"A huge step backward."
"Undoing an entire summer of great moves in one day."
"...bringing another player that doesn't fit the Predators mold."
The previous three statements are just a small sampling of the jumping-from-the-rooftops panic/outrage that has taken hold of the Preds' Twitter community. While much of this sentiment was culled in the hours immediately following yesterday's surprising transaction, and certainly cooler heads have since prevailed in many cases (including my own), I'm surprised at how many are still upset. With a good night's sleep behind me, I'm one of those that's warmed to the move, after a bit of reflection. There are tangible reasonings for this, but also a few that might not be so apparent.
First, I try to pride myself on not letting my emotions get the best of me. I don't like to think of myself as a unerring apologist or pollyanna. I certainly have the capacity to disagree with some of the moves made by the Predators' front office. For example, I've stated my belief that failing to sign a more experienced, proven backup goaltender could be a mistake. From that standpoint, I'm also not one to get easily worked up when I do disagree with the actions of management. At the end of the day, David Poile and company don't have the reputation of doing more with less than any other team by accident. While it's easy to look at Ryan Parent as a guy that played well in training camp, or Jonas Andersson as solid depth for our weak penalty kill, it's important to keep things in perspective.
Let's start with Ryan Parent. While he had a solid preseason, he was not without some worrisome history. Most evident is his failure to stay healthy, with last season representing a career high of 48 games, tracing back to chronic back trouble. In addition, simply being healthy hasn't been a guarantee of getting on the ice for Ryan. In the Flyers' run to the Cup finals last year, he was a frequent healthy scratch. At the end of the day, he's still young and has room for improvement, but the Predators don't have the luxury of time for him to reach his potential. Worth noting also is that Vancouver promptly waived Parent. He has since cleared.
On the note of waivers, I've seen several complain that we could have had SOB for free the previous day. While this is true on the surface, it's important to remember that Nashville operates on a strict budget. According to David Poile, in an interview yesterday on 104.5, they had inquired about O'Brien at an earlier point, but with the stipulation that the trade would need to be dollar to dollar. Mike Gillis initially rejected the idea, but later relented. The Canucks, in need of cap relief, could afford to bury the one-way contracts of Parent and Andersson. The Predators were able to turn two guys who they felt couldn't significantly contribute to the team this season into a guy that makes them immediately better, and did so while adding only minute payroll. As the old adage goes, "he who gets the best player in the deal--wins the trade." I could be paraphrasing that, I'm not sure. Something like that, at any rate.
Speaking of Jonas Andersson, I had high hopes for him when he was signed. Like many, I saw the way he was able to produce at last year's WCs, and felt that he could be a great bottom six utility forward for us. While I do think his defensive skill could have been beneficial, unfortunately his offense didn't appear to be NHL level in any of the chances I had to watch him play. That leaves him as yet another one-dimensional "specialist," and I simply think there are better options. I couldn't figure out where he was going to fit into the lineup, and apparently neither could Trotz. It'd be nice to be able to afford to hide a guy like that in the minors, but that's not our reality. No huge loss, at any rate.
While the quantifiable reasons to like this trade are easy enough to point out, the biggest reason that I'm pleased is more philosophical. In the Predators' entire history, there's been a recurring theme of "safety." We love safe draft picks, and as a result, we have a knack for finding "good" players. We like "safe" players; blue-collar guys that might not command a lot of star power, but you can comfortably say that they won't hurt you. Even our front office and coaching staff is replete with safety and familiarity. We've come to love and appreciate our safe players -- the Vernon Fiddlers, the Joel Wards of the league. How can anyone not root for these never-should-have-been success stories? Unfortunately, all of that safety doesn't necessarily breed success. I don't need to remind anyone of our postseason record. David Poile, if one can criticize him, it's that he too often shies away from the "homerun swing." Moves like the Kostitsyn and now O'Brien trades represent to me a new attitude. These are guys that, in the past, I think Poile would have evaluated as "not worth the risk." Safety. While many of us are scratching our heads and even tweeting our discontent with these moves, I'm personally excited. This is such a departure from the type of move we've always made, and I think the potential for reward far outweighs the risk.
Shane O'Brien looks like an intriguing player -- big, strong, not afraid to play a physical game. I think that he makes the bottom pairing better than Parent would have. For that reason alone, I like the trade. But at the end of the day, it's the attitude and moxy from our GM that has me really excited. Safety can only carry you so far, so the time might be right to roll the dice and see what happens.
-OMR
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Preds acquire Shane O'Brien and some other dude for Parent and Andersson
According to official release from the Preds (find it here), Nashville has acquired 6'3, 225 pound tough guy Shane O'Brien, as well as ECHL winger Dan Gendur for defenseman Ryan Parent and forward Jonas Andersson.
Parent and Andersson both enjoyed only a brief tenure in Music City, and like many of you out there, I'm left scratching my head a bit on this one. It's not so much that SOB was available on waivers yesterday, and could have been had for free. I understand that from a dollars and cents perspective, Andersson + Parent and their one-way contracts > O'Brien's 1.6 million contract, which he has one year remaining on. What I can't get my head around is why this trade was made. In my own semi-qualified observations in both training camp and preseason play, Parent looked to be the type of observation that would be regarded in hindsight as another one of David Poile's legendary "steals." Number 77 arguably outperformed both Klein and even the veteran Bouillon, and had many of us believing that the pains of losing the perhaps overrated\definitely overpaid Dan Hamhuis might not be so bad afterall. He played a simple, smart game, and seemed to have the footspeed and defensive acumen to compliment the slower, more offensively-focused Cody Franson. Andersson had a bit of a disappointing camp, looking to be more in the Jerred Smithson ilk than a defensively responsible scorer, but was still a useful player. But throw out Jonas, and look only at Parent. What does Shane O'Brien offer that Ryan Parent doesn't?
On the "pro" side, O'Brien is a tough, erm...SOB. He out-PIM'd Jordin Tootoo by 7, and would have thus lead the team in that category. Perhaps the greatest facet that could come of this trade is that Wade Belak's usefulness and role are even further diminished. O'Brien can go toe-to-toe with most anyone in the league, but unlike Belak, can provide some tangible on-ice value. If this trade means that Belak's time as anything more than a funny guy in the locker room--WIN. As for Andersson, he was a useful player, but appears to have been surpassed by not only SK74, but also Jamie Lundmark and Matt Halischuk, both of which had better camps.
As for the "cons," O'Brien comes with a bit of a checkered past. Last season, he was disciplined by Canucks' benchboss Alain Vigneault for nebulous "disciplinary issues." He has a reputation for not having the greatest work ethic, and also not placing a high value on conditioning. Could this be another reclamation project, similar to the acquisition of Sergei Kostitsyn?
I guess to err on the side of safety, they probably shouldn't room together.
As with most trades, the verdict can't really be made until we see how it unfolds. While I'm clearly one of the preeminent hockey minds in amateur sports journalism, I allow for the outlandish possibility that maybe David Poile knows what he's doing, and there's motivations beyond what the armchair GM in all of us can see with the naked eye.
I'd be remiss not to mention one quick anecdote from last night's Meet the Team party:
After receiving my autograph from the oblivious-to-the-impending-death-knell Ryan Parent, I jokingly asked Steve Sullivan if he could talk his old friend Dan Ellis into returning to Twitter. He immediately began laughing. Hard.
"That's not going to happen. He is a BRUISED MAN!"
I was tickled by that. :)
Parent and Andersson both enjoyed only a brief tenure in Music City, and like many of you out there, I'm left scratching my head a bit on this one. It's not so much that SOB was available on waivers yesterday, and could have been had for free. I understand that from a dollars and cents perspective, Andersson + Parent and their one-way contracts > O'Brien's 1.6 million contract, which he has one year remaining on. What I can't get my head around is why this trade was made. In my own semi-qualified observations in both training camp and preseason play, Parent looked to be the type of observation that would be regarded in hindsight as another one of David Poile's legendary "steals." Number 77 arguably outperformed both Klein and even the veteran Bouillon, and had many of us believing that the pains of losing the perhaps overrated\definitely overpaid Dan Hamhuis might not be so bad afterall. He played a simple, smart game, and seemed to have the footspeed and defensive acumen to compliment the slower, more offensively-focused Cody Franson. Andersson had a bit of a disappointing camp, looking to be more in the Jerred Smithson ilk than a defensively responsible scorer, but was still a useful player. But throw out Jonas, and look only at Parent. What does Shane O'Brien offer that Ryan Parent doesn't?
On the "pro" side, O'Brien is a tough, erm...SOB. He out-PIM'd Jordin Tootoo by 7, and would have thus lead the team in that category. Perhaps the greatest facet that could come of this trade is that Wade Belak's usefulness and role are even further diminished. O'Brien can go toe-to-toe with most anyone in the league, but unlike Belak, can provide some tangible on-ice value. If this trade means that Belak's time as anything more than a funny guy in the locker room--WIN. As for Andersson, he was a useful player, but appears to have been surpassed by not only SK74, but also Jamie Lundmark and Matt Halischuk, both of which had better camps.
As for the "cons," O'Brien comes with a bit of a checkered past. Last season, he was disciplined by Canucks' benchboss Alain Vigneault for nebulous "disciplinary issues." He has a reputation for not having the greatest work ethic, and also not placing a high value on conditioning. Could this be another reclamation project, similar to the acquisition of Sergei Kostitsyn?
I guess to err on the side of safety, they probably shouldn't room together.
As with most trades, the verdict can't really be made until we see how it unfolds. While I'm clearly one of the preeminent hockey minds in amateur sports journalism, I allow for the outlandish possibility that maybe David Poile knows what he's doing, and there's motivations beyond what the armchair GM in all of us can see with the naked eye.
I'd be remiss not to mention one quick anecdote from last night's Meet the Team party:
After receiving my autograph from the oblivious-to-the-impending-death-knell Ryan Parent, I jokingly asked Steve Sullivan if he could talk his old friend Dan Ellis into returning to Twitter. He immediately began laughing. Hard.
"That's not going to happen. He is a BRUISED MAN!"
I was tickled by that. :)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Weighing in on the Ersberg rumors...
The 2010/11 NHL season is nearly upon us, but we're not quite there, yet. As such, PredsNation is not immune to getting a little overexcited over the prospect of acquiring a player, regardless of who that player is. Kevin Allen caused quite the buzz across the Twitterverse earlier today, when he pondered the possibility of the Preds putting in a claim on the Kings' wayward backup, Erik Ersberg. It was reported earlier today that Ersberg had been cut, despite a favorable track record as the Kings' backup (and even sometimes starter). With the Predators leaning on unproven behemoth Anders Lindback to play behind Pekka Rinne, it's understandable that such speculation would be drawn. While there were some reports that the Predators had officially claimed Ersberg, it's worth noting that he was only placed on waivers this morning -- thus making such a claim impossible. Bob McKenzie verified this obvious oversight, but did allow that it's possible that the Predators could have already put in a claim, though there are 18 other teams that would get the opportunity before Nashville.
Regardless of the merit of any of the rumors, it does pose an interesting question: are the Predators truly set in goal? If Peks plays a Vokounian amount, and shoulders a 75 game workload, we might be alright. After all, much like Vokoun, Rinne has shown that he thrives under heavy action. But what if the worst-case comes to be, and Rinne is injured long term? I'm not sure that Anders Lindback has done enough to earn the confidence of the team to step into a starting role. While he certainly outperformed Pickard and Dekanich in training camp, I would stop short of saying that he did so with any sort of authority. Flashing back to Dan Ellis's first training camp, coming in as a relative unknown, there was a statement in the way he played. You knew that there was no other option to back up Chris Mason, and you could see the potential for an eventual coup. I'm not sure the same could be said of Lindback, who I would personally rate as "adequate." He stood in the goal, he stopped shots...but there was something missing. I look for a sort of "swagger" from a goaltender, a tell that makes it known that a goalie has the confidence to win a game for his team. It's not something that you're born with or that happens overnight. I like Lindback as a prospect, but I'm not sure he's there yet. Again, it may not even matter--Pekka could play 77 games, relegating Lindback to the tailend of a back to back versus the Blue Jackets and the occasional mop-up-duty game. But...you have to consider the unexpected.
So what if we do claim Ersberg? Jeremy Smith was sent to Cincinnati yesterday, and the tandem of Pickard\Dekanich appears ready for a reprise of last season, in which they split starts nearly down the middle. What do we do with Lindback, in this case? I would guess the best option would be to "loan" him back to the SEL, to ensure that his playing time and development stay on track. This is similar to what we did with Finnish netminder Atte Engren, earlier in the spring.
I would like to see us put in a claim on Ersberg, but if not, I still believe we'd be best served to pick up an experienced backup. I was with many in PredNation that had hoped to snag Jose Theodore, though his eventual contract (1.1 for one year) is likely a little rich for Nashville, given the playing time he could see. Another interesting option that's currently on waivers is Joey MacDonald, of the Red Wings. He acquitted himself well in several appearances for the Islanders last season. Speaking of the Red Wings, there's always former archnemesis Manny Legace to consider...though the sight of his name on a Preds' sweater might induce too much bile for many fans to stomach.
So for now, we can only wait for 5 more days to see what happens. Or...at least until 11 CST tomorrow morning, when Erik Ersberg will either clear--or not clear--waivers.
Speaking of waivers, TSN reports that Aaron Johnson did in fact clear. I have to think that the only reason he's not our seventh defenseman, rather than Alex Sulzer, is his two-way contract. DP was likely not keen on the idea of paying Sulzer 650K to ride the bus in Milwaukee again. Sulzer is likely on his last opportunity to do something to earn his NHL contract. He is a free agent at the end of this year.
See everyone at the meet the team party!
Regardless of the merit of any of the rumors, it does pose an interesting question: are the Predators truly set in goal? If Peks plays a Vokounian amount, and shoulders a 75 game workload, we might be alright. After all, much like Vokoun, Rinne has shown that he thrives under heavy action. But what if the worst-case comes to be, and Rinne is injured long term? I'm not sure that Anders Lindback has done enough to earn the confidence of the team to step into a starting role. While he certainly outperformed Pickard and Dekanich in training camp, I would stop short of saying that he did so with any sort of authority. Flashing back to Dan Ellis's first training camp, coming in as a relative unknown, there was a statement in the way he played. You knew that there was no other option to back up Chris Mason, and you could see the potential for an eventual coup. I'm not sure the same could be said of Lindback, who I would personally rate as "adequate." He stood in the goal, he stopped shots...but there was something missing. I look for a sort of "swagger" from a goaltender, a tell that makes it known that a goalie has the confidence to win a game for his team. It's not something that you're born with or that happens overnight. I like Lindback as a prospect, but I'm not sure he's there yet. Again, it may not even matter--Pekka could play 77 games, relegating Lindback to the tailend of a back to back versus the Blue Jackets and the occasional mop-up-duty game. But...you have to consider the unexpected.
So what if we do claim Ersberg? Jeremy Smith was sent to Cincinnati yesterday, and the tandem of Pickard\Dekanich appears ready for a reprise of last season, in which they split starts nearly down the middle. What do we do with Lindback, in this case? I would guess the best option would be to "loan" him back to the SEL, to ensure that his playing time and development stay on track. This is similar to what we did with Finnish netminder Atte Engren, earlier in the spring.
I would like to see us put in a claim on Ersberg, but if not, I still believe we'd be best served to pick up an experienced backup. I was with many in PredNation that had hoped to snag Jose Theodore, though his eventual contract (1.1 for one year) is likely a little rich for Nashville, given the playing time he could see. Another interesting option that's currently on waivers is Joey MacDonald, of the Red Wings. He acquitted himself well in several appearances for the Islanders last season. Speaking of the Red Wings, there's always former archnemesis Manny Legace to consider...though the sight of his name on a Preds' sweater might induce too much bile for many fans to stomach.
So for now, we can only wait for 5 more days to see what happens. Or...at least until 11 CST tomorrow morning, when Erik Ersberg will either clear--or not clear--waivers.
Speaking of waivers, TSN reports that Aaron Johnson did in fact clear. I have to think that the only reason he's not our seventh defenseman, rather than Alex Sulzer, is his two-way contract. DP was likely not keen on the idea of paying Sulzer 650K to ride the bus in Milwaukee again. Sulzer is likely on his last opportunity to do something to earn his NHL contract. He is a free agent at the end of this year.
See everyone at the meet the team party!
KHL and NHL sign transfer agreement(Finally)
There's an old saying about locking the henhouse door after the fox has already gotten in.
According to Dan Rosen's Twitter , the NHL and KHL may have finally put a padlock on the chicken coop. While this does little to salve the still-festering wounds left when the Red Fox absconded with Preds' beloved golden chicken Alexander Radulov, it does provide a modicum of hope. What will be key, and hopefully there is clarification soon, is how\if any "grandfathering" is applied. There's been speculation on both sides of the pond about the way things will shake out when Radulov's final year of his three-year contract with Salavaet Ufa expires, this summer. We've heard loose assurances from David Poile that the chain of communication has been constant, and a contrite Radulov has seen the error of his ways. Conversely, we've heard that a patriotic Radulov is enjoying his national-hero status in mother Russia, and will continue to thumb his nose at the soon-to-be-inferior NHL. The wildcard in all of this will-he\won't-he has been the lack of a formal transfer agreement between the two countries. While there has been a loose "gentlemen's agreement" between the two leagues for some time, it's always felt like a Mafia arrangement. Maybe they'll come through -- maybe they won't.
With this new agreement, there's some hope that a binding order will see Radulov delivered back to Nashville. The key item to interpret will be whether Radulov will somehow be excluded from this arrangement, perhaps using semantics to allow Ufa to re-sign him. It wouldn't be surprising to see the KHL claim that they meant "from now on," or that there's a difference in signing a NEW contract versus renewing an EXISTING contract. For all the ivory-white smiling the KHL is doing now, it's hard to believe there isn't a forked tongue hiding behind the teeth, somewhere. I'd be surprised if the KHL was ready to easily relinquish their reigning MVP and biggest star. The real leverage will exist when there's an IIHF transfer agreement, subjecting the Russian national team to potential disciplinary action in the event that there's a breach. Currently, Russia is the only major national entity without a formal transfer agreement, and has been without one since 2006.
Of course, suppose Radulov is ready to return? Are the fans ready to have him back? Are his teammates? There's been a fair amount of rumbling that Radulov was not popular in the Arnott-helmed Predators dressing room. On the other hand, there's been a fair amount of rumbling that ARNOTT was not popular in the Arnott-helmed dressing room, either. I would have to think that Radulov would likely have some explaining to do, but an offensively-starved Nashville squad would be foolish to turn their noses up at what could be an enormous boost to their scoring arsenal. With much of the "old guard" moved on, Radulov should be in a position to make a fresh start, and I would have to believe that much of the ill will would evaporate the first time he lit the lamp and treated us to his trademark stick-twirling celebration.
Let the Van Halen-inspired theme song blare from the Bridgestone Arena loudspeakers once more.
According to Dan Rosen's Twitter , the NHL and KHL may have finally put a padlock on the chicken coop. While this does little to salve the still-festering wounds left when the Red Fox absconded with Preds' beloved golden chicken Alexander Radulov, it does provide a modicum of hope. What will be key, and hopefully there is clarification soon, is how\if any "grandfathering" is applied. There's been speculation on both sides of the pond about the way things will shake out when Radulov's final year of his three-year contract with Salavaet Ufa expires, this summer. We've heard loose assurances from David Poile that the chain of communication has been constant, and a contrite Radulov has seen the error of his ways. Conversely, we've heard that a patriotic Radulov is enjoying his national-hero status in mother Russia, and will continue to thumb his nose at the soon-to-be-inferior NHL. The wildcard in all of this will-he\won't-he has been the lack of a formal transfer agreement between the two countries. While there has been a loose "gentlemen's agreement" between the two leagues for some time, it's always felt like a Mafia arrangement. Maybe they'll come through -- maybe they won't.
Radulov currently lealds the KHL in scoring with 3g, 14a in 19 gp
With this new agreement, there's some hope that a binding order will see Radulov delivered back to Nashville. The key item to interpret will be whether Radulov will somehow be excluded from this arrangement, perhaps using semantics to allow Ufa to re-sign him. It wouldn't be surprising to see the KHL claim that they meant "from now on," or that there's a difference in signing a NEW contract versus renewing an EXISTING contract. For all the ivory-white smiling the KHL is doing now, it's hard to believe there isn't a forked tongue hiding behind the teeth, somewhere. I'd be surprised if the KHL was ready to easily relinquish their reigning MVP and biggest star. The real leverage will exist when there's an IIHF transfer agreement, subjecting the Russian national team to potential disciplinary action in the event that there's a breach. Currently, Russia is the only major national entity without a formal transfer agreement, and has been without one since 2006.
Of course, suppose Radulov is ready to return? Are the fans ready to have him back? Are his teammates? There's been a fair amount of rumbling that Radulov was not popular in the Arnott-helmed Predators dressing room. On the other hand, there's been a fair amount of rumbling that ARNOTT was not popular in the Arnott-helmed dressing room, either. I would have to think that Radulov would likely have some explaining to do, but an offensively-starved Nashville squad would be foolish to turn their noses up at what could be an enormous boost to their scoring arsenal. With much of the "old guard" moved on, Radulov should be in a position to make a fresh start, and I would have to believe that much of the ill will would evaporate the first time he lit the lamp and treated us to his trademark stick-twirling celebration.
Let the Van Halen-inspired theme song blare from the Bridgestone Arena loudspeakers once more.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Predators\Blackhawks Game 4 Preview
"The most important game in franchise history."
It seems that these seven words are being thrown around so much that they are nearly becoming cliche. While you may be hearing it quite a bit, don't for a second doubt the merit of such statements. Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals is, in fact, the most important game to date in the Predators' 12-year history. The weight of these words is surely not lost on anyone that's witnessed even half of Nashville's 920-ish competitions, throughout the years. Much new ground has been tread in this postseason, most recently the leading of a series beyond game one. Unfortunately, all of that will be of little consolation if we fall short of the second round for the fifth time in five tries.
The Predators have staged valiant comebacks, memorable efforts, and impressive victories against strong opponents in previous playoff rounds. They've provided difficult tests to teams laden with future hall of famers. Despite those moral victories, they provided little solace as those teams eventually cleaned out their lockers two months short of when they had hoped. The one element that has eluded the Nashville Predators prior to this season is the opportunity to truly take charge of a series. They've never been in a position in which they had an opponent even close to the ropes. Tonight's game represents a firm toss of an opponent toward those ropes, and a promising opportunity to launch them over the top once and for all, in the next game. A quick look at the statistics of a team gaining a 3-1 series lead shows that the chance of advancement is right around 90 percent. While the Predators have always been an antagonist in the face of empirical statistics and conventional odds, those are numbers that they would likely love to have on their side. Such a lead gives the Predators the luxury of 3 tries to win 1 game. On the other hand, a Blackhawks victory would do far more than even the series at 2. Chicago would regain the home-ice advantage lost by splitting the opening games at home, and create a situation in which a win in the Windy City becomes requisite to winning the series. Supposing Chicago wins tonight's game and the next, and Nashville wins game 6 at home, that sets the stage for a game 7 showdown on the road in front of an intimidating 22K+ crowd, eager to see Goliath press David beneath his sandaled foot once and for all. Are such circumstances insurmountable? Of course not, especially for a Preds squad that has shown throughout the season that it's comprised of a balance of skill, moxie, and intestinal fortitude previously unheard of at 501 Broadway. With that being said, wouldn't it be better not to get into that situation? I certainly like to think so, and I'm not sure there's enough Pepto on the shelves at my local Kroger to get me through such a scenario.
The ingredients for victory tonight are no different than in the previous three games, but the emphasis increases with each game. The Blackhawks are a wounded animal, at the moment. They came into this series with a bravado and a regular season pedigree that brought forth a sort of entitled confidence. They were SUPPOSED to coast through the Predators. Three games later, those plans have gone terribly awry, and they're now faced with a game that likely means the difference between rebounding from an early scare and a hugely disappointing ouster. Those wounds, that desperation makes tonight's Chicago Blackhawks a very dangerous team. The Predators were able to feed off the raucous energy at the Bridge on Tuesday night, and cultivate it into a mean, physically punishing first period, rattling the Blackhawks in such a way that they never recovered. They were able to control the pace of the game, and force the 'Hawks to adapt, rather than being forced to adapt themselves. The Blackhawks will be determined not to fall into that trap early in the game, again. They've inserted some sandpaper into the lineup in Adam Burish, and a hulking net presence in Bryan Bickell. These moves are in direct response to deficiencies in the previous games. They've made adjustments, and so must the Predators. However, "adjustment" must not be confused with "abandoning the gameplan." Predators hockey has frustrated the Chicago Blackhawks to this point, and it's Predators hockey that gives Nashville the best chance at completing the upset. If the Preds can continue to thwart the puck-possession of the Blackhawks, if they can continue to refuse speedy transition between the blue lines, and if Pekka can continue to make the big saves when he has to--while the defense limits those "have to" moments--Nashville will prevail, and put themselves in a great position to wrap up the series once and for all.
A few quick notes:
I'm hearing that tickets are moving much more favorably for this game than game 3. TCAPs are over and the 730 start time is a little more palatable for families with school-aged children. That said, if you do NOT yet have tickets, I urge you to get them now! The crowd and atmosphere at the Bridge on Tuesday was among the most incredible I've ever witnessed, and our team deserves no less. The only disappointment were the noticeable gaps of empty seats throughout the lower bowl. I hope to see sellouts from here on out. We're in uncharted waters, and you'll regret missing the chance to be a part of it in person.
According to Tom Callahan (@predsradio) Hornqvist is OUT for tonight, and despite early reports that Brian Campbell would be returning after suffering a broken clavicle nearly a month and a half ago, he is unlikely to play as well.
It seems that these seven words are being thrown around so much that they are nearly becoming cliche. While you may be hearing it quite a bit, don't for a second doubt the merit of such statements. Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals is, in fact, the most important game to date in the Predators' 12-year history. The weight of these words is surely not lost on anyone that's witnessed even half of Nashville's 920-ish competitions, throughout the years. Much new ground has been tread in this postseason, most recently the leading of a series beyond game one. Unfortunately, all of that will be of little consolation if we fall short of the second round for the fifth time in five tries.
The Predators have staged valiant comebacks, memorable efforts, and impressive victories against strong opponents in previous playoff rounds. They've provided difficult tests to teams laden with future hall of famers. Despite those moral victories, they provided little solace as those teams eventually cleaned out their lockers two months short of when they had hoped. The one element that has eluded the Nashville Predators prior to this season is the opportunity to truly take charge of a series. They've never been in a position in which they had an opponent even close to the ropes. Tonight's game represents a firm toss of an opponent toward those ropes, and a promising opportunity to launch them over the top once and for all, in the next game. A quick look at the statistics of a team gaining a 3-1 series lead shows that the chance of advancement is right around 90 percent. While the Predators have always been an antagonist in the face of empirical statistics and conventional odds, those are numbers that they would likely love to have on their side. Such a lead gives the Predators the luxury of 3 tries to win 1 game. On the other hand, a Blackhawks victory would do far more than even the series at 2. Chicago would regain the home-ice advantage lost by splitting the opening games at home, and create a situation in which a win in the Windy City becomes requisite to winning the series. Supposing Chicago wins tonight's game and the next, and Nashville wins game 6 at home, that sets the stage for a game 7 showdown on the road in front of an intimidating 22K+ crowd, eager to see Goliath press David beneath his sandaled foot once and for all. Are such circumstances insurmountable? Of course not, especially for a Preds squad that has shown throughout the season that it's comprised of a balance of skill, moxie, and intestinal fortitude previously unheard of at 501 Broadway. With that being said, wouldn't it be better not to get into that situation? I certainly like to think so, and I'm not sure there's enough Pepto on the shelves at my local Kroger to get me through such a scenario.
The ingredients for victory tonight are no different than in the previous three games, but the emphasis increases with each game. The Blackhawks are a wounded animal, at the moment. They came into this series with a bravado and a regular season pedigree that brought forth a sort of entitled confidence. They were SUPPOSED to coast through the Predators. Three games later, those plans have gone terribly awry, and they're now faced with a game that likely means the difference between rebounding from an early scare and a hugely disappointing ouster. Those wounds, that desperation makes tonight's Chicago Blackhawks a very dangerous team. The Predators were able to feed off the raucous energy at the Bridge on Tuesday night, and cultivate it into a mean, physically punishing first period, rattling the Blackhawks in such a way that they never recovered. They were able to control the pace of the game, and force the 'Hawks to adapt, rather than being forced to adapt themselves. The Blackhawks will be determined not to fall into that trap early in the game, again. They've inserted some sandpaper into the lineup in Adam Burish, and a hulking net presence in Bryan Bickell. These moves are in direct response to deficiencies in the previous games. They've made adjustments, and so must the Predators. However, "adjustment" must not be confused with "abandoning the gameplan." Predators hockey has frustrated the Chicago Blackhawks to this point, and it's Predators hockey that gives Nashville the best chance at completing the upset. If the Preds can continue to thwart the puck-possession of the Blackhawks, if they can continue to refuse speedy transition between the blue lines, and if Pekka can continue to make the big saves when he has to--while the defense limits those "have to" moments--Nashville will prevail, and put themselves in a great position to wrap up the series once and for all.
A few quick notes:
I'm hearing that tickets are moving much more favorably for this game than game 3. TCAPs are over and the 730 start time is a little more palatable for families with school-aged children. That said, if you do NOT yet have tickets, I urge you to get them now! The crowd and atmosphere at the Bridge on Tuesday was among the most incredible I've ever witnessed, and our team deserves no less. The only disappointment were the noticeable gaps of empty seats throughout the lower bowl. I hope to see sellouts from here on out. We're in uncharted waters, and you'll regret missing the chance to be a part of it in person.
According to Tom Callahan (@predsradio) Hornqvist is OUT for tonight, and despite early reports that Brian Campbell would be returning after suffering a broken clavicle nearly a month and a half ago, he is unlikely to play as well.
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