

Is Mike Fisher Ready to Shoulder the Load?

Mike Fisher

#12 / Center / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 208

Born: Jun 05, 1980

	GP	Goals	Assists	Points	+/-	PIM	Shots	Avg Ice Time
2011-12	72	24	27	51	+11	33	157	19:18
Career	774	196	215	411	+34	597	1745	17:15

Last Season

Recovery from shoulder surgery in May 2011 delayed the start of Fisher's campaign, but despite playing only 72 games he put up the second-best offensive numbers of his career. In the playoffs, things dried up a bit, and he contributed just one goal and three assists in 10 games.

Fisher's off-ice charitable endeavors earned him the 2012 NHL Foundation Player Award, only the second time a Nashville Predator has brought home a trophy from the league's annual awards event (following Steve Sullivan's Masterton win in 2010).

Outlook

Considering the fact that he was battling through an upper-body injury when traded to Nashville in February 2011, and had surgery that off-season, one has to wonder whether the extended break due to the lockout may be a blessing in disguise for the 32-year-old. We may well see the strongest, healthiest Mike Fisher yet in Nashville, which bodes well for a player who prefers to drive the net and isn't shy about making contact in the offensive zone, as seen here:

Having Paul Gaustad on hand for a full year to serve as the team's faceoff specialist may lighten Fisher's defensive workload, too. In 5-on-5 play last season, Fish was on the ice for 143 more faceoffs in the defensive zone than the offensive one, leaving him with some pretty steep ice to climb just to get scoring chances.

The Question

Nashville has never been known for having an All Star-caliber #1 center, so nobody's looking for Fish to score at a point-per-game pace, but is it realistic to expect him to lead the team in scoring?