On the Forecheck

Category: Nashville-Predators

All Hail Poile

by Forechecker on 12/03/08 at 01:13 PM ET
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I know Thanksgiving was last week, but Predators fans, let’s show some thanks for one of the best general managers in the NHL, Mr. David Poile:

Player Salaries through 2011-12
	2008-9	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
Sean Avery	$3,500,000	$4,000,000	$4,000,000	$4,000,000
J.P. Dumont	$4,000,000	$4,000,000	$4,000,000	$4,000,000

One of these players has improved his Points-Per-Game every season since 2002-3, the other is now seen as a millstone around the neck of his team.

 

Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: J.P.+Dumont, Sean+Avery,

Jed’s back… at least in Milwaukee

by Forechecker on 12/03/08 at 12:48 PM ET
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From the Nashville Predators:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has assigned Jed Ortmeyer to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League after the forward cleared waivers at 11 a.m. CT this morning.

Ortmeyer’s assignment coincides with his activation from Nashville’s non-roster list. The 6-0, 188-pound right wing has not played since sustaining a knee injury on Feb. 23, 2008. In his first season with the Predators in 2007-08, the Omaha, Neb., native played in 51 games, recording four goals and four assists.

There’s been some speculation (no inside info, just speculation mind you) that Jed will be the “future considerations” that will head to the New York Rangers in the Hugh Jessiman deal, but it’s good to see Jed get back into some game action after a long rehabilitation.

 

Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: Jed+Ortmeyer,

Hip hip, Rinne!

by Forechecker on 12/02/08 at 09:49 AM ET
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Congratulations go out this morning to Pekka Rinne, the Nashville Predators backup goaltender who logged his first NHL shutout last night in a 2-0 victory in Buffalo.  For fans of just about any team in the 6-10th spots in either conference, the long grind of the NHL season is a rollercoaster of emotion, as your team alternates between disciplined, convincing wins like this, and sloppy, depression-inducing defeats like the loss against Minnesota last Saturday.

But for today, let’s enjoy this one…

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Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: patric+hornqvist, pekka+rinne, ryan+jones,

Predators hungry for Buffalo

by Forechecker on 12/01/08 at 04:08 PM ET
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Some key questions are on the minds of Nashville Predators fans as their team heads into this evening’s matchup with the Buffalo Sabres:

1.  Will they regain their composure after a penalty-filled disaster against Minnesota Saturday night?
2.  What more do Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Jones need to do to get called back up to the NHL?
3.  What are the odds of Scott Nichol and Jaroslav Spacek exchanging holiday greetings?
4.  Can Pekka Rinne put forth another solid start in goal?

Remember, all you Twitter-heads watching tonight’s game should jump in on the conversation by following and sending messages to @Predfans, which will cause them to be re-distributed to the rest of the group.  The puck drops at 6:00 Central time…

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Dan Ellis working way outside the crease

by Forechecker on 12/01/08 at 10:08 AM ET
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Dan Ellis checks in once again with his blog over at the Hockey News, and discusses how the players on the team share part of the responsibility to sell the game in Nashville:

Our media relations personnel has done a great job getting us involved in the community by working with schools and hospitals. As a professional athlete, especially in a small hockey market like Nashville, these are the things you have to do. You must take ownership as a player and give back to the community to help grow the sport of hockey.

It’s an interesting example of how the NHL and NHLPA can work together to help grow the game.  The players in Nashville understand that being a professional hockey player can mean much more than just what they do on the ice.

Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: Dan+Ellis,

Tarnasky feels more at home in Florida

by Forechecker on 11/30/08 at 10:38 PM ET
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From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, word comes that Nick Tarnasky is happy to have been traded from Nashville to Florida:

“It should be a lot better,” Tarnasky said. “Over in Nashville, I didn’t really know tendencies of a lot of guys and I had a tough time fitting in on that team and in that division. … I don’t know that I was quite what they were looking for in Nashville.”

Tarnasky, 24, who had zero goals and one assist in 11 games for the Predators, is best known to Panthers fans for punching defenseman Bryan Allen in the face as referees restrained the players.

I’m guessing that the Predators were looking for something more than one assist, or even just the ability to land a solid punch while an opponent isn’t tied up by an official.  Best of luck in Miami, Nick…

 

 

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 Tags: nick+tarnasky,

Steve Sullivan skates again

by Forechecker on 11/29/08 at 02:45 PM ET
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From today’s Tennessean, word comes that Steve Sullivan’s recovery from back injuries is coming along, albeit slowly:

On most days, a morning skate featuring four skaters and the back-up goaltender wouldn’t be too newsworthy.

But Saturday was a little different.

The reason? Steve Sullivan was one of the participants, marking the first time the Predators forward had gone through any kind of team drills since hurting his back in February, 2007.

While there remains no specific timetable regarding Sullivan’s potential return to NHL action, just seeing him on the ice and firing a few pucks is cause for cheer in Nashville…

 

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A new sherriff in town

by Forechecker on 11/27/08 at 06:40 PM ET
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Darcy Hordichuk wanted a multi-year contract, so he was let go over the summer.  Josh Gratton was brought in during training camp, but he didn’t win a roster spot and never dressed for Nashville in the regular season.  Nick Tarnasky was acquired from Tampa Bay while the Lightning were over in Prague, but after two months, he failed to impress with either his hockey skills or fisticuffs.

Nashville Predators fans, your Goon of the Month for December is now Wade Belak, acquired in a trade with Florida earlier today.  And you know folks, I think you’ll like this guy…

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Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: Wade+Belak,

Nashville Predators 1st Quarter Report: the goalies

by Forechecker on 11/26/08 at 03:30 PM ET
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Yesterday, the skaters got their review, so today let’s take a look at those Nashville goaltenders…

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Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: Dan+Ellis, Pekka+Rinne,

For your All-Star voting consideration…

by Forechecker on 11/25/08 at 02:19 PM ET
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While hockey fans around the US are glued to Versus tonight watching the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, toss a few All-Star votes in the electronic ballot box for Shea Weber, won’t you?  If anyone deserves a vote based on a sensational start to a season, it’s Big #6 for the Preds.  From the NHL’s PR department:

—Nashville’s Shea Weber scored two goals at Carolina on Sunday, giving him 10 goals in the Predators’ 20 games this season. Weber is the first NHL defenseman to reach double-figures in goals in a season so quickly since 1987-88, when Buffalo’s Phil Housley scored his 10th goal in the Sabres’ 15th game and Toronto’s Al Iafrate did it in the Maple Leafs’ 19th game.

The man is doing things out there that haven’t been done since Guns N’ Roses’ debut album ruled the charts, for crying out loud!

 

 

Filed in: Nashville Predators | On the Forecheck | Permalink
 Tags: Shea+Weber,

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