Greetings Predators Fans! I would like to welcome you all to what will be come a pretty regular blog here on NashvillePredators.com as I chronicle the comings and goings of your Predators team.

Since this is my first NHL campaign, you’ll get to experience everything with me for the first time. I’m sure I’ll have stories about getting lost in buildings or cities, finding those little out-of-the-way places, and discovering which player can’t live without his lucky rabbit’s foot/slingshot/gym socks.

I’m sure from time to time not only will you get an entertaining story from the road, but a few select beauties plucked from my own personal hockey past, dating back to the 1999-00 season when I started in the Western Professional Hockey League. When you look back over your shoulder at five teams, four leagues, and a million miles of memories, there’s bound to be a few that stand out.

So with that, I’m looking forward to keeping you all in the loop during the season, and sharing the smiles along the way. Keep your browser pointed here all season long!

Hey fans – join me on Twitter at twitter.com/predsradio. News, notes, what’s new in Preds land – as soon as it happens!

Tom Callahan
Predators Radio Voice

Blog Entries
2008-09 Season Blog Entries
June - 2 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
July - 23 | August - 18 | 27
September - 5 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 30
October - 6 | 19 |
November - 16 | 20

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November 20
The game continues to change and evolve night in and night out. Somewhere, somehow, someone is innovating in the game of hockey. Roles are changing, equipment is changing, coverage is changing. I’m sure even fans are changing! Well, maybe not you guys, but other people…

Speaking of roles changing, there’s a good side-by-side coming up for Saturday’s game in that Jared Boll for Columbus and Jordin Tootoo for Nashville are both seeing a change in their responsibilities. Tootoo said during the game on Thursday that he’s more effective on the ice, pestering everyone else and getting under the skin of the opposing team. He’s definitely right.

Boll was told not to fight by Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock the other day against Edmonton, keeping his mitts on and resisting the urge to drop them with possible dance partners. Boll was instructed to stay on the ice and to “affect” an unnamed Oilers player. He did so, and therefore was able to bring a different sort of edge and advantage to the game for Columbus.

Tootoo can also be that same type of player, as he showed by annoying Patrik Elias and David Clarkson enough that he was challenged by Andrew Peters shortly thereafter, but refused the invitation. It was so obvious Jordin was under the skin of the Devils that they spent an entire shift chasing him around the ice at one point in the second period!

Jim MacKenzie, who was in the booth with me on Thursday and no stranger to the rough stuff in his NHL career, summed it up this way: If you’re not thinking about hockey and you’re thinking more about getting Tootoo, then that’s exactly what the Predators want. Tootoo was smart not to go with Peters because he has more value and sees more ice time. If he wants to trade off with a pretty good player like Clarkson, then that’s his decision to make.

It also was a good conversation topic with Barry Trotz prior to Thursday’s game, when I asked him if Tootoo was more effective because he hadn’t fought yet this season. Trotz responded that in a way, yes he is. When the opposing team starts to worry about him being on the ice and delivering big hits on a regular basis, then the focus becomes knowing where he is on the ice and looking over your shoulder.

Not to single out one player, but the Predators did a good job of finishing their checks in the first and second period against the Devils, paving the way for hurries and turnovers later in the game. It really does have an effect on the opposition when they know they’re going to get banged constantly. Boll is charged with bringing that for the Blue Jackets, and Tootoo for the Predators. It will be interesting to see if they happen to go head to head on Saturday night.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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November 16
"Okay, I’m working on it!"

That’s been my response when I’ve been asked about my blog lately. Sorry I haven’t written, but it’s been a hectic few weeks. Bought a condo and moved during the middle of the season, had some oral surgery done, road trips, etc. So it’s been a busy time, but now I’m settled back down a bit and am looking forward to getting this thing fired up again.

I do have a longer installment coming on goaltending, so be prepared for that. But in the meantime, let’s talk some Preds hockey!

Seven of the last ten sounds good to me after a pretty slow start to the year. Right now Nashville’s objective is to get lots of traffic and lots of shots, and it worked to a “T” against Montreal. Steve Sullivan said he could see it happening against St. Louis as well, it just took a little while longer to get the puck in against the Blues.

Basically, the theology is this: when you’re in the offensive zone and shooting the puck, a few things are working for you. 1) You’re tiring out the other team’s goalie. Even if he’s not making saves, he’s still moving, still dealing with traffic, still having to work with the puck in his zone while Pekka plugs in his iPod at the other end of the ice. 2) You’re running down the other team’s defense as well. They have to play harder in their own end, continue battles on the boards, and don’t get appropriate shift changes when you bottle the play up in the offensive zone. 3) Some of those are bound to go in. Goals happen.

So the Preds are firing pucks at the net, and that’s encouraging given the return of the Sullivan/Arnott/Dumont troika. I like that Patric Hornqvist continues to evolve as a player and seems much more relaxed this season with his game and his role. Jerred Smithson has quietly had a solid season and is playing well. Francis Bouillon has been a tremendous pick up for the Predators and is taking on some very big minutes, in both quantity and quality. It’s almost hard to understate how strong on the wall he is and what his presence has meant for the Preds, especially when they missed Hamhuis and Weber for a few games each.

At this point you have to hope the Preds are past the early season rash of injuries that hampered them and that things mellow out a bit as we approach the Christmas season. It will be nice to get Colin Wilson back in the lineup, but at this point it also begs the question of where do you put him? It’s a nice problem to have when you’re going well and have to figure out how to reinsert someone, but one the Predators will deal with in the near future.

Oh, almost forgot. Number four for my above points is that your goaltender and defense don’t have to work as hard and therefore when opposing clubs make inevitable forays into your end, you can be stronger both on and off the puck and have more in the tank. That truly helps a team down the road and over the course of 82 games. The more pressure you exert on other teams, the more you can grind them down late and make a difference in the contest. One mental mistake can prove to be a game-winner for the other team, and Nashville wants to be the team that forces those errors.

This week will be pretty good for opponents. San Jose is one of the best teams in the West, followed by future Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. If you haven’t seen Brodeur play in person, I highly suggest you do so. He is one of the best ever. Then Columbus Saturday and Detroit Monday to put some divisional fire into the bellies! I’m going to enjoy this home stand, and I hope you are too. Come down and check us out! By the way, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s a great excuse to get out of the house and away from relatives visiting. Or you can choose to drag them with you, your call. But get away from the pie just long enough to take in three or more periods of hockey.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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October 19
A trip to Washington seemed to do the club some good there. I like what we’ve seen as far as game-over-game improvement from the Predators. Cody Fransen looked comfortable and capable on the blue line, and I think some of our best power play chances came with him out there helping to move the puck around. I like what I see from Patric Hornqvist more and more this season – hard work, attacking the puck, battling in the corners. Colin Wilson is finding his way into corners as well, and with time and getting settled, he’s going to start connecting. You can see something in his game that shies away from the traditional, worn-out playbook. He’s going to have some assists (and for that matter some goals) where you clearly see him defy conventional thinking and playmaking with the puck. He thinks the game just a little different and as a result, when he finds himself comfortable with linemates and they know his tendencies, will result in points.

I like that our youth is leading the way, and that will start to kick in. The veterans have the job of keeping the younger players on track, teaching them the pacing of an NHL season, and how to always moderate yourself – the highs can’t be too high, and the lows can’t be too low. Over the course of 80+ or 100+ games in a season, simply can’t ride emotion the whole time without losing your marbles. Arm them with the knowledge to succeed, and they will do just that.

Around the league, it seems that there are “surprise” teams everywhere. The L.A. Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and Buffalo Sabres are among the early examples. So are the New York Rangers. True, these teams did not have fantasic years last year, but they have embraced some of their younger players as the Predators are now doing, and the results are coming. Colorado has the advantage that they had their clunker last season with a full lineup of the guys now leading the way. It certainly was a year of growing pains. The Rangers and Sabres also have younger players making impacts with the help of the established stars they’ve kept over the years and some solid goaltending. The Kings are hoping that Quick becomes the starter they’ve envisioned him to be while playing with a solid defensive corps and reinvigorated forwards. L.A. has been unafraid to say they were rebuilding and going after certain types of players. GM Dean Lombardi took some heat for it, but this year may be the year it finally starts to pan out for them.

The Predators are in a similar situation now. The handoff from veteran to youthful player is never easy. There’s always a gap in experience and knowledge. Player contracts almost require GMs to gamble on futures at every turn if they want to lock up anticipated stars for a long time. If you guess wrong, you’ll get burned. If you guess right, you look fantastic. But largely, it’s a guess. As they always tell you when you invest in stocks, past performance is not an indication of future returns.

So Nashville does find itself trying to figure in some pieces to the puzzle. We are heavy up the middle – where do all the centers go? Some will shift to wing, and hopefully when placed there they are comfortable and capable. We do have a lot of defensemen, and depth is always good to have. You can leverage depth in deals, and rely on it through injuries. It also gives you the luxury of being able to move on if need be in certain situations and rotate chances among the deserving.

The long and short of it is that our team is a talented one. We do need to see some future returns on players for the remainder of the season. Likewise, the youth who may be frustrated by a lack of opportunity or playing time will have to earn it, demonstrating that they belong here full-time. I like that we have two solid netminders, a deep blue line, and forwards who can (and have) shown offensive ability on par with some of the league’s top players. At this point of the season, it’s way too early to tell where the lineup will fall, and who will have the best season.

What I do ask, Preds fans, is that we stay supportive of those finding their way. How can you do that? Take notes, watch games a shift at a time. Pay attention to individual players on a shift – isolate them. See where Jason Arnott or Shea Weber goes without the puck, and then compare their play to our younger players as well. Find out how JP Dumont puts himself in position to make that pass for the goal, and then watch Wilson look to do the same. Or compare Ryan Suter to Laakso, or Fransen. See how they set up and play similarly or entirely differently! This will also help your understanding of the game long-term, because positional play is done 90% without the puck. Keep an eye on that and you’ll find yourself really understanding hockey.

That’s about it for now, as I’ve got a week to catch up on for the podcast ( Tom Callahan's Weekly Podcast: Oct. 19). Until next time, keep your stick on the ice!

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October 6
You just can’t figure sports, can you? Who would have thought the Predators would have one more win than the Titans at this point? I’ll be honest with you, not me. I figured that the Titans were poised for a pretty good season on the heels of last year’s success, just like everyone else. Which is why I think there is a valuable lesson for us to carry over into hockey, too.

Looking around the league, several teams that were expected to come out cold have been hot, and vice versa. The Canucks are 0-3? Detroit 0-2? The Avalanche (our opponent this Thursday night) is 2-0, led by a young corps of players most people haven’t heard of yet and a career backup goaltender in Craig Anderson. Break up the Avs!

But seriously, what I’m talking about is the danger of expectations, and moreover, reading into them far too much. If you were a Predators player you could be forgiven for coming into camp full of gloom and doom. Many national media outlets have predicted this team to finish out of the playoff picture, and in one ignominious example, practically dead last league-wide. Really? This for a team with many unknowns despite keeping its core intact from last year. And I think those unknowns fed into a general “dump on Nashville” culture that tends to exist in some hockey circles. While that’s not fine with me, it does add some extra delight to shoving it back at some folks around the league who predict massive victories and make grandiose promises they have no intention of keeping at our expense.

Steve Sullivan coming back remains an unsolved issue for many league-wide, despite Steve himself telling me his back is a “non-issue” and he feels just fine, thank you. Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont still know how to make plays and score goals. Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Dan Hamhuis did not forget how to play D over the summer, and Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne still have the ability to stop pucks. That’s a pretty solid foundation to build on.

But today’s game requires depth! David Legwand and Martin Erat no doubt have the pressure on them to raise their games this winter. Both are very talented players who show flashes of brilliance from time to time. It’s just executing at that level far more often that concerns Predators brass. The addition of Mike Santorelli is going to take some time to judge. I would like to see his shootout goal provide him with a good shot of confidence and have him boost his linemates at the same time. Much is being made of the youthful exuberance in the Colorado locker room right now, and I think there’s something to that. Even Jason Arnott said that when you have the young players in the room who are excited about coming every day, it gives the older players a lift. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

It seems like everywhere I look on this team, there’s a good balance of youthful exuberance against age and treachery. Marcel Goc has over 250 NHL games to his credit and will help Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Jones on that line. Francis Boullion will be a great compliment to Teemu Laakso in the learning department both on and off the ice. Ben Guite brings some serious jam to the fourth unit and has that leadership quality to him resulting from surviving in the NHL this long. So yes, I like the mix, and I think it bodes well for this franchise now and as the season wears on.

Of course you’ll have injuries, and surprising play both good and bad. Some guys will come from out of nowhere to have career years. Some will quietly fade. It’s up to them which path they take. Will they go to the “hard areas” (as Barry Trotz calls them) to score goals when time is ticking down and we’re trailing by a goal? Will they take the hit to make the pass or the clear? Give up the body to block a shot with the game on the line? Those are question that need to be answered as the year grinds on. And how committed are they to earning two points in October, November, and December… because those matter as much as those in March.

Right now, I’m not going to topple Detroit or Chicago from the top of the division. Not just yet. But I also refuse to say it can’t be done. It is a matter of being prepared for every single game over the course of an 82 game season and executing your game plan. It comes from knowing your role and accepting it. And it comes from within the culture in the room, the attitudes of the players, and the lift given by the fans. Don’t stop cheering. You never know when you’re the one person who gets up out of your seat and suddenly leads 17,000 more behind you to get it going. Don’t lean on expectations. Instead aim for victories.

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September 30
Okay, I know you, Preds fan. You want positives. You want something to go on, something to give you a reason to believe we’re going to whomp some butt come the drop of the puck. Well, I’m going to take a run at that for you.

Here are five solid reasons to believe in the team for this season:

1) A healthy Steve Sullivan
Not bad for a ninth round draft pick, eh? Steve Sullivan is now 35 years old and has played all or part of 12 NHL seasons. Returning to the ice after serious back injury that saw him miss almost two calendar years, Sullivan collected 11 goals and 32 points in 41 games en route to winning the Masterton Memorial Trophy for his comeback efforts. His revitalization of the offense down the stretch gave some jump to others as well, and who knows what might have been if not for late-season injuries to David Legwand and Martin Erat, among others.

The year Sullivan went down with his injury, he was ahead of a point-per-game pace (60 points in 57 games). Previous full seasons netted him 68 in 69 games (05-06), and 73 points in 80 games (03-04). I know those seasons were a few years ago, but you can’t deny the impact that Sullivan has whether he’s scoring or not. He forces defenses to take notice, and if the line of Sullivan, Arnott and Dumont is checked closely, it opens up chances for others to score, too.

2) Goaltending
Whether you go with Dan Ellis or Pekka Rinne, the Nashville Predators are solid in net. Watching games last year I never got the impression that Ellis wasn’t giving the Predators a chance to win, but for a stretch he was coming out on the losing end of things more often than not. Remember in the very beginning of last year when we scored goals by the bucket but allowed them too? The defense got tighter and so did the goaltending. Ellis’ 57-save (or whatever it was) performance against San Jose was a ridiculous win, and was a very good reflection of his talent.

Rinne stepped in when called upon and used his big frame to block a lot of pucks and keep the Predators competitive down the stretch. His previous playoff experience with Milwaukee in the AHL paid dividends and helped keep him cool, calm and composed. Mitch Korn has worked with both goaltenders to stress positioning, quickness, shot blocking, rebound control and a myriad of other important characteristics. The improvement shows throughout the season as each finds their groove.

And one other thing – Predators netminders are among the best in the NHL at handling the puck, serving as yet another weapon to help the offense make quick work of line changes and breakouts.

3) Solid Defense
As far as a trio of defenders around the league, you would be hard-pressed to find one as talented (and as young) as that of Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Dan Hamhuis. All three are pretty young and very capable of handling lots of minutes and responsibilities. Kevin Klein is also coming into his own and could very soon be considered a fourth element to that young defensive corps after emerging last year.

The addition of Francis Boullion as a steadying veteran presence for the young defense also provides a bit of offensive capability, perhaps he can become the blueline quarterback the second PP unit hoped Ville Koistinen would be come last season.

Finally, with Teemu Laakso set to make his debut in Dallas as a top-six defender, yet another talented Preds draft pick prepares to embark on his NHL career after an impressive training camp. Consider that the team still has Jon Blum, Alexander Sulzer and Cody Franson still in the wings and you realize how much depth exists for this team on D.

4) Stability/Home Ice/Fans
Much has been written about the Predators going here, doing this, moving that. Face it, hockey world, we’re here, and we’re not going anywhere. I know that there are people who feel like Nashville shouldn’t have a hockey team. Those people haven’t been to a game here, haven’t seen the passion of the fans, and obviously don’t realize that over the course of 12 years, anyone can learn hockey! Just because you didn’t put on skates at age three doesn’t make you less of a fan.

One of the reasons a national columnist gave recently for Nashville not having a team was “no home ice advantage”. Talk about showing your lack of research! Not only do players around the league credit this building with being one of the toughest and loudest to play in when the crowd is going, but look at our home record! The Predators have been of the best teams in the NHL since the lockout (seems to be a pretty good measure of time, right?) with 107 home wins. Only Detroit (112) and Calgary (108) have won more at home. In 2005-06, Nashville’s 32 wins were tops in the NHL. So you can’t tell me on or off the ice this team has no home-ice advantage.

5) Expectations
This year, it feels slightly like we’re the Indians in Major League: every newspaper in the country has picked us to finish last. (Well, not really, but they’re not showing us up top in the Central Division, either). There are a lot of other teams with question marks as well, including the four in Columbus, St. Louis, Detroit and Chicago. Expectations are high to build on seasons that saw those other four make the playoffs and the Red Wings lose in the Stanley Cup Final. But for the Predators, there’s a hunger, maybe even anger, at not making the post-season last year. At putting it together just a bit too late. At knowing what might have been. And that encourages me because any team taking this one too lightly or looking ahead to another opponent will be surprised. Plus, you can’t discount any breakdowns or injuries that may occur elsewhere in the division. The Predators can sneak up on just about anyone.

Well, there’s something for you to chew on today. Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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September 29
The cuts are beginning to rain down across the tickers, a veritable downpour of movement. It’s easy to reduce the ticker to mere numbers, guys going down to the AHL, juniors, or even getting their outright release. Names that ring familiar like Legace, Kostitsyn, and Delmore are out, looking to work their way back somehow.

On the broadcast side, we’ve been catching up with player movement from the off-season and the current round of cuts as the season approaches. Yes, even into October there will still be a fair amount of “when did he go there?” For the most part there’s not much to getting back into the saddle when you’ve done it for ten years, other than player recognition, and perhaps the occasional moment where you forget how to time the anthem to the puck drop (I’ve been back late both games I’ve done it this year, but last time I only missed six seconds after the drop of the puck.)

A bit more excitement tends to trickle in now, mixed with anticipation. The momentum that is the snowball of the season builds. And suddenly we’ll be in Dallas for the game on Saturday night – off we go!

It looks like the battle for starts between the goaltenders will continue into the regular season. Dan Ellis made a statement this summer about wanting to earn his job back, and he’s come out playing very well. Pekka Rinne ended last season at the starter, and will have to fend off Ellis’ challenge to keep the role. Either way, both netminders are solid and capable, leaving Nashville with a leg up on teams that have question marks in arguably the most important position in all of sports.

Defensively I’m looking forward to yet another year of improvement from Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis, and Kevin Klein. Just looking at how young those four are, and what they can bring to the table now and in the future, you get a glimpse of how special the blueline is here. Adding Francois Boullion to the club does a lot for veteran impact, and the possibility of youngsters like Teemu Laakso, Cody Franson, and Alexander Sulzer leaves much hope for this season. Beyond those three, there’s also the prospect of Jonathan Blum down the road as he continues to grow and mature in Milwaukee.

Up front, probably the biggest and most obvious story is Steve Sullivan, but a few surprises could lie in wait. There’s been much talk of the Erat/Legwand combo needing to come to life, and it will be interesting to see if Mike Santorelli is the answer to the oft-shuffled wing position alongside those two. Legwand did a great job in the second half of last season on both ends of the ice, raising hopes and expectations for this season.

Of course, the biggest question mark will be the development process for Colin Wilson. Will he go to Milwaukee or won’t he? How much time would he need if he did go there? Can he develop as well in a third line role for the Predators as opposed to a first line role for the Admirals? Those are all questions the Predators hockey operations staff get paid to answer, and at the end of the day they must choose the path they believe provides the best education and assimilation for the player. I don’t think there are questions that Wilson will one day be an NHL impact player, it’s just how do you get to point B from point A with him.

Among the players who have headed to Milwaukee already, I think that Blum, Ben Eaves, Andreas Thuresson, Nick Spaling, and Mark Dekanich are pretty exciting prospects who showed they will have great days ahead of them. Yes, the future is bright, and despite a tough division and conference, the Predators do have what it takes to compete for the post-season again.

Make no mistake, I’m not saying it’s automatic. There’s a long schedule lined with tough teams, and if this squad wants to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to work for it. Vancouver, Calgary, Detroit, Chicago… heck, even L.A. all have legitimate shots at deep playoff runs this season. I’m looking forward to what will be an even tougher Western Conference this season. If you make it someplace this year, you’ve done a great job. This will be a very difficult season to gain ground, and could actually be one of those where with a few exceptions, the standings remain jammed for most of the year.

Well, the countdown is on. Five days, four days…

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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September 21
Nashville has sent ten players down to Milwaukee as of Sunday, and there are no real surprises on the list. At most, I might have liked to see Chet Pickard play a game to see what he can bring to the table, but obviously it’s more important for the Predators to get Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis going so that they’re in game mode come the drop of the puck in Dallas October 3rd.

And honestly, with the struggle of the starting netminder that has plagued this team early in the season from years past, it’s understandable. Both Ellis and Rinne have split games so far, with neither one playing a full contest yet neither one looking in any way awkward or off. Both had a few shaky moments early in their first appearance, and skated quickly away from them. It’s nice to see that between Mitch Korn working them hard in practice and drilling them on the basics plus game action that both seem pretty comfortable with a week of pre-season left to go.

Barry Trotz said in The Tennessean that he wasn’t worried about being “fair” to Pickard and Jeremy Smith, another Predators goaltending prospect, because the team is set in net. Indeed it is, with Ellis and Rinne having proven they are both capable as starters. Plus Mark Dekanich is still in camp, and has shown himself capable thus far in the pre-season as well. It’s nice to know your third goaltender has a few games under his belt and some confidence to go with it.

Make no mistake, whether the Predators find ways to score buckets of goals or not, you can still loose 8-6 or 2-1 and it counts the same. Goaltending (and therefore also defense) will be a major part of the team’s success this year. Keeping pucks out always gives you the best chance to win, and with Ellis and Rinne in net the Predators will give themselves a chance to win every night. Bring on the regular season!

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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September 16
I am saddened to hear of the passing of Fred Cusick, who served as the voice of the Boston Bruins for almost five decades. Mr. Cusick lost a battle with cancer. He was 90 years old.

I caught on late to announcers like Cusick, but am familiar enough with his famous highlight-reel calls to understand the excitement, knowledge and enthusiasm he brought to the game. He and several other broadcast pioneers like Foster Hewitt and Danny Gallivan took hockey to the airwaves both on the radio and eventually on television.

Cusick started in the early 50s on radio with Boston. He was a pioneer who saw the impact television could have for the Bruins and the sport itself, and managed to convince local television to air games just in time for the arrival of #4, Bobby Orr. As the Bruins raised the Stanley Cup twice in the early 70s, Cusick covered the games and became the unmistakable audio track behind the team. He would continue on with the club until 1997 when he retired, shepherding the Bruins to the team’s new home at the then-Fleet Center after Boston Garden was no more.

When you talk about someone being able to have a broadcasting career that spans decades, such as Cusick, Hewitt, and Gallivan, it boggles the mind. To be that sharp for that long, and to keep the fire burning for fans night in and night out isn’t a small task. I also could point out several other titans of the airwaves like Bob Chase in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who has broadcast Komets hockey for over 55 years, Chuck Kaiton in Carolina, or even our very own Pete Weber, who has been broadcasting professional sports of one flavor or another for 30 years! Sorry Pete, didn’t mean to make you feel too old… but I did grow up listening to Pete do Bisons baseball in Buffalo back in the day.

We know as broadcasters that we are the connection to the game for fans that can’t be there in person. We all have our own approach to the game and our own personalities on the air. One can’t help but hear the enthusiasm and excitement in Cusick’s voice, the genuine emotion that was there when the Bruins would “scccoooooooooorrrrrreeeeeeee!” We all hope to convey that to the fans. But some, like Fred, rise above and become legends.

I think he said it for all of us when he said that sitting among the fans, calling the game, you never feel like it’s work. Amen to that. His voice will live on.

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September 15
The second team we’ll take a look at will be the Columbus Blue Jackets courtesy of TV color commentator Bill Davidge. Bill moves to the TV booth after spending several seasons on the radio side, and provides us with his commentary of what appears to be a team on its way up. Take note, Preds fans. This is a young team just like ours, and both organizations are focused on doing things in an old-school manner – talk of the “right” way of doing things – to mature its talent and produce wins.

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September 8
Well, the season is almost upon us. Training camp opens this weekend. And I, your fearless intrepid radio reporter, have decided to enlist some help in covering the other Central Division teams for my pre-season preview.

Yeah, basically I thought to myself “well, they’re always listening to me (or reading me, I guess). Why not try to get some thoughts from around the division that aren’t mine?”

Starting with the first installment from Ken Kal of the Detroit Red Wings, I’ve asked various folks around the division to send over their thoughts on their particular off-season, and give three key points for the 2009-10 Season.

Of course, I’ll be providing some fodder on the hometown boys, but you’ve already heard a lot of that. I’ll do more of the reporting-type of blogging as training camp goes on. But for now, we’ll catch up with teams around the league.

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September 5
I’ve been reading an article lately that focuses on the history of the Rochester Red Wings’ play-by-play men throughout the team’s history. For those who don’t know, the Red Wings are a Triple-A baseball team that plays in the city where I went to college, Rochester, NY. Even our own Pete Weber has his ties to this amazing lineage of broadcasting, so feel free to read both parts of the series when you have time.

It makes you think a bit about how lucky you can be in any given market to listen to the men and women who becomes your personal favorite voices on the radio. As I’ve said many times, growing up in Buffalo, NY I consider myself very fortunate to have listened to a great litany of broadcasters. I keenly remember listening not only to my now-colleague Pete Weber (who is an amazing baseball play-by-play guy) doing Buffalo Bisons baseball; Van Miller as the voice of Bills football – now ably followed by John Murphy; and of course voices of the Buffalo Sabres including Ted Darling (late father of our very own Tim Darling) and Rick Jeanneret.

But my memories go beyond specific calls of just these giants of my youth, whether it be “The Comeback” for the Bills, Gilbert Perrault’s 500th NHL goal, or any number of other highlights. I also had the good fortune to be within range of CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada, listening to several talented broadcasters ply their trade like Bob Cole, Harry Neale, Chris Cuthbert (who may be the best hockey guy you haven’t heard), and when things worked out right, the late Danny Gallivan. Small trivia bit for those who might have seen “The Raccoons on Ice” – that’s Mr. Gallivan doing the commentary for the match that keeps the pond away from Cyrill Sneer.

Even local Buffalo morning show host Bill Lacy captured my imagination, coming through my dad’s old paint-spattered yellow transistor radio in the kitchen. Mornings were always special, eating breakfast with my dad and having another friendly voice there with us over cereal and toast while my mom urged me not to dawdle.

In the end, what I managed to take away from all of these voices was that they felt familiar, friendly, and warm. It’s something I’ll never forget the feeling of, how radio made me feel connected to whatever was going on. To that end, I’ve always made it a priority to make sure I impart that across the airwaves, reaching out to everyone listening no matter how far away. It’s an odd sort of security blanket, isn’t it? You just know when you get on the air that voice will be there.

I confess I still have those moments now, listening to the Bills on satellite radio, or catching Sabres highlights with Jeanneret’s call in the background. I listen to the morning show on KFWB-AM in Los Angeles on which a more recent acquaintance of mine, Phil Hulett, co-hosts. Phil also works as the Anaheim Ducks’ PA guy, but beyond knowing him through hockey, the show there seems oddly personal in the country’s #2 market.

Heck, I still even try to chase down stray AM signals from across the country, seeing if I can pick up summer baseball games on cloudless, moonlit nights, or looking to drag in a stray hockey game on the way home from the airport late at night. It’s a great slice-of-life from a place you may never have been, may never go, or might have fond memories of. We’re actually pretty fortunate to have the internet and satellite bring us even closer to our faraway teams and passions thanks to streaming audio. Gotta love progress.

So who or what left that indelible radio impression on your youth? There’s been so many talented broadcasters out there, and so many lives are touched by a single, remarkable broadcast. Share with us your favorite memories!

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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August 27
Anybody else out there getting excited like I am?

Right about this time every year I got excited for various things throughout my life. It will always be my birthday, which is in late September. I’m a celebrater of birthdays, I think it’s a good chance to reflect on the past, smile about your future, and it gives you one built-in day a year to do whatever the heck you want. So I look forward to that.

As I turned maybe five or six, I began to look forward to school. Yes, we all hated to see summer go, but Labor Day weekend meant shopping for new supplies and clothes, and the epic decision of which lunch box graphics to go with this year? He-Man? G.I. Joe? Garfield? Transformers? And what did I want on the front of my Trapper Keeper? (My favorite ever: a red Ferrari Testarossa)

Moving along, it became football season. The Buffalo Bills would kick off in mid-September and play a 16-game schedule that included rivals like the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and the hated Miami Dolphins! It meant wearing a light jacket when the leaves turned colors, like the Maple tree that went deep crimson on our front lawn. Diving in those leaf piles, and knowing that soon it was also time to put on skates.

Ah yes, hockey season started in October. There was probably no more anticipated event of my fall once my birthday had gone by. It was all about putting on skates. Getting out on the ice in chilly, frost-bitten air during early-morning hours on open-ended rinks. Figuring out which player I wanted to carry over from street hockey matches that summer, be it Gretzky, Bossy, Kurri, or Perrault. And since I played goal all but my first half season on the ice, it meant choosing between Bob Sauve, Don Edwards, Mike Palmateer, Pete Peters, Murray Bannerman, Gilles Meloche, Ron Hextall, Patrick Roy, Steve Penny, Al Jensen, Pat Riggin, Reggie Lemelin, Richard Brodeur (one of my all-time favorites) and many others. Yeah, I was into the goalies, and I can still picture the cards of my favorite pad men from across the years.

But once I got high school and college, college football took on more importance, and of course hockey was always #1 in my heart. Suddenly the seasons were starting earlier, the Bills were wearing red helments to celebrate their 25th anniversary (and now it’s 50 years this season!) and the puck seemed to be dropping earlier and earlier in the fall.

Now as an adult in pro hockey, it used to be my birthday and then camp, but now the order is reversed. So I get to smell that cold, crisp air just a little earlier. I get to see the settled fog on the ice just a bit sooner. And I get that little tingle in my neck just in time for the temperature to start dropping in Nashville. Well, actually it hits before the temps start dropping. But you have to romanticize someplace!

What does fall mean to you, and how do you measure the onset of hockey season? We all have our pre-season rituals, like buying periodicals, reading up on everyone, and looking into our own personal crystal ball. Share with us your experiences, won’t you?

And on top of that… who had the best goalie mask in the 80s? I gave you a pretty good bunch of names up there, but a lot wore helmets as the full face mask phased out and the new hybrid cage/helmet style now favored entered the fray. For me, I have to think Murray Bannerman’s was tops, but there were so many good ones. What do you think?

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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August 18
Okay, it’s been a little while since I’ve put something out there, so it’s probably time. First, some housekeeping for you all. We are hosting a small, informal Tweetup tonight (Tuesday, August 18) at Riverfront Tavern at 6:30 pm. It has been brought to my attention that Riverfront is 21+ only, so we’re looking at hosting a bigger, more formal and family-friendly Tweetup next week some time, and I’ll get that date out to you as soon as possible. No, you don’t have to be on Twitter to be there, just be a hockey fan! We’ll chat some off-season stuff and I’ll throw darts with whoever wants to throw. One of my favorite activities!

Moving on, then. Right now, there are still some big names out there on the free agent market, and when Jay Levin and I get together and chat up names floating about, one seems to continually resurface - Boston’s Phil Kessel. What is going on in Beantown? Will they be able to clear enough cap space to bring him on board? Or is he heading someplace else?

Now, anyone in the Bruins camp will say Kessel isn’t going anywhere. But if someone comes along with a high-priced offer sheet, that may handcuff Boston. They don’t have a ton of room under the cap. Someone would have to move and they obviously say they’d match any offer. Let me tell you, you could burn a bridge with that organization if you tendered a sheet to Phil. And… you could end up with a bona fide player on your roster for a year! This situation will merit watching as training camp moves on… the more Boston lags in getting something done, the more chance there could be last-minute movement. Stay tuned on that one.

Sampling Of Other Remaining Notable Free Agents

Forwards: Alex Tanguay, Robert Lang, Mike Comrie, Miroslav Satan, Petr Sykora, Rob Niedermayer, Todd Bertuzzi (possibly linked to Detroit in reports today) Defensemen: Mat Schneider, Darryl Sydor, Martin Skoula, Marek Malik (remember his shootout move a few years back with the Rangers?), Dennis Seidenberg -- full free agent list --

Another guy out there is former Ranger Brandon Dubinsky. Coming off back-to-back 40 point seasons with the Rangers, the 6-1, 210 lb. center is looking for a new home. Now, I know the Predators have a boatload of centers laying around, but that doesn’t mean you don’t look into switching someone to wing. If you remember, David Legwand was moved over to the wing last season for a few games and excelled, so don’t think a guy is stuck in the middle! At just 23, Dubinsky has plenty of upside and time to grow even more as a pro. He could add some scoring to a second or third line unit, and with a total of 191 PIMs spread over his last two years, he brings a physical element to the ice as well. Could be interesting…

So what do you think? Who would you bring in if you could pick up one of the remaining free agents, and why? Let’s just assume we’d all bring in Kessel and pick someone else!

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice!

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July 23
So what have you done with your summer? I’ve tried to follow everyone heading to their new teams, and it hasn’t been all that easy. There’s a lot of changes going on in the hockey world and I know come September you and I are still going to be saying “when did he go there?” in regards to a million players.

The Predators made bold moves in re-signing Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward, both of whom are going to be key contributors to the club this season. I think with Sullivan back in the fold, David Poile has clearly sent a message to the rest of the team that he is serious about winning and having a competitive club despite not having the huge wallet of a Detroit or Chicago to throw around. Don’t underestimate what this will do for the rest of the team as far as confidence in management. They saw Sullivan’s re-signing as a key cog in the machine for this year, and now that it has become reality, those players have exactly what they asked for.

Ward is a player who can’t be overlooked. Not only does he have some great hands (as he put on display once or twice this year) but works hard and plays both ends of the ice. In talks with Jay Levin about Ward the other day, we both noted how you expected the first-year NHLer to have a significant drop at some point, to “hit the wall”. Well, there were a few times Joel’s performance went down a bit and he may have sat a game, but he’d come back just as good as before and at times, better. He never really saw that letdown over the course of a season, which I consider very encouraging. His solid PK minutes are also going to be even more valuable with the departure of Scott Nichol to San Jose.

Speaking of which, we have lost a few guys this summer. Scott went to the Sharks and more than anything, I’ll just miss seeing him on a daily basis. Always an upbeat guy, always able to speak in any situation, he’s a great role model for younger players for determination and how to carry yourself as a professional. I wish him luck, but not too much!

Vernon Fiddler has gone to Phoenix, and I hope for him it’s a chance to play more quality minutes and make an impact on a team that can use more help for the younger, talented players. He should see some quality ice out in the desert.

Jed Ortmeyer followed Nichol to the Sharks where he’ll look to try and make an impact on a team that has really retooled some of its depth players. It could be a good opportunity for Ortmeyer.

On the other hand, the Predators have picked up a few new names like Ben Guite (GEE-tay) and Peter Olvecky (ol-VET-skee). Watching Olvecky play in Minnesota towards the end of last year I really felt like he was a player who could fill some quality minutes and contribute on a work-ethic based team much like the Predators. At just 23, the 6-2, 195 lb. winger could be a welcome addition with plenty of upside in an organization already deep down the middle.

Speaking of depth at center, Guite is listed as a natural one, playing a total of 169 games at the NHL level. After splitting the 2006-07 season between Albany in the AHL and the Colorado Avalanche, Guite found his niche with the Avs in 07-08, appearing in 79 games with 22 points during the regular season. At 31 years old, he gives the club a good veteran presence while the younger skaters develop and can play minutes all over the rink for the Preds given the departures of Nichol and Fiddler.

There’s still some big names floating around in the market, and it will be interesting to see who ends up where. Nashville isn’t going to throw money at players, and that can definitely be a good thing with the salary cap projected to trend downward in the next few seasons. Some teams seem to almost set themselves up for failure in that area since they’re already packed against the ceiling! That alone may necessitate some movement of bigger names as the year goes on, especially if teams find themselves off to a poor start or in need of a jump.

Given the remaining free agents out there, if you could only pick one (and let’s say money/contract/etc is not an issue) who would you pick, and why? Let me know here. I’m interested to see where you think the needs are for this club entering 2009-10!

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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June 20
Steve Sullivan became the first player in Nashville Predators history to collect some post-season NHL hardware last night, winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. He was chosen as the winner by the Professional Hockey Writers Association over fellow nominees Richard Zednik and Chris Chelios.

After missing nearly two years after suffering a back injury during the 2006-07 Season, Sullivan returned triumphantly to the Predators this season and posted nearly a point-per-game as Nashville made a late charge towards the playoffs. Despite barely missing out, Sullivan showed Predators fans some of the brilliance he had prior to his injury down the stretch.

It’s hard to measure his exact impact on his teammates as well, but suffice to say that his mere presence on the ice and in the room seemed to not only be welcome but uplifting. It definitely took him some time to get over what might have been shaky confidence initially – how can you not have doubts about how your back would hold up? – but once he felt comfortable again, Sullivan literally led by example. Scoring big goals, making big plays, and in effect making sure the team followed him closely as they forged ahead. Down the stretch Jason Arnott played well after returning from injury, and it definitely helped the captain to have #26 out there to attract attention as well.

It’s hard to ignore what coming back after 687 days meant to everyone around the organization: players, coaches, fans, even the front office. It meant a palpable buzz and excitement around the team in the area and even across the league. Some pundits had written Sullivan off, thinking his career was over. But he proved them wrong and returned to the ice to play his 724th NHL game this past January. Six months later, he was collecting the Masterton Trophy.

The entire Predators organization would like to congratulate Steve Sullivan for his perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey being recognized by the NHL. It is well-deserved!

Well, that wraps it up from Nashville. Next week finds me in Montreal at the broadcast meetings, and then staying to cover the NHL Entry Draft. Did you attend the draft last time it was held in Nashville? What was your favorite part of the event? And finally, would you like to see the draft come here again? Let me know over in our message boards.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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June 16
So I’ve heard a lot of derision directed towards Marian Hossa for his decision to sign with the Wings and therefore miss out on a Stanley Cup this year with the Penguins. People are saying Hossa made the wrong decision. I disagree completely.

You see, in order to correctly set the stage for his decision, we need to relive 07-08 events. The Penguins had made it into the playoffs and were chugging along to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be dispatched by what in hindsight was a pretty powerful (and superior) Detroit team. Entering the off-season, with Michel Therrien at the helm, Hossa felt that the team as-assembled and as-coached was not going to win a Stanley Cup.

He was right.

The Penguins would miss his scoring, definitely, and they suffered in the standings. Therrien was removed from the bench February 15th, the only thing people seemed to know about Dan Bylsma was that his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins team had won nine of its last ten games. Obviously Hossa left that summer feeling/knowing somewhere in his mind that a team led by Therrien, who had recently signed a three-year contract extension, was not going to win the Stanley Cup. And indeed, on that mid-February day, they were mired in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s a few quotes from Ray Shero, Penguins GM, at the time of Byslma’s promotion:

"We believe we need a change in direction and, with 25 games remaining in the regular season, our goal remains to finish strong and qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs," Shero said. "Dan Bylsma is one of the bright young coaches in the game and has done an exceptional job as the head coach in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.

On why he made a change:

"I didn't part like the way, the direction the team was headed," Shero said. "I've watched for a number of weeks and, at the end of the day, the direction is not that I wanted to have here. I wasn't comfortable, and that's why the change was made."

"I'm not sure where it went wrong, to be honest. It's been a tough year, we're all disappointed with the results, and our expectations were higher."

In the end, I firmly believe the leadership of Bylsma behind the bench and how he handled not only the third and fourth line guys but also the big names like Crosby, Malkin and Fleurry down the stretch enabled that team to put it together for the playoffs. The talent was obviously there, but as Hossa saw the summer before, it wasn’t going to come together under Therrien for whatever reason. Under Bylsma, not only did they get contributions from the big names, but guys like Talbot, Kennedy, and Staal showed up big-time. That’s great coaching when you can coax the max out of every single guy on your roster. That is what wins you titles.

So in the end, I think Hossa did do it right. He took a number of chances like a one-year deal and less money to sign with the Red Wings. What it shows me is that Marian Hossa is not self-centered when it comes to this game – it tells me he values winning the Stanley Cup above all else. He figured Detroit was his best bet, and when he put pen to paper, I believe he was right. Unfortunately, fate has a way of being just a bit cruel sometimes, and Hossa once again only has a hat with “Conference Champs” on it.

Thoughts? Do you think he made the right choice, and where will he end up next season?

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

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June 12
GAME SEVEN!

Isn’t this what every major professional sport that has a “best-of” series craves? One game, winner-take-all after a grueling series and playoff run. We’ve got one tonight, and it comes in the form of Detroit vs. Pittsburgh for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

So having never played in the NHL or coached there… who could I turn to for guidance? Who in our office has won three Cups, two as a player and one as a coach? Terry Crisp you say? I say you’re right! He’s a co-holder of an impressive NHL record: only two players are 6-0 in career Game Sevens. Terry Crisp, and Alexei Kovalev, who tied the mark with Montreal’s 2008 first round win over the Boston Bruins.

I was struck, btw, about how even though Terry and I have known each other for months how quickly he slipped into “interview mode”. By this, I mean the old player/coach dies hard and he told stories like he was talking to a reporter. I enjoyed that, it was fun. Especially since I’m no John Glennon.

That said, the conversation opened with Terry picking the ball up and running with it:

“You don’t even realize it until later, you know.”

ME: Realize what, Terry?

“That it’s a Game Seven, or how important it will become. Not until later. Then it will hit you.”

With that we began to talk about his most memorable Game Seven. Chalk that one up to the then-North Stars of Minnesota when he played for the St. Louis Blues.

“We were playing under odd circumstances. Because of a glitch in the schedule, the seven-game series started with the first two games in Minnesota, and then we played five straight in St. Louis! That series stands out in my mind because you would figure with home ice for five straight, it would be no contest. But the North Stars ran us to the limit, they pushed us to a full seven games.

“I remember Ron Schock in overtime scoring a breakaway goal on Cesare Maniago to win the series. Minnesota took us to the wall in that series, and they gave us every bit we could handle in our own barn for seven games. That’s why it sticks out in my mind.”

Terry also pointed out the 1974 win over the Rangers and 1975 victory against the New York Islanders as two particularly tough games while he was with the Flyers, describing them as “bloodbath” or “brawl fest”. Of course, Philly won the cup both years following these stiff challenges.

At which point, Terry goes on a tangent:

“You know, I think we (the Flyers) were misunderstood. Even though we were referred to as the Broad Street Bullies, we didn’t just beat teams with toughness, we were a very good hockey team.”

To make his point, he references the 1976 game against the Soviet Red Army team. Philly won that game 4-1, one of only two teams to beat the Russian clubs touring North America that winter (can you name the other? Answer at the end of this article).

“Everybody said the Russians wouldn’t come out of the locker room because we were too physical and beat them up too much. That wasn’t it. Believe me, that Russian team was as physical and as tough as they come. It had nothing to do with the Eddie Van Impe check, none of that. Fred Shero, our coach, read their systems so well that they couldn’t break us on defense or offense. They were totally confused and confounded, and they wanted to leave! Fortunately they weren’t getting paid until the end of the tour, so faced with the prospect of not getting any money, they returned to the ice,” he says with a laugh.

So back to Game Seven – what is it like as a player or as a coach?

“In the morning, you get up. Probably earlier than usual. This game, tonight, is everything you’ve worked for all season. It hinges on 60 minutes, maybe 60 minutes-plus, of hockey. Especially if you’ve never won it before to be this close and on the cusp is thrilling. You spend most of the day wondering how it’s going to go, knowing there’s no tomorrow. Because tomorrow, you’re either celebrating as champions or you’re crying in your coffee.”

Getting back to what he intoned earlier, Terry moved quickly into the game.

“Once the puck is dropped, you just go. You don’t think about it being Game Seven. You just play hard and keep going. It doesn’t really sink in… until there’s about four or five minutes left in the third period. Then it hits home! If you’re behind, you’re wondering how you can get that goal to tie it up or get back in it, and the clock is moving way too fast. If you’re ahead, you’re wondering how you can hold onto the lead and shut things down, and the clock runs way too slow.

“The playoffs slip by so quickly. You’re playing the same team night in and night out, and you play every other night. It goes so quickly you don’t often have time to take any of it in. You play the same team again and again so preparation is easier. It becomes more tweaking here and there if anything, but there’s no new systems, no new special teams, nothing. You say by Game Seven there’s no secrets? By Game Four!

“When I was coaching, the thought in my head was this: will my goalie out-duel the other guy? Will he make the big saves and play the big game? That’s the team that’s going to win. It’s no coincidence that teams that win the Stanley Cup more often than not have a great goaltender who makes the difference. You don’t really see a team win with an average guy in net.”

ON WINNING THE CUP
“You know, when you win it’s a sense of relief! When I went to the Final three straight seasons with the Blues, we weren’t expected to win and went 0-12. We were swept by Montreal, and then Boston twice. But when you’re favored, it’s tough. When I was coaching Calgary we were expected to win, and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that. That’s why I’m expecting such a good game tonight, because both Detroit and Pittsburgh are good teams that deserve to be here. No one “should” win it, but if there’s any advantage it’s Detroit’s because they’re at home.”

ON BIG GAME PLAYERS
“Probably the best big-game player I ever played with was Bernie Parent in Philly. Almost every time you win in the playoffs you can point to the goalie and the playoffs he had, and Parent was no exception. He made a save against Boston one Sunday afternoon, we were up 1-0 after two. Esposito and Hodge came down on him, and Espo made a great pass to get Hodge wide open. Everyone on the bench though ‘well, we’re tied up 1-1 now, that’s a goal’. But Parent somehow got over and made that save. To this day I have no idea how he did it. But we held on to win and he was outstanding.”

Terry was also quick to credit a few other Hall Of Fame netminders in St. Louis.

“I was fortunate enough to play with Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall in St. Louis. Here’s what kind of difference-maker Hall was in the playoffs our first season: we got swept out by Montreal in the Final, but three of those games were overtime losses, and the fourth was a one-goal game in regulation. And even though we were swept, Hall was named the Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP that year. Can you imagine what else he did during the playoffs to earn that?”

So what about this year’s teams?

“Well, I think Osgood is that goaltender this year. He had a rough regular season, many of us (the media) saying he’s done, his run is over, Detroit needs to trade for a goaltender… and look at who is getting it done for them now. You could almost say the same with Marc-Andre Fleury, too. He was on his way out of town, traded, demoted, whatever. But he stayed strong and is now a big reason the Penguins are where they are.

“But if I’m picking a guy who is not in net, it’s definitely Evgeny Malkin. He’s my Conn Smythe pick for this year. He just keeps jumping out at me. I know Crosby gets a lot of attention and what have you, but he’s been the difference-maker for the Penguins this playoffs, without a doubt.”

Game Seven is in Detroit tonight, and Terry expects that many of the guys might already be at the rink.

“It’s an awesome day for the guys who are playing. This is it, the season ends today. You can bet everyone gets to the rink early today. They want to get it going. As a coach, there’s nothing you can say at this point. I think the less said, the better. What could I possibly add that they haven’t already thought about, already prepared for, already studied? Here, I’ll tell you a quick story:

“Fred Shero was coaching us against Boston that Sunday afternoon in 1974. We were leading 1-0 after two periods. So at intermission, we all go into the room and wait for him to come in. Well, time is ticking down… ten minutes left in the intermission, no Shero. Eight minutes, no Shero. Six… five… four… now we’re thinking ‘Jeez, where is he? We’ve gotta get ready to go back on the ice!’ Three-and-a-half minutes left in the intermission, he walks into the room. He walks over to the black board, picks up the chalk, and then turned around without saying a word and looked us all in the eye. Then he put the chalk down and walked out. It was the best speech I never heard! Let me tell you, we didn’t walk down that ramp to the ice, we flew down it. We were ready to go! He just told us, without saying a word, that I’ve taken you as far as I can take you. It’s yours now. If you want it, go get it.

The Parent robbed Hodge… and the rest is history.

PS: The Buffalo Sabres were the only other team to beat the Soviets in the 1975 Super Series, thrashing the Soviet Wings 12-6 at the Auditorium in Buffalo on January 4, 1976.

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June 10
Are you ready for digital TV yet?

Okay, it occurs to me that when even tech-inclined people I know are confused about the switch, I need to try to help out as best as I can. If you want to watch Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final Friday night, here’s what you need to do (or not do).

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE CABLE/SATELLITE
Do nothing. Put your feet up, the game will be there for you as it was Tuesday.

IF YOU HAVE OVER-THE-AIR SIGNAL/RABBIT EARS/OUTDOOR ANTENNA
I don’t have cable either, don’t worry. I live on my rabbit ears because I seldom watch TV. BUT I am able to watch the game with the bunnies just fine. Why? Because my TV has a digital tuner inside already. If you don’t have a TV with a built-in digital tuner (most late-model flat panel TVs already have them built in) you will need a converter box from your favorite retail store. I have a flat-panel with a built in digital tuner.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE A DIGITAL TUNER IN MY TV?
First off, you can search HERE to see if your TV is on the list of those with a built in tuner. If it has one, you’re fine. Plug in the rabbit ears and off you go.

There are two types of TV signals as of today: analog (NTSC) and digital (ATSC). Analog (NTSC) dies tomorrow. Your TV may include the words “Integrated Digital Tuner”, “Digital Receiver”, “DTV”, “ATSC”, or “HDTV” on the packaging. These all count.

Also, here’s a good indicator: your TV remote has a dash button “-“ on it. Digital channels are split up into segments, so there’s actually more than one channel at a given location. For instance, Fox would be 17-1 for the primary channel. Any additional channels are labeled 17-2, 17-3, and so on. In fact, Fox 17 already went all-digital, so if you can see Fox on 17-1, you’re fine.

If you have a digital tuner, you’re fine.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A DIGITAL TUNER?
You basically now have three options:

Get cable/satellite
Buy a converter box
Buy a new TV

Converter boxes range from $40-$70 each, and is the cheapest option. There are coupons available from the government that cover $40 of the cost of your switch, but it takes a while to get one. They’re also dated and do expire, so watch out for that. It’s basically a rebate form. There’s not much difference in the low and high end converter boxes, btw.

If you subscribe to cable or satellite, you’ll be fine once it’s installed.

If you buy a new TV, make sure you get one with a digital tuner in it, otherwise you’re pretty much hosed without a converter box or cable.

PLEASE NOTE:
Digital TV is not the same as high definition (HD)TV. Digital refers to the way the signal is encoded. High definition is the resolution of the picture. Think of analog and digital TV as being different like AM and FM radio is different. You can still see digital TV without a hi-def TV. But if you have an HDTV, you can get hi-def over the air with just your rabbit ears! If the program is broadcast in hi-def and your TV is hi-def, you will see it that way, even with an aerial.

I hope this helps, and if you still need help, try the following:

DTV.gov
ABC News Article
DTV Transition.org
CNet Article

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June 9
So Game Six tonight… hardware on the line, two teams left but barely standing, and the ever-unfortunate off-season right around the corner. Yes hockey fans, it’s time to savor the last game or two. I’m thinking last game, but it is in Pittsburgh and the Pens have played well there.

I’m preparing a list of off-season remedies and how-tos for everyone to enjoy a bit later on, but for tonight, here are some difference-makers:

Henrik Zetterberg – I know, I know, obvious choice, right? Why not pick Pavel Datsyuk? Well, I think that not only is Zetterberg able to help offensively but his defensive contributions have been fantastic. Watch his two-way play, it’s setting him apart.

Marc-Andre Fleury – I don’t know if he’s ready to come back from Game Five, but he’d better be. This guy is all that will stand between the Pens still having a shot… or not.

Brian Rafalski – He’s chipped in a few goals, but I’ve been amazed at how many times he’s been out of position in the Final on Pitt goals. Lidstrom looked like he was going to strangle him at some point. Rafalski has to mind his own end better. The Penguins need to attack on his side of the ice.

Miro Satan – Anyone at this point really doubt why they tried to wave him? He’s making pretty good cake and not really doing much. I’m thinking maybe he’s the guy who sits out tonight. Zero points, -3, six games.

Bill Guerin – It’s time… 1 A, -3 in the series… he needs to break out TONIGHT.

Dan Cleary and Darren Helm – I’ve loved watching them the whole playoffs. Heart and hustle, combined with some sandpaper in the game… don’t underestimate the contributions from these two!

Well, that’s all I have for you en route to tonight’s action. Enjoy it, TiVo it, or in my case, VCR it, and watch it again over the summer. Right after my tape of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey win by Team USA.

Keep your stick on the ice.

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June 2
Game Three is tonight, and I’ll be glued to the tele watching this one. I’m going to be watching to see if Sid the Kid is going to show up tonight, or if Henrik Zetterberg is going to continue rendering him completely invisible as he has the first two games of the series. Hank has all but eliminated Crosby from any offensive chances, period. To watch those two battle is to truly see how working hard in both ends of the ice can help produce wins, and ultimately, championships. I think that this superstar matchup is one that deserves even more attention than it seems to be garnering.

Pittsburgh must also get more out of Marc-Andre Fleury, but you already knew that. So did I. So does the entire hockey world. At times this post-season he has been the sole reason the Penguins have been able to count games in the win column, but he hasn’t stolen anything for them. Look for his emotion, and the rest of the team, to ride high tonight. This may be the only game of the series they win, but I think they will post a win tonight, thanks to a rebound from their top netminder.

Also on Pittsburgh’s side of the ice, what was a fairly pedestrian defensive corps during the regular season has been shot full of holes on several occasions in the Final. One need only look at the first few minutes of Game Two and witness the many odd-man rushes against the Penguins gave up. Were they pressing too hard, pinching too much? Probably, but Detroit has a way of intimidating you like that, especially at The Joe. Meanwhile, the Penguins have to get back on track in its own end, taking care of business and rebounds to help the above predicted goaltending reappearance materialize.

Finally, the Red Wings continue to plow along and may get some guys back as they go. To be honest, I just don’t feel like it matters. They are going to roll past the Penguins, if for no other reason than they know they can. They don’t panic, they don’t get all bent out of shape… they merely go out and do what they can to dominate the game, scoring when they need to. It’s an absolute confidence and belief in what they can accomplish that makes them so hard to beat.

As a final thought, Chris Osgood has played well in the post-season, although at times I wondered if he was going to keep it going. Some guys would not recover from the stretch run Osgood had, but credit the organization with saying he would be #1 from the get-go, and letting him get his confidence and enable the team in front of him. Almost seems like old times… almost.

PS – Rumors of Hossa signing a 7-year deal with the Wings after the season is done are rampant. That leaves them about 38 cents to sign everyone else. Should be an interesting off-season!

Keep your stick on the ice.

Author: Tom Callahan | Nashville Predators