Some have argued that Nashville Predators GM, David Poile, had lost his astute hockey mind when he traded his 2012 first round draft choice to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for burly centreman Paul Gaustad at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Poile, by his own admission had a plan at the deadline. He was sliding all of his chips to the centre of the table in order to acquire a puck possession pivot who plays with an edge and can kill penalties. Poile's though process was to get bigger up the middle of his roster in order to augment his centre ice depth which had already featured Mike Fisher and David Legwand.
A first rounder for Goose prompted many observers to suggest that Poile take a urinalysis. Who trades an aging, unskilled veteran for a chance to select a young, bonafide difference maker in the first round?
Poile also acquired Kostitsyn and Gill from the Canadiens in order to upgrade his depth. Poile's not satisfied to simply make the playoffs. he has a mission to win not just one, but several playoff series as the Preds GM is is desperation mode to convince his two defensive powers, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, to re-sign with the Preds instead of leaving the Music City for free agency. Weber will become an RFA on July 1 after he signed a one year offer sheet for $7.5 million last Summer. Suter will become a UFA on July 1. Understandably, Poile is rolling the bones now in hopes that he can convince his two sequoia D men to stay in Music City, rather than have them leave for more millions and greener pastures elsewhere.
Poile gets the last laugh as Gaustad scored the first goal of the Nashville-Detroit series. Wasn't a pretty goal, just a greasy spinning shot at Howard's feet that kissed his Dman Staurt's skate and then found the back of the net. It was Goose's first career postseason goal in his 39th NHL playoff game.
Not pretty. Just effective.
Just like Goose.
Update:
Goose won 12 of 20 draws (60%), and he frustrated the Hell out of Datsyuk all game long. With the Preds up 3-2, Martin Erat took a holding call with 22 seconds remaining in game one. Goose beat Datsyuk on two consecutive D-zone draws, three total in the final minute, to seal the deal. Muy macho!
Impressive Game 1 win for the Preds.
***
If Chris Pronger can be suspended for various acts of jackassery in the NHL Playoffs, then Shea Weber is not immune to disciplinary action.
Weber lost his mind and crushed Henrik Zetterberg's head off the glass in the dying moments of the 3-2 Preds win. Weber picked the wrong time to turn into a selfish player.
Weber deserves a game or two for his deliberate intent to injure. There's no place in the NHL for this kind of crap. Brendan Shanahan's phone was probably ringing off the hook, presumably by Wings GM Ken Holland, a mere millisecond after the Weber assault on Zetterberg occurred.
In my opinion, Shanahan, a former Red Wing, must use all of his objectivity and clout to suspend Weber, just to let the rest of the the players know that this kind of dangerous extra-cirricular shenanigans will not be tolerated in the playoffs.
Punk move by an otherwise stand-up guy.
Weber spoke with Preds TV after the game.
Weber didn't appear to be very contrite or apologetic when asked about his episode with Zetterberg. "You saw it", is all he could muster as an explanation for his foolish actions? Is Weber forgetting that there are multiple HD cameras mounted in the arena? His act of ignorance was broadcast straight to You Tube three seconds after it had happened.
The Buffalo News is reporting that Sabres President Ted Black confirmed today that his head coach Lindy Ruff and his GM Darcy Regier will be retained by the club.
Frankly, it comes as no surprise to me that Black and Pegula are standing firmly behind their incumbent coach-GM tandem. The owner himself proclaimed last February 22 that "Lindy ain't goin anywhere!!". I believed Pegula then, just like I believe him now.
Many of you want to see Ruff and Regier sent packing. You are not the owner.
There's been a ton of buzz in and around Buffalo for the past few days regarding the status of Ruff and Regier, and what role each will play in the re-grouping and re-organization efforts.
I've been hearing talk recently that the organization may be interested in hiring another veteran "advisor" to work in the hockey operations department. Perhaps the team will address this at the season-ending press conference, or perhaps later this Spring as the team prepares for the NHL Entry Draft.
Despite missing the postseason in three of the past five seasons, the club will stick with Ruff and Regier.
Ryan Miller said Monday that he's in the tenth year in the NHL and he's sicking of missing the playoffs. Miller has only played in the postseason tournament four times in his ten year career. I can't blame him for being disappointed and frustrated over the failures of the team.
Looks like Derek Roy will be the member of the organizational 'core" who will be leaving this off season. On Monday, Roy talked openly about his at-times contentious relationship with Ruff.
thanks, sabres.com
If Roy doesn't like getting smacked in the press, he should follow his coach's orders and should play to his capabilities.
The team has yet to schedule their season-ending press conference yet. The players cleaned out their lockers on Monday.
I'll let you know when I hear of the season-ending presser date/time.
Joe Vitale of the Pens planted an April Fool's joke right on Danny Briere's kisser, thus, touching off the turf war in Pittsburgh back on April 1. Brayden Schenn's x-check to the spine of Sidney Crosby with the Flyers winning 5-3 was the composite stick that broke the camel's back fo Dan Bylsma and the Penguins. The Pens coach threw his checking line on the ice in the dying moments and they answered the bell. Vitale detonated Danny Briere with a clean, shoulder-to-shoulder hit that sent Briere to the injured reserve list. Briere hasn't skated for his team since April 1. He was shelved with what the Flyers termed an "upper back contusion". Briere has battled concussion issues and other assorted ailments this season. His back and ready for the battle.
Good news came to Flyers fans today as GM Paul Holmgren announced that Briere and another Vitale victim, Nik Grossman (felled by knee-on-knee hit), would be in the lineup for tonight's Game 1 of The Battle Of Pennsylvania.
thanks, csnphilly.com
Talk about a prime time player. Briere ups his game when the bright lights of the playoffs on him.
In 97 career postseason games with Phoenix, Buffalo, Philly, Briere has scored 42 goals and has added 54 assists. 96 points in 97 career playoff games. You better believe Briere means a lot to the success and failure of the Flyers and their playoff aspirations.
The Flyers are going to need scoring by committee in order to slay the Penguins in round one. Bylsma's Pens are loaded with scoring with Malkin, Crosby, Neal, Staal, Sullivan, Kennedy, and Letang.
Briere gives Laviolette another scoring option to augment Giroux, Hartnell, Jagr, Simmonds, and Read.
I like the Pens to win in seven games.
Updated: Briere scored twice in the 4-3 Flyers come from behind win in Game 1.
He now has 98 points in 98 career NHL playoff games. Clutch.
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