Predators News

"The Predators have signed amateur free-agent forward Ian McKenzie. The 20-year-old McKenzie spent the last four full seasons in the Western Hockey League, notching career highs last season in goals (19), assists (21), points (40) and penalty minutes (103)."

"With sellout crowds at Sommet Center still fresh in their memories, Predators officials are quietly confident the enthusiasm shown their team late last season will serve as an attendance springboard for next season. The Predators averaged 14,650 in paid attendance over the last 16 home games after averaging 12,640 through the first 25. Attendance has traditionally been higher after football season and similar surges were followed by setbacks. "Honestly, the number we talk about is not 14,000," said David Freeman, head of the ownership group. "Our expectation is that we're shooting in the 15,000 to 16,000 range."

"Several months ago businessman David Freeman thought it was his civic duty to assemble a group that would purchase the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League and save the franchise from a possible relocation. Last year at this time the Predators franchise was on the verge of chaos. Now, buoyed by the new ownership group, a drastic change in the marketing plan, a new lease agreement and a fourth straight trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs, this is a team with a bright-looking future."

"Predators captain Jason Arnott is back to feeling like himself again. Arnott missed Games 5 and 6 of the first-round playoff loss to Detroit with a concussion, one he believes occurred near the end of Game 3, when teammate Alexander Radulov collided with Arnott in a goal-scoring celebration. "I'm feeling a lot better,'' Arnott said Friday. "It took a little while, probably four or five days or a week before it completely settled down. But I feel like it's behind me now.''"

"Predators owner David Freeman said his expected purchase of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx baseball team will have no impact on his role with Nashville’s hockey team. Freeman said he and partner Reese Smith, also a Nashville native, had displayed interest in the baseball team well before Freeman got involved with the Predators."

"Predators’ chief amateur scout Jeff Kealty says the team has at least a couple of priorities when it comes to next month’s NHL entry draft. One is size and the other is offensive ability."

"Regardless of who the Predators take with the No. 9 pick in the draft — a selection obtained from the Florida Panthers last year as part of the trade that sent goaltender Tomas Vokoun to the Sunshine state — this draft will be a significant one. At the No. 15 spot, the Predators have a second first-round pick. In the second round they also have a pair of selections, one of which came to the Predators via the Vokoun trade. Barring any compensation picks, the Predators could have four of the top 45 selections."

"The state of Tennessee is getting involved in helping to improve the Nashville Predators’ and the city’s collective financial situation — and more events at the Sommet Center could result. A clause in the annual omnibus “technical corrections bill,” which affects tax policy and targets loopholes, will allow sales taxes collected for non-hockey events at the Sommet Center to go toward paying the debt on the facility. Currently, only sales taxes collected at Predators’ games goes toward the debt service under state law. "

"The owner of the Nashville Predators said he expects to finalize his purchase of the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx baseball team within "the next few days." "We are waiting on the final authority," David Freeman said Tuesday. "There is a bunch of people that have to sign off.""

"Predators prospects Janne Niskala and Antti Pihlstrom have been added to Team Finland's roster for the World Championships. They join five other members of the Predators' organization participating in the tournament, which runs May 2-18 in Halifax and Quebec City, Canada."

"A year ago, the Predators had to make some late-offseason signings just to reach the floor of the NHL's salary cap. They won't have to worry about that this summer. The Predators already have about $34 million committed toward the 2008-09 salary cap, and that's with four key players — goalie Dan Ellis, forward Martin Erat, and defensemen Ryan Suter and Shea Weber — still unsigned, not to mention role players such as Darcy Hordichuk, Kevin Klein and Ville Koistinen."

"Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz has expectations that the team’s new ownership group headed by David Freeman will allow the team to once again pursue some high-powered talent to help win a Stanley Cup. "

"The Predators have raised full and partial season-ticket prices for the third straight year, but the increase is less dramatic than it was a season ago. The new prices, which were sent out to current season ticket-holders earlier this month, include hikes ranging from 1.4 to 8 percent. A year ago, the price increases ranged from 7.25 to 41.7 percent."

"Only a day after the season came to an end, Predators goalie Dan Ellis received an interesting text message from his agent. “He said that he and (Predators) management would be in contact very shortly regarding next season and moving forward,’’ Ellis said. The quick action illustrated how fast Ellis has become a priority to the Predators, and it also served as an unofficial starting point for what should be an interesting drama regarding three netminders in the Nashville organization."

"The ice has barely melted at the Sommet Center, but the Nashville Predators’ coaching staff is already looking towards the 2008-2009 season. The coaching staff, along with David Poile, President of Hockey Operations/General Manager, is heading to Milwaukee today to watch the Admirals play the rest of the week in the American Hockey League playoffs. “I know we are going to be better and stronger in so many ways next season, “ said Poile. “We have a stable ownership. That is a necessity for us to do our jobs. We have a much more normal situation. "

"After probably his most difficult year of coaching since his first two years with the franchise, Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz and the rest of the coaching staff were given two-year contract extensions."

"Predators Coach Barry Trotz has a few goals already in mind as he looks ahead to next season. Trotz and his staff can start getting to work on the future with a little bit of security now, after their new contracts were announced on Tuesday."

"The ice has barely melted at the Sommet Center, but the Nashville Predators’ coaching staff is already looking towards the 2008-2009 season. The coaching staff, along with David Poile, President of Hockey Operations/General Manager, is heading to Milwaukee today to watch the Admirals play the rest of the week in the American Hockey League playoffs."

"Determining Steve Sullivan's status for next season will be one of the Predators' top priorities this offseason, General Manager David Poile said Tuesday. The high-scoring forward hasn't played since February of 2007. He had two back surgeries last summer and his recovery has been slow."

"The Nashville Predators have announced that the contracts of head coach Barry Trotz and his staff have been extended. "We have a group of dedicated and passionate people who have worked together to grow the Predators into a top-flight NHL hockey department," Predators GM David Poile said. "

"Over the next several days, the Predators will spend plenty of time looking back at the 2007-08 season, one that featured early struggles, a late march to the postseason and a first-round playoff loss to Detroit. But they'll soon turn their attention to what should be an eventful offseason, both on and off the ice. A glimpse at some of the significant issues the Predators will be dealing with over the next several months:"

"As the players packed up and held exit interviews Monday, one the questions for Ellis was whether or not it would be the last time he had a name plate in the Predators’ dressing room at the Sommet Center. “You want to make a name for yourself,” Ellis said. “You want to get known in the league so people recognize you. “I have no idea what is going to happen for next year. That is not really in my control. We will see what happens as the summer goes on.”"

"He'd helped guide the Predators all through the regular season, which is exactly why center Jason Arnott was so disappointed about the way his postseason came to an end. The Predators' captain missed Games 5 and 6 of Nashville's first-round loss to Detroit after suffering a concussion he believes stemmed from a congratulatory collision delivered by teammate Alexander Radulov."

"The Predators are expected to announce new multi-year contracts for the coaching staff and scouts at a morning news conference today. The current contracts would have expired in June, but the new deals will keep the staff in place."

"A Predators team that tapped into seemingly endless reserves of resolve and resiliency this season finally met its match on Sunday. It came in the form of a top-seeded Detroit Red Wings squad that stifled the Predators for the second straight game and suffocated Nashville's playoff run. The Red Wings' 3-0 win in Game 6 of this series gave Detroit the series by a 4-2 count and meant the Predators will be watching the second round from afar for the fourth straight year."

"Sunday afternoon the Predators’ season ended less than four minutes into the third period as center Jiri Hudler blasted a shot from the right circle that gave the No.1-seeded Detroit Red Wings a 2-0 lead. With five seconds left defenseman Brian Rafalski shot the puck into the open for a 3-0 final score."

"Lidstrom took a shot from the neutral zone officially listed at 103 feet that bounced, hit a bump, took off in a direction unexpected by Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis on Sunday and into the net in the second period. The improbable goal triggered a 3-0 Wings victory over the Predators, helping the Wings win the first-round series in six games. "

"Nicklas Lidstrom's goal from the far blue line Sunday at the Sommet Center helped the Red Wings to a 3-0 victory over the Predators and a 4-2 series victory. It also reminded Draper and Darren McCarty of the goal Lidstrom scored six years ago in Vancouver, a goal that spurred the Wings on to win the Stanley Cup."

"When Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios went to the penalty box with 6:23 left in the second period, the Predators had reason to feel good. They were tied 0-0 with the favored Red Wings more than halfway through the game, and were one lucky bounce away from taking the lead. Seven seconds later, that bounce took place. But as far as the Predators were concerned, it was decidedly unlucky."

"The Predators announced just before the start of Game 6 that center Jason Arnott had been diagnosed with a concussion. Arnott, who tied for the team lead in scoring, missed his second straight game and had to look on as Detroit downed Nashville 3-0 to eliminate the Predators from the playoffs. The captain had taken a hard celebratory hit from teammate Alexander Radulov near the end of Game 3, after scoring Nashville's game-winning goal. He didn't play in the final 3:48 of that contest, but did return to play in Game 4."

"This was the time for all able-bodied, and not so able-bodied, Nashville Predators to rise to the occasion one more time. Predators centers David Legwand and Scott Nichol both came off the injured list to play in Game 6, a 3-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Sunday afternoon at the Sommet Center. The loss ended the season for the Predators, who fell for the fourth straight time in the quarterfinals of the Western Conference Stanley Cup playoffs."

"If the Red Wings took one thing from winning their playoff series it was this: Beating the Predators isn't easy. Despite a decisive 3-0 victory over bottom-seeded Nashville on Sunday, the series proved to be a challenging one for the Western Conference's top-seeded squad. It took continual pressure on Predators goaltender Dan Ellis and a stand-up defensive effort that kept Nashville off the scoreboard all but once in the final two games of the series. The Presidents' Trophy winners consider it a sign of the times in the NHL."

"He considers the playoff series a success, however, because it helped generate fan support. Nashville sold out all three of its home playoff games as well as seven of its final 11 regular-season games. But Kimble admitted that winning a series — especially against the Red Wings — could have been monumental toward adding fan support next season."

"Hard as it might have been to imagine months ago, the Predators' hopes of advancing to the second round of the playoffs appear to be resting on the slim shoulders of goalie Dan Ellis. That's the general consensus of national hockey analysts who've been watching the Detroit-Nashville series, which resumes with Game 6 this afternoon at Sommet Center."

"Predators center Scott Nichol was on the ice Saturday using his stick for the first time since breaking his thumb in Game 1 of the playoff series against Detroit."

"In the midst of a heated hockey playoff, the decade-old Predators franchise is trying to strengthen a future in a sport that often spurns its own southern migration."

"Coming off a regular season in which they overcame unusual adversity and answered repeated challenges, the Predators enter the biggest game in franchise history today saddled with another concern."

"From the outset, Coach Barry Trotz said a long series "really favors us." Now, a long series — seven games — is the only way his team can advance."

"Perhaps Nashville's best indicator for long-term potential playoff payoff is Tampa Bay. Over four seasons, the Lightning has gone from the NHL's best team to its worst, and now is waiting to see the effect."

"Nashville seeks to force a Game 7 for the first time in franchise history."

"On the verge of stealing the first road playoff win in franchise history, the Predators instead find themselves on the verge of playoff elimination. Detroit's Johan Franzen saw to that on Friday, scoring just 1:48 into overtime to lift the Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the Predators in Game 5 at Joe Louis Arena."

"Dan Ellis had an incredible evening in net for the Nashville Predators, but Johan Franzen converted a Nashville turnover at 1:48 of overtime, giving the Red Wings a 2-1 victory in Game 5 of the teams' first-round series, and a 3-2 series lead."

"Johan Franzen delivered, pulling to the right, pausing, holding the puck just long enough to slip a backhand behind Dan Ellis, ending Game 5 1:49 into overtime with a 2-1 victory Friday night at Joe Louis Arena."

"The Dan Ellis story seems to add a new chapter almost every time the Predators hit the ice these days. It happened again on Friday, despite the Predators' 2-1 overtime loss to Detroit in Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series."

"Goaltender Dan Ellis gave the Nashville Predators a chance to pick up their first playoff victory on the road in franchise history. But the Predators fell short again for the 10th time overall and sixth time against the Wings."

"Predators Coach Barry Trotz said he's hopeful that centers Jason Arnott and David Legwand will be back in the lineup when Nashville plays host to Detroit in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series on Sunday."

"Barry Trotz said he was notified after Nashville's morning practice that captain Jason Arnott wasn't feeling well and might not be available for the game. Trotz said Arnott either had the flu or food poisoning; Trotz was hopeful Arnott would be available for Game 6. The Predators called up former Red Wing Josh Langfeld (U-M) to replace Arnott and he totaled 6:30 on nine shifts."

"Moments into the first period Friday, Jeremy Piper was on the edge of his seat. He'd snagged a spot on the third row of Sommet Center, with a prime view of the hockey game being played before him."

"As the Predators prepare for what may well be the biggest game in franchise history Friday night, they’d do well to turn an ear to defenseman Greg de Vries. The veteran blueliner not only scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 on Wednesday, but perhaps just as importantly, knows all about winning big games in Joe Louis Arena. That’s where the Predators will be seeking their first playoff road win in franchise history, when Nashville meets Detroit at 6:30. The winner will grab a 3-2 lead in this best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal."

"The Predators won’t be trying to defeat The Dominator on Friday night when they take on Detroit in Game 5 of this Western Conference quarterfinal. Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock said Thursday that Chris Osgood will replace Dominik Hasek, who started the first four games. Hasek was pulled after surrendering three goals on 14 shots in Game 4 on Wednesday, and he has an .888 save percentage through four games."