Game Night in the City of Brotherly Love tonight as the Philadelphia Flyers, fresh off a 4-0 spanking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Nashville Predators, fresh off their come from ahead defeat to the Calgary Flames. Neither team got post All-Star Game start they wanted.
Tonight will be an emotional night at Wells Fargo Center as the Flyers recognize the leader of the 70’s Cup winning teams by presenting Bobby Clarke with his retired number banner that hung in the rafters of the old Spectrum. A neat tradition the team has established since the demolition has started of the venerable old barn.
The Flyers lead the Eastern Conference with 71 points, they have one of the best bluelines in the league and they can score goals in bunches. The issue with the Flyers, as always, is in net. Rookie sensation Sergei Bobrovski has been outstanding, quite possibly being a Flyer goaltender that has shown the most promise in net since Pelle Lindbergh.
The Predators are on the road with their dads for their annual trip, and I can only imagine the discussions after Tuesday night’s shootout loss to the Flames. Most of these players first coaches were their dads… but now the team looks ahead to a tough four game stretch… the Flyers tonight, the Red Wings Saturday and next Wednesday and the Oilers on Monday.
The keys for a Predators victory tonight are fairly simple, stay out of the box and be opportunistic. The Flyer offense is lethal and putting them on the power play is not a good idea. The Predators play very well on the road, they need to draw on that experience tonight. Game time is 6pm, coverage on FS Tennessee and 102.9 the Buzz.
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There are three sports leagues heading toward some degree of labor unrest this year, including the mighty National Football League... so of course, it's time to tee off on the NHL because some franchises are looking for more investors according to some... the NHL’s sky is falling. The latest to suffer from “Chicken Little Syndrome?” KMOX Host Kevin Wheeler.
In a column he posted on the CBS St. Louis website he states the following…
“The Blues’ story isn’t an alarming one when considered all by itself but when it is considered alongside the other NHL teams facing difficulty it is clear that the league is in big trouble.
Mr. Wheeler then goes on to name several franchises that are “struggling.” Those franchises are Carolina, Atlanta, Buffalo, Dallas, the New York Islanders, Columbus, Edmonton, and Nashville, along with St. Louis.
The reasons he gives are nothing short of, well... let's call it creative shall we? St. Louis, Atlanta and Carolina are “struggling” because they are seeking more minority ownership. Mr. Wheeler cites that there have “been reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets are for sale” as the reason for including Columbus and calls out attendance problems for listing Dallas and the Islanders. In Mr. Wheeler’s world, a franchise looking for more investors is struggling which of course means that the entire league is “in big trouble.”
Hyperbole much???
He then goes from the sublime to the ridiculous. Buffalo is struggling because they are in the process of being sold (never mind that he quotes a wrong number for the purchase price) … In Edmonton… yes... EDMONTON… they are in trouble because they are trying to work out the building of a new arena. Really??? OK, but then fact challenged becomes downright silly, and I quote…
In Nashville you’re looking at a situation where the former CEO of the team had to step down in the midst of a financial probe that is digging into his books. There are also reports that the Preds are seeking new investors.
On the surface what’s wrong with that statement? Considering that the “former CEO” of the team stepped down (not “had to” step down) due to a personal issue with the IRS that the city government mixed up with team business… of course if I want to make the situation look like it might fit into my little scenario, I would couch it in terms that sound nefarious. David Freeman remains a strong part of the local ownership group in Nashville. It would have been more fair if he used the whole sordid “Boots” affair, but then Mr. Wheeler would have to admit that the local owners are on solid financial ground after buying DelBiaggio out and restructuring their debt. The worst omission of all... Mr. Wheeler doesn’t mention that the team’s attendance, revenue and most importantly profit, is up. But never let facts interfere with a good story.
I’m surprised that Mr. Wheeler didn’t update his diatribe by throwing the New Jersey Devils on the pile… then he could scream the sky is falling about 10 franchises, but fear not hockey fans… Kevin Wheeler has a very simple fix for this…
Move franchises and ESPN…
That’s right, move franchises to smaller markets that don’t interest the so-called worldwide leader, then beg them, plead with them to please broadcast your smaller US footprint.
As a visionary businessman, Mr. Wheeler is a heckuva radio host.
He actually thinks that the NHL should “crawl back to ESPN on your hands and knees” like a battered spouse. Not only beg… he wants the NHL to forget about the money they get from Versus and actually advocates a revenue sharing agreement for the next cable rights holder… when it is generally agreed that the NHL is due for a large right’s payment increase.
A move like Wheeler advocates is borderline suicidal. SportsCenter won’t give the NHL any more love if they are on the network. Past hostory shows that, ESPN killed NHL 2 Nite a long time before they decided not to carry the NHL.
The NHL has an agreement with a cable network that has expanded their hockey coverage and commitment. They have grown and developed and want to use the NHL as a cornerstone of their sports network, not as a space-filling afterthought, which is how ESPN treated the NHL before and will probably do again.
ESPN is not the end-all, be-all answer. The NHL has actually maintained pretty well in a down economy with a partner in Versus and NBC that is interested in building the brand. If ESPN wants in and is willing to contract a stable night of programming for the NHL and is willing to pay for it, then by all means, go for it. However, continuing a relationship with a company that gets it (like Comcast / NBC Universal) will help continue to grow the sport and the brand.
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Random Notes
- Congratulations to Blake Geoffrion on being named AHL Player of the Week. His progress continues…
- Two new Predator shows are in the works for Fox Sports Tennessee, Predators Snapshot and Top 10 Nashville Predators Moments. Check the Preds website for airtimes.
- The Predators stand at 61 points through 51 games… the exact point total they had at the same point last season.
- The Predators remain 4th in the Western conference, one point ahead of 5th place San Jose and 6th place Anaheim. Two ahead of 7th place Phoenix and three ahead of 8th place Chicago. The Preds have at least one game in hand over each of these teams except Chicago. The Preds trail Detroit by seven points, the Red Wings have a game in hand.
- Toronto GM Brian Burke continues to rant about the HNIC/NHLPA poll that named Maple Leaf head coach Ron Wilson as the coach players would least like to play for. Now he’s calling for a GM poll about the players… Someone should tell Brian that the story would be done by now, but he keeps bringing it up.
- Speaking of the Red Wings, Johan Franzen was incredible last night… five goals as the Wings won a crazy one over Ottawa last night.
- Word from Colorado is that Peter Forsberg’s foot is not exactly cooperating on his comeback attempt.
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You are invited to follow me on Twitter. Search for @PredPAPaul… Not only will I be updating when I get news or updates, but we are having a bit of fun by getting your input on Gnash introductions, weigh in on Twitter and who knows, we may use your introduction for the best mascot in the NHL at the next Preds game!
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COMING UP ON THE NEXT SLAPSHOT RADIO…
Last night’s podcast is posted, we spoke to Craig Custance from The Sporting News, Tim Panaccio from CSN Philly joined us to preview the Preds/Flyers game and Pete Weber went Behind the Bench with Preds color man (and former Flyer) Terry Crisp… Listen to the podcast at
the SlapShot Radio podcast page.
No show next week as the Preds will be in Detroit for a 6:30pm Central start.
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