The Surprise Signing of J.P. Dumont
August 29, 2006
Although David Poile said he was done with free agency earlier in the summer, he couldn't say no to the sudden availability of former Buffalo Sabre J.P Dumont. The 6'1", 205 pound right winger was left adrift after winning an arbitration hearing that required the Sabres to pay him $2.9 million next season. Instead, the franchise exercised its walkaway rights and Dumont became an unrestricted free agent. A number of clubs were pursuing Dumont, but he chose Nashville with a two year deal for $2.0 million this season and $2.5 million next season. We can thank former Preds Joel Bouchard and Eric Fichaud's glowing reviews of the Predators to sway Dumont to selecting the Music City hockey club. The big winger is a proven scorer with four 20-goal seasons on his resume.

Preds Build Depth with D Alex Henry
August 21, 2006
The Predators have signed free agent defenseman Alex Henry to a one-year, two-way deal. The 6'5", 220-pound defenseman played the previous two seasons for the Minnesota Wild. Henry was initially drafted by Edmonton in the third round of the 1998 draft.

Tootoo & Brookbank Signed, Abid Joins Franchise
July 21, 2006
The Predators have signed Tootoo to a two year contract and Brookbank to a one year deal. The team also inked unrestricted free agent LW Ramzi Abid to a one year deal. Abid was the leading scorer of Atlanta's AHL affiliate club, the Chicago Wolves (34 gaols, 76 points) and also led in PIMs with 165. He was Colorado's first round pick, 28th overall, in the 1998 entry draft. He has spent only three partial seasons on the NHL level, tallying 13 goals and 25 points in 55 career NHL games.

Hall & Pivko Traded for Draft Pick
July 19, 2006
Nashville executed a three-way deal to be rid of Adam Hall and Libor Pivko. The Predators traded Adam Hall (second round of 1999 Entry Draft) to the Rangers for Dominic Moore. They then traded Moore, along with a 2000 third rounder Libor Pivko to Pittsburgh for a third round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft. Both Hall and Moore were heading to arbitration hearings later this month. Pivko had demanded a one-way contract from the Preds but, when he didn't get one, announced he would return to Europe. The trade may have to do with the fact that former assistant Predator GM Ray Shero is now the GM of the Penguins.

Walker Traded to 'Canes for Vasicek
July 18, 2006
Walker had his tenure in Nashville ended today when he was traded to Carolina for centerman Josef Vasicek. The transaction adds further depth at center ice while also adding an infusion of youth and size. With Johnson and Walker leaving this summer, Vokoun remains as the last original Predator from its expansion draft in 1998.

Franson Signed to Two-Way Deal
July 3, 2006
Third round draft pick Cody Franson was signed to a three year, two-way contract today. The 6'4" defenseman had a breakout season in juniors with 15 goals and 55 points. He will likely play one more season in the WHL before making the jump to the pros, at which point his contract will begin.

Jason Arnott is a Predator
July 2, 2006
On the second day of the free agency period, GM David Poile announced the signing of Jason Arnott. The franchise record deal is for five years at $4.5 million per year. Arnott and ex-Thrasher Marc Savard were the top two offensive centers available in the free market this year. Savard signed with Boston yesterday. Arnott's interest in the Music City club surprised Poile. But, he wanted to be the number one center on a team and knew that Nashville would give him that chance. He has 96 post season games under his belt and has won the Stanley Cup once with New Jersey back in 2000.

Mason Inked to New Contract
July 1, 2006
The Preds will keep Mason with the club after the goaltender signed a two year deal today. Mason got a significant pay increase, from $400 thousand to $1.25 million per year after his performance in the playoffs. Poile cited team chemistry as an important factor for retaining Mason.

2005-06 Trades Didn't Produce Results
July 1, 2006
David Poile gave up prospects and draft picks for players who are already no longer on the team. While the 2006 draft wasn't considered to be a great one, it still hurts that we gave up so much for so little in return. Was Witt worth a first round pick and C Kris Beech? Beech alone, maybe, but not a first rounder! Markov was supposed to have been a steal with a third rounder. But his ho-hum season did not impress many. Sillinger for Shiskanov? I think we will live to regret that one when this Russian prospect breaks into the NHL.

Preds Say Farewell to Captain and Many More
July 1, 2006
Nashville will be making a major overhaul at center this off season. The club has announced that they will not be resigning team captain Greg Johnson, face-off master Yannic Perreault, or Mike Sillinger. Both Sillinger and Witt signed three year deals with the Islanders. On the blue line, Eaton Markov, and Witt will be looking for new teams during the free agency period. All three did not live up to expectations last season.

Mason Strong & Kariya Assists in Game 1 Victory
April 21, 2006
Mason celebrated the day after his thirtieth birthday with a strong performance in net for his first post-season appearance. Number 30 stopped 31 shots in the thrilling 4-3 victory in the Music City. The capacity crowd rocked the rink as they cheered on their team. Power plays were key in the game as all Nashville goals were scored on the man advantage, including three in the first period. Kariya continues to prove his worth by assisting on every Nashville goal in the game. Shea Weber had a great first playoff game with a power play goal, strong defensive work, and a bone rattling open ice hit.

Nashville Advantages
April 21, 2006
As the Predators prepare to start their second foray into the NHL post-season, the team can boast of a number of improvements and advantages against opponents. The team leads the league in face-off percentages and also had the most home wins. They have an impressive 30-1-4 record when leading after two periods. The Preds have the fifth best penalty kill in the league, and second in the West only to Calgary.

Kariya Hat Trick Beats Wings
April 18, 2006
Paul Kariya had three goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory over the Red Wings. The final game of the season had Detroit resting G Legace along with Lidstrom and Zetterberg. The victory ended the Detroit series tied 4-4 and was the first on home ice this season. Erat and Legwand both had three point games with a goal and two assists each. Timonen and Weber had two assists each. Silinger had a goal to round out the scoring.

Nashville to Face San Jose in Playoffs
April 15, 2006
While it looked like Anaheim would be the first round opponent for Nashville, the Ducks dropped three straight road games including a 3-6 loss to competitor San Jose. The Sharks have been eating up victories; they are on an eight game winning streak. Cheechoo scored a hat trick against the Ducks and now leads the NHL in goal scoring. Meanwhile Joe Thornton took hold of the league record with three points in the same game. The Sharks made it to the conference finals last season.

Mason Scores Goal In Victory Over 'Yotes
April 15, 2006
Geoff Sanderson accidentally put the puck in his own net and goaltender Chris Mason was credited with the goal. Mason also made 23 saves in the 5-1 victory over Phoenix. He is the first goalie to score a goal since Buffalo's Mika Noronen on February 14, 2004. Erat, Hartnell, Perreault, and Upshall had the other goals. Hamhuis and Kariya both had two assists. The win marked the seventh consecutive game with the Preds holding opponents to under 30 shots.

Wild Win Clinches Home Ice
April 14, 2006
With the team's fourth straight victory, the Predators have clinched the fourth playoff spot over Anaheim. This is the highest post-season berth the franchise has ever achieved. Mason stopped 28 shots and Sillinger scored two goals in the 4-2 victory over Minnesota.

Historic Win Over Blues
April 11, 2006
In the first game since the discovery of Vokoun's rare blood condition, the Preds earned a 2-0 shutout against the Blues. The win marked an eight game sweep of Saint Louis this season. Also, the Preds have reached the 100 point mark in the NHL standings for the first time in franchise history. All this was done with Mason in net, earning his third shutout of his career.

Vokoun's Health Scare; Done for Season
April 10, 2006
The team MVP, goaltender Tomas Vokoun, was diagnosed with a rare blood condition over the weekend that landed him in the hospital. Vokoun had been complaining of a sore back for the past several days. Trainers could not identify the problem and kept running tests until an MRI revealed that the star goaltender had blood clots in his abdomen and pelvic area. He was diagnosed with pelvic thrombophlebitis that, if left untreated, could have been fatal. Vokoun was placed on blood thinners and is responding to treatment. Since he is on blood thinners, he is not permitted to play in the NHL, for obvious reasons. Vokoun won't be in net again until next season.

Predators Clinch Playoff Berth
April 8, 2006
The 2-1 shootout win over Chicago was enough to clinch the franchise's second straight playoff berth in its history. Erat and Kariya scored in the shootout while Mason stopped both Blackhawk shooters to earn the win. The Preds have been struggling as of late due to star players like Sullivan, Zidlicky, and Vokoun on injured reserve. They have four wins and six losses in the last ten games.

Vokoun Gets Back-to-Back Shutouts
March 16, 2006
Only two days after blanking the Canucks 5-0, the Tomas Vokoun and his Nashville Predators denied the Coyotes a single score in a 2-0 victory. The victory earned a franchise historic high of 39 victories in the regular season. Hordichuk and Hall had the goals in the win. Sullivan got an assist for a tally of 10 points in the last five games.

Witt Acquired At Trade Deadline
March 9, 2006
Arguably one of the costliest acquisitions in franchise history, David Poile traded the first round draft pick, along with minor league C Kris Beech, to Washington for Brendan Witt. The addition of the 6-2 223 pound defensemen gives the skilled but small blueline corps a much needed physical boost. While with the Capitals, Poile drafted Witt with his first round pick, 11th overall, in 1993. He played 30 games under coach Trotz in the 1996-97 season while with the AHL Portland Pirates.

Preds Beat Jackets Heading Into Olympic Break
February 11, 2006
The Preds snapped a three game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets. Nashville Olympians accounted for most of the scoring with Zidlicky getting two power play goals and an assist, Timonen with a goal and an assist, and Erat with a goal and an assist. Vokoun, also an Olympian, stopped 23 shots in the win. Jamie Allison was placed on waivers after the game.

Sullivan Scores Breakaway OT Goal vs. the Avs
February 2, 2006
The Predators are tied for a league best 20-10 record in one goal games. This thanks to Sullivan's unassisted, breakaway goal midway into the OT frame. Nashville overcome a rash of bad calls in the first period (6 total) and went 9 for 9 on the penalty kill for the game. Colorado outshot Nashville 46-31. Newly-acquired Mike Sillinger scored a game tying goal in the third period. Scott Walker tallied two goals to complete the scoring.

Stars Shutdown Predators; Nichol Hospitalized
February 1, 2006
Vokoun allowed two goals on only 23 shots and the Nashville power play went 0 for 6 in the loss to Dallas. Erat scored the lone goal in the third to spoil the shutout of Marty Turco. The Predators failed to capitalize on a 4-on-6 power play (with Vokoun pulled) in the final minute of play. Scott Nichol sustained a concussion after being driven into the boards by Dallas player Trevor Daley. He was held overnight at a local hospital for observation. Daley received a five minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Nashville mustered only one shot on the ensuing power play. The losing streak extends to three games now.

February Schedule Preview
February 1, 2006
The Winter Olympics break will cut NHL play short this month. Two more games against Detroit are on tap. Nashville will also close out its series against Dallas and Colorado this month. A game against Chicago and Columbus rounds out the schedule for the month.

Preds Acquire Sillinger From Blues
January 29, 2006
David Poile acquired St. Louis's second leading scorer, Mike Sillinger, in exchange for prospect Timofei Shiskanov. The trade will make Nashville Sillinger's 11th team of his career, which is an NHL record. The addition of Sillinger adds depth at center, who is averaging a point a game this season, and also adds a versatile player who can play on any line or even wing. The Blues also traded away star Doug Weight to help the current team owners sell the franchise. Shiskanov was a second round pick in the 2001 draft and is not considered a top five prospect.

Preds Re-acquire Gamache From Blues
January 28, 2006
The Predators have claimed LW Simon Gamache off waivers from the St Louis Blues. He was initially lost to the Blues when the team claimed him off waivers during the process of sending him to Milwaukee for more development. He had three goals and four assists in fifteen games with the Blues. He will be assigned to Milwaukee.

Koval-cheat & Thrashers Get SO Win Over Preds
January 11, 2006
The Preds led 1-0, on Hordichuk’s fourth goal of the season, through two periods but fell behind 1-3 in the third. Atlanta took the lead with an assist by Kovalchuk. The Predators tried to challenge that he was using an illegal stick, but Kovalchuk managed to change sticks and have the trainer flee down the hallway before the officials could get it. Kovalchuk inadvertently admitted to using an illegal stick saying, “They tried to look at my stick, but it was the legal one.”. Perreault forced an overtime session with his second goal of the game. Nashville was outshot 41-26. Unfortunately Hossa converted on his shoot-out goal while Lehtonen stopped all three shots by Sullivan, Kariya, and Zidlicky. It was the first Thrashers shoot-out victory in five tries this season.

Isles Coach & GM Fired After Loss to Preds
January 10, 2006
Sullivan tallied both goals in the 2-1 over the Islanders to set a new fanchise record. He is the fastest Predator to reach the 20 goal mark in a season. His 42 games beat the 51 game mark set by Andreas Johansson on February 13, 2003. Sullivan’s game winning goal came on an incredible no-look, backhanded shot that beat goaltender Dubielewicz. The score also marked Walker’s first point since coming back from his sports hernia injury. Tootoo was out due to back spasms from a rear end collision while driving home from the morning skate. It was Stevenson’s first game back since knee surgery on December 16th. It was the last game of coach Steve Stirling, who was fired the day after the game. GM Mike Milbury will also be stepping down from his position once a replacement is found. The Isles have been through eight coaches in nine seasons and have lost eight of their last nine games this season.

Alexander Radulov Signed
January 9, 2006
The Predators signed 2004 first round pick Alexander Radlov to an NHL contract today. The 19-year old is racking up points in the QMJHL with 29 goals and 47 assists in 33 games. He will be available to play either for Milwaukee or Nashville once his junior team’s season is over in late March or April.

Walker Returns In Win Over Lowly Chicago
January 8, 2006
The Predators added to the dismay of Blackhawk fans by handing their team its tenth straight loss. Perreault scored two goals and Sullivan converted on a penalty shot in the win. Smithson and Hall also scored for Nashville while Mason stopped 36 of 37 shots. The game also marked the return of Scott Walker from sports hernia surgery.

Red Wings Rally Over Predators
January 6, 2006
Nashville lost its first Central Division game in regulation courtesy of Detroit. Fiddler scored a power play goal to put the team up 1-0. But the Wings would go 2 of 7 on the power play to clinch the win. Detroit outshot Nashville 36-30.

Mason Pulled But Preds Still Beat Blues
January 4, 2006
Nashville’s four game losing streak came to an end when Vokoun came to the rescue. Mason was pulled after only four minutes into the first period when he gave up two goals on two shots. Vokoun would go on to stop 18 of 19 shots. Fiddler scored a career first two goals in the game. Kariya and Sullivan each scored a goal as well. The Preds are 4-0 against the Blues this season.

Preds Shutout at Colorado
January 3, 2006
Colorado goalie Aebisher ended a personal four game losing streak with a 3-0 shutout against Nashville. Former Predator Bob Boughner scored his first goal in two years. The Preds were powerless with the man advantage, going 0 for 10 in the game and just one goal in the last 27 tries. Vokoun stopped 22 of 24 shots in the loss. The third goal was an empty netter.

Ducks Make 10th Loss of Season
January 1, 2006
Nashville was up 2-0, thanks to goals by Johnson and Perreault, in front of a near capacity home crowd on New Years Day. Unfortunately that was the end of the good news for the Preds. The Ducks would rack up three goals on 21 shots in the first period alone. The scored once in the second period that ensured victory. Nashville was outshot 36 to 23 and went 0 for 4 on the powerplay. The losing streak now stands at three.

Canadian Measuring Stick Yields Mixed Results
December 31, 2005
Coach Trotz pointed to the three game road trip through Western Canada as a measuring stick for his team's progress this season. All three Canadian clubs, the Oilers, the Flames, and the Canucks, are strong contenders for post-season action. Nashville began the trip with an impressive come-from-behind win over the Flames. Enforcer Hordichuk had two assists and Upshall scored the game winner over Calgary.

The following night, the Canucks ended a five game losing streak at the Predators expense. Tootoo was called for diving, which Vancouver capitalized on to tie up the game at the end of two periods. Mason stopped 28 of 32 shots and Hordichuk scored a goal in the loss. The Preds have not won in Vancouver since January 23, 2000.

Two nights later, the Oilers added to the disappointment with a 4-2 victory over the Predators. Vokoun gave-up a penalty shot goal to Ryan Smith. The powerplay was out of juice, going 0 for 6. Hartnell and Sullivan had the only goals.

Predators Hold On For Another Win Over Jackets
December 23, 2005
Kariya had three assists in a four goal first period surge. But after the goals by Hartnell, Upshall, Fiddler, and Perreault, the Blue Jackets started to fight back. Nashville was outshot 16-4 in the second period. Yet, Hall managed to score a powerplay goal. In the third period, the Preds were again outshot, to the tune of 12-7 and managed to get within a goal of tying the game. However, Vokoun turned in yet another great performance in net and helped preserve the win.

Predator Olympians
December 22, 2005
Most of the countries have announced their rosters of the 2006 Winter Olympics hockey team. While Team USA and Team Canada passed over the Predators for their starting rosters, we'll see some of our guys on the European teams:

Czech Republic - Tomas Vokoun, Marek Zidlicky, Martin Erat
Finland - Kimmo Timonen

Bulin-Wall Breaks From Goals By Suter & Co.
December 21, 2005
The Predators knew to go top-shelf against Stanley Cup winner Nikolai Khabibulin and they reaped the rewards. Ryan Suter began the scoring with his first ever NHL goal (with his father in the stands no less). Despite a game tying goal by Barnaby, Nashville rallied with a series of goals by Perreault, Sullivan, and Fiddler. After allowing four goals on twelve shots, Coach Trent Yawney decided to pull Khabibulin for Craig Anderson. It wasn't until the third period when Kariya solved Anderson with two goals of his own, while Chicago was held to only three shots in the final stanza. Tootoo played the agitator role well tonight by enticing Todd Simpson to take a major and minor penalty from attacking him. Mason and Johnson both returned to the ice tonight.

Predators Beat Avs on National TV
December 17, 2005
Two power play goals, scored by Sullivan and Zidlicky, and a highlight reel unassisted goal by Hartnell solidified a win over the Colorado Avalanche. The game marked the one and only appearance of the Predators on the new home of nationally televised NHL games - the Outdoor Life Channel. Vokoun made 24 stops in the 3-2 win.

Six Goal Burst Seals Win Over Jackets
December 17, 2005
Columbus was up 1-0 after the first period. But once Tootoo scored his first goal of the season, the red light strobed through the period. Beech, Zidlicky, Sullivan, Perreault, and Smithson also scored during the second stanza. The streak was marred only by a short-handed goal scored by Jan Hrdina. It marked a franchise high-point with the most goals scored in a period. Vokoun returned to the pipes after being out ten days with a sprained knee. Hamhuis had three assists in the game.

Predators Depth Players Challenged
December 16, 2005
Milwaukee must be a quiet place right now. With the injury bug in a frenzy here in Music City, Coach Trotz has had to make many calls up to the AHL club. The Predators roster looks more like the Admirals right now: Beech, Fiddler, Finley, Rinne, Smithson, Stevenson, Tootoo, and Upshall. When Vokoun went down with a knee injury against the Rangers, the Predators embarked on a three game losing streak. Hopefully the win over the Blackhawks will motivate these young players to keep our excellent start to the season from falling into the gutter.

Rinne Shines In Debut Against Blackhawks
December 15, 2005
After the disastrous game against Florida, Trotz decided to try out Rinne in net (an eighth round pick in the 2004 Draft). The Finn had a solid game with 35 saves on 38 shots. The first NHL shot against him was a shorthanded goal by Mark Bell. But, Rinne showed mental toughness and managed to keep the 'Hawks off the scoreboard again until the third period, when the Preds were up 4-1. Nashville got goals from Kariya, Erat, Perreault (power play), Fiddler and Sullivan (shorthanded) in the 5-3 win. The game marked the return of crowd favorite Jordin Tootoo, who is filling in for injured Jeremy Stevenson.

UHL Affiliate Added to Farm System
December 13, 2005
David Poile announced today that the Predators have signed an affiliation agreement with the Rockford, Illinois Icehogs of the UHL. The club has loaned 13 players to AHL affiliate Milwaukee during the past two seasons. The Rockford team set a franchise record of 46-25-9 last season. Pred prospects Kevin Klein and Brandon Segal have both played games for the Icehogs. Icehogs head coach, Steve Martinson, was a teammate of Admirals coach Claude Noel while with the IHL Toledo Goaldiggers.

Panthers Pounce on Pathetic Predators
December 13, 2005
It was easily the worst loss of the season as Florida racked up a 7-1 lead in the game. Two somewhat face saving goals were scored by Upshall and Sullivan to make the final 7-3 seem more respectable. Goaltender Brian Finley was not mentally prepared to start his first NHL game when Mason "tweaked" his groin during opening warm-ups. The Panthers took advantage of this and showered him with 41 shots. Finley needed his teammates to help him, as all goaltenders do, but they were unable to stop the Panther onslaught. Nathan Horton scored the first hat trick against the Predators this season. Hall scored a power play goal to start the game. Jamie Allison dressed up in Vokoun's gear to serve as Finley's back-up in case something happened to him. It was the first game for Danny Markov after his strained groin injury on November 25th.

Bolts Capitalize on Predator Penalties
December 10, 2005
Tampa Bay took advantage of their nine power plays to beat Nashville 4-3. Not only did the Preds allow two power play goals, the team only had one shot during a 5-3 power play. Timonen, Stevenson, and Hall scored for the Preds. Mason stopped 25 of 29 shots.

Required Reading For Predator Bashers
December 10, 2005
Eklund, of the famous (or infamous) rumor blog Hockeybuzz, was in town yesterday to see the Rangers game. For all the Canadians, Yankees, and 104.5 FM The Zone broadcasters out there who think Nashville shouldn't have a hockey team, you need to read Eklund's blog!

Injury Bug Hits The Predators Hard
December 10, 2005
Our team's starting goaltender and top line center will likely not be playing again until 2006. Vokoun is out for two weeks with a knee strain and Legwand is out four weeks to repair torn cartilage in his knee. These players join three forwards (Johnson, Walker, Nichol) and one defenseman (Markov) on the IR list. Smithson, Fiddler, and Stevenson have filled in admirably when they got the call in Milwaukee. Now the number six and seven picks in the 1999 Entry Draft, G Brian Finley and C Kris Beech, have been called to Nashville. Finley is 5-0 with the Admirals with 1.16 GAA and 96.2% save rating. Beech is Milwaukee's leading scorer with nine goals and thirteen assists in 22 games.

How Was The Play, Mrs. Lincoln?
December 8, 2005
It is always an event whenever the New York Rangers come to town. We were looking forward to seeing two strong teams who are both thriving in the new NHL clash for an exciting game. Nashville is better because the franchise finally has the resources to sign big players like Kariya and Sullivan. The Rangers are better because they have been forced into fiscal discipline with a focus on team and chemistry rather than throwing together a fantasy hockey team.

Well, the game did not go well for our beloved Predators. Vokoun left the game after the first period with a sprained knee. Legwand writhed in pain later in the game and also left with a knee injury. The Rangers absolutely "whuped" us to the tune of 5-1. Lastly, our power play goal scoring streak of eleven straight games is over. We also missed the opportunity to be the Central Division leader over the Wings had we won tonight. At least we denied a shut-out to Lundqvist thanks to a goal by Perreault.

Predators Acquire Vigilante
December 7, 2005
No, we didn't acquire a goon and no, we are not pulling names from Marvel Comics. Poile has signed the undrafted free agent forward John Vigilante and has assigned him to Milwaukee. Vigilante is, or now was, captain and leading goal scorer for the OHL Plymouth Whalers.

Predators Power Past Caps
December 7, 2005
The Predators made the most of their six power plays with a 50% scoring rate while going 90% on ten penalty kills. Zidlicky scored the first two power play goals, both from assists by Kariya and Timonen and both scored in the opening period. Super-rookie Ovechkin struck back in the second, but Sullivan responded with a nice goal off the skate of Kolzig. Washington managed one more goal but a power play goal by Sullivan and an empty netter by Hartnell (the first of the season for the team!) sealed the win. Mason keeps his undefeated record for the season alive by turning aside 30 of 32 shots. Nashville was also dominant in the face-off circle, winning 43 out of 68 draws.

Vokoun Named NHL Defensive Player of the Week
December 7, 2005
The NHL has recognized the efforts of Nashville's top netminder by bestowing him with Defensive Player of the Week honors. During the week he picked up three wins, including a shutout against the Flames, with a GAA of a mere 1.30. Congratulations Tomas!

Historic Shootout Win Over the Flyers
December 3, 2005
The Predators have beaten the Flyers for the first time in Nashville. The win is also the 200th earned by the franchise. The Flyers took the lead twice in the game, but goals by Kariya and Erat evened things up. Late in the second period, Perreault scored a power play goal to take the lead for the first time. But Hatcher even the game up again with three minutes left in the third period. The game had to be decided by a shootout, in which Nashville continues to show its strength. Kariya and Sullivan scored for Nashville while Vokoun denied both Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne for the win.

NHL Announces Preds-Wings Rescheduling
December 2, 2005
The November 23rd game against Detroit that was postponed due to the scare of Jiri Fisher's collapse will be played on January 23rd. This game is already on the schedule, but in Nashville. The game will be a full 60 minutes (47.5 minutes were remaining in the November game), but will retain the 1-0 Nashville lead from Greg Johnson's goal. All other statistics from the partial first period game will be wiped out. So, the Predators will be playing back-to-back games in Detroit next month. To make-up our home game, a date has been added to the schedule, March 30th.

Shot Onslaught Nets Win Over Wild
December 1, 2005
When the Preds last faced the Wild up in Minneapolis, they were over whelmed by an intense and disciplined team. This time, the Predators showed the intensity to defeat the Wild. The team took Coach Trotz's admonition to shoot more to heart this game, with a withering tally of 46. Yet, Roloson was up to the task by surrendering only two goals. Hall kept the PPG streak alive with a goal in the first period. The game winner was scored by recent call-up and fourth liner Smithson.

December Schedule Preview
The Predators will get their first games against Eastern Conference teams this month. They will have away games at the Caps, Panthers, and defending champs Lightning. Home games will see the Rangers and the Flyers. The month will also have a five game road trip, which is the longest road trip of the season for our club. This month will also feature games against every Northwestern Division team, and two games a piece with Chicago and Columbus.

Gamache Lost Through Waivers
November 29, 2005
Simon Gamache was claimed off waivers by St. Louis today. He had to clear waivers in order to be sent to the AHL. In 11 games this season, Gamache had no points and a minus six rating. He had a goal and three assists with the Admirals at the start of the season. This is a good thing for Simon because, since he's been claimed off waivers, the Blues must put him on their active NHL roster.

When Will the Detroit Game Be Re-Scheduled?
November 29, 2005
With Fisher's collapse, the game against the Red Wings wasn't cancelled, but postponed. The problem with rescheduling is that Nashville has already gone through the lighter part of its schedule. The problem may be finding a date where neither team is playing or would be stuck with playing three or more games in a row. The only dates that avoid these two problems are: December 18, 24, and 25; January 16, 17; March 29 and 30; and April 10. Poile has said that he doesn't want the game any earlier than January. It is up to the league to decide.

Vokoun Earns 1st Shutout of 2005
November 29, 2005
Despite being outshot to the tune of 31-17, Vokoun was up to the task of turning aside every single one to earn the win over Calgary. Vernon Fiddler, his first goal of the season, that was scored late in the first period became the game winner. Hartnell buried a power play goal in the last minute of the game to seal the win and continue the PPG streak alive. Aside from Vokoun's stellar performance, the Nashville penalty kill continues to shine brightly. The seven for seven success tonight moves this special teams unit to number two in the league, behind only Minnesota.

Dallas Gives First Home Loss of November
November 26, 2005
The Predators had a flat game and the Stars made them pay. Hartnell had the lone goal for Nashville, which was scored on the power play. The goal keeps the power play streak alive at seven games. Drawing too many penalties, was the culprit in the loss. Dallas managed to score twice during their twelve man-advantages in the game!

King's Goon Sean Avery Complains
November 24, 2005
We have a new entrant in the hockey hall of stupidity. You may remember a couple of seasons ago when Claude Lemieux attempted to taunt the opposing team's captain by saying, "What does that 'C' stand for? Stupid?" Well, the latest entrant is L.A. King Sean Avery. After taking a double minor by hitting Hordichuk in the throat with his stick and getting away with a cheap shot on Kariya, this goon decided to embarrass himself by saying that Kariya is the biggest diver in the league and that Hordichuk is the worst player in the league. One should note that Avery is the only player this season who has been fined for diving.

Preds Hold Off Kings Rally For The Win
November 24, 2005
Nashville got out to a 4-0 lead through the first two periods, but had to withstand a withering attack by L.A. in the third period to eek out the win. Goals were scored by Kariya (on a breakaway), Upshall (his first of the season), Hall (on the powerplay), and Sullivan. It is the fifth straight home win for the Preds. How tough was the third period? The Kings outshot the Predators 22-7!

Preds Avenge Streak Loss By Adding to Jacket's
November 23, 2005
The Preds were bidding for a ninth straight win to start the season when the Jackets scored  an overtime goal to win back in October. Almost a month later, the Predators returned the favor by downing the Jackets 4-2 in Columbus. The loss is the sixth straight for Columbus and tenth of their last eleven games at home. Nashville outshot their opponent, 41 to 37, for the first time in twelve games. The win ends a five game road losing streak for the Preds. Stevenson, Legwand, and Hartnell had even strength goals. Hamhuis scored on the powerplay. Mason keeps his undefeated record (2-0-1) this season after turning aside 35 shots.

Wings Game Halted After Fisher Collapses
November 22, 2005
The game against the Red Wings will be continued at a later date. This was the decision of the Detroit club as they, along their fans, and the Predators players and coaches witnessed a horrifying scene. D Jiri Fisher, who had just finished a shift and was sitting on the bench, fell into a seizure and collapsed onto the floor. He was administered CPR, including chest compressions, and was unable to breathe on his own for quite some time. He was admitted to the hospital and will apparently be okay. He is alert and talking. We were only seven-and-a-half minutes into the game with the Preds up 1-0 from Johnson's goal.

Vandy Beats UT!
November 19, 2005
I know this isn't hockey related, but after 22 years, Vanderbilt has finally beaten Tennessee in football! You can see my Vandy page here. I wonder when that statue of Jay Cutler will go up next to Cornelius Vanderbilt.

"Disciplined" Wild Hand Preds 3rd Regulation Loss
November 19, 2005
Wild Coach Jacques Lemaire greatly respects Trotz's disciplined team. He was equally angry at his own team for lack of discipline; so much so that he disciplined the six player who took penalties in the loss to Calgary (including Randy Robitaille) by having them skate till exhaustion. Nashville played well, with power play goals by Zidlicky and Kariya against the best penalty killing team in the league. The Preds also outshot the Wild 32-28 for one of the few times this season. But it was not enough against a team fired up by the rage of their coach. Wild D Kurtis Foster scored two goals in his first game with the team. He became the first Minnesota player to do such. Nashville is now tied with Ottawa with a league low of only three regulation losses.

Sergei Zholtok Honored Preceding Wild Game
November 19, 2005
The Minnesota Wild paid tribute to former player Sergei Zholtok before the game. Zholtok died during a game in Belarus, playing for his native Latvia, in November 2004. He spent three seasons with the Wild before being traded at the deadline to Nashville. His 16 year old son dropped the game puck and received his father sweater he wore while playing for the team. It was an emotional time for everyone, including hard-nosed coach Lemaire.

Fedorov Returns to Central; Jackets in a Pickle
November 19, 2005
Columbus made a deal with Anaheim to acquire C Sergei Fedorov and a fifth round pick for C Tyler Wright and D Francois Beauchemin. The move frees up salary cap space for the Ducks and brings needed star power to a struggling Blue Jackets team. Fedorov spent thirteen seasons with Detroit and was in his second season with Anaheim before the trade bringing him back to the Central Division. The Predators will face the Jackets in the last game of the upcoming three-game road trip through the Midwest.

The trade is not without controversy, however. To free up cap space for the Jackets, GM Doug MacLean had to get rid of Todd Marchant and his $18 million salary ($2.5 million each for the next four seasons). Fedorov's remaining contract is for two seasons at $6 million each. Rumor has it that Marchant was to be part of the deal but he refused to waive his no-trade clause. MacLean waived him, which could have circumvented the no-trade clause but would also have raised the ire of the NHLPA, but neither the Ducks nor any other NHL club claimed Marchant.

MacLean now has only a few options, he can leave him inactive, send him to the AHL, or trade him. One possibility open to the GM is to send Marchant down to the AHL and then recall him. Under the new CBA, a player making over $75,000 on a minor league contract who is recalled must clear reentry waivers. Since Marchant has a one-way contract, he will be paid his full salary no matter where he goes. However, the Jackets are still on the hook in this circumstance because, if Marchant is claimed off waivers at that time, the acquiring team only has to pay half of his contract with the balance covered by the Jackets. This would also count against the Blue Jackets cap even though Marchant would be playing for a different team!

Update: Marchant was claimed off waivers when returning to the Blue Jackets by the Might Ducks. Thus, Columbus will be on the hook for half of his salary!

Nashville's Strength Hidden by Games Played
November 19, 2005
The Predators became one of only four teams in NHL history to win eight straight games to open a season. Yet, despite such an amazing start, Nashville is firmly ensconced in second place of the Central Division. Why? Because Detroit has also had a successful start to the season and because they have had more games scheduled than Nashville thus far. As of today, the Red Wings have played four more games than the Predators. In fact, the only days when Nashville and Detroit have had the same number of games played in 2005 were back on October 5th and 8th. Nashville will continue to have games in-hand, mostly three or more, until January 4th. In 2006, the teams will be about even in games played for the rest of the season.

Kings Overthrown for Fourth Straight Win
November 15, 2005
The Predators finally achieved victory at home against the Kings. The last win against L.A. in Music City was on April 3, 1999 - the inaugural season of the team! As it was back then, Nashville edged Los Angeles by a score of 3-2. The power play was strong once again with two goals, scored by Kariya and Hall, out of four chances. Timonen also registered a goal in the contest. However, the game was really won by Vokoun, who faced an incredible 22 shots in the second period alone, and 35 of 37 shots in the contest. The win makes for a sweep of the home stand and ups the team's home record to 9-1-0. It also avenges the controversial overtime loss on November 5 when Jeremy Roenick was allowed to take multiple shots on goal during the shoot-out.

Win Over Blues Ups Streak to Three
November 12, 2005
Hartnell scored a power play goal and short-handed goal that resulted in a 3-1 victory over the struggling St. Louis Blues. The Preds are 3-0 in the series against the Blues this season. Nashville continues to build on the strange record of being 7-0-1 when surrendering the first goal. St Louis scored the only goal of the first period. In the second, Hartnell notched his special teams goals. In the third, Timonen directed in a Kariya shot on the power play for the final goal of the game. The special teams have come out of hibernation with a second straight strong performance: 2 for 8 power play and 6 for 6 on the penalty kill.

Sullivan's Hat Trick Downs Stars
November 10, 2005
The Predators have shown they are out of their losing streak funk, thanks to three goals, two on the power play, by Sullivan. Steve was also awarded a penalty shot after he was hauled down on a breakaway, but was unable to beat Turco. Erat and Zidlicky also scored for Nashville in the 5-3 victory. The Predators have stayed on the come-back streak, going 6-0-1 when the opponent scores the first goal. The game also marked the return of the power play for the Preds. After being shut-out for the last four games, Nashville went 4 for 10 on the power play.

Preds Snap Losing Streak Via Oilers
November 8, 2005
Despite missing more than an entire scoring line, the Predators showed grit and determination in handing Edmonton their second straight loss after a five game winning streak. Nashville was without Walker, Sullivan, Hall, and Nichol. The Oilers scored first, in the second period, and wasn't answered by the Predators until early in the third when Erat tied it up. However, in the final two minutes, Timonen scored the goal ahead goal. But then, 56 seconds later, the Oilers tied it and it appeared we were headed to overtime. But Hartnell had other ideas when he batted down a puck with his hand to his stick and stuck it past goalie Markkanen for the win!

Loss #5 by Los Angeles
November 2, 2005
The three game California road trip ended with a "perfect" record of 0-3. Kings goalie LaBarbera stopped both Gamache and Zidlicky in the shoot-out. Vokoun was beaten by Pavol Demitra and was also scored on in a controversial goal by Jeremy Roenick. Vokoun stopped the initial shot, but it appeared that as Roenick slid to the ice, he hit the puck a second time to get it into the net. Shooters are only allowed to take one shot. However, a rule loophole states that shoot-outs are non-reviewable.

Loss #4 by San Jose
November 2, 2005
The losing streak continues and San Jose has revenge. The Predators had a chance to clinch the season series against the Sharks and managed to send the game into OT. But the pinching Preds were caught too deep in the offensive zone during a power play and gave up a two-on-one breakaway that resulted in the game winning goal for the Sharks. Mason, starting his second game in goal this season, had a solid game and can't be blamed for the OT goal. This is the second time in the last four games that Nashville has given up a shorthanded goal in OT. Erat and Kariya had goals for Nashville, all in the first period.

Ducks Hand Preds Third Straight Loss
November 1, 2005
The Predators ran into a hot Mighty Ducks team, who achieved their sixth straight home win. Special teams were awful for Nashville, going 0 for 7 on the power play and only 66% on the penalty kill. The Preds were outworked and outshot (again) in the game. Perreault scored the lone goal in the 4-1 loss. All five of the Ducks fans in attendance booed Kariya whenever he touched the puck.

November Schedule Preview
The Preds will see a lot of the Pacific Division this month, with three games against division-leader L.A., two against Dallas, and one against Anaheim. Nashville and Phoenix, however, won't pair off again until March. The only other Western Conference teams not played against in this month is Vancouver, Colorado, and Chicago. November 21st marks the first meeting of the season between Nashville and Detroit, which happens in the Motor City.

Nashville Finishes Historic October
October 30, 2005
With one of the best starts in league history, the Predators obviously had their best October in franchise history. They managed to capture 17 of a possible 20 points and are positioned as the sole challenger to Detroit for the division title. However, there are still 72 games remaining and much can change in another month!

Uh Oh! Oilers Rout Preds 5-1
October 29, 2005
The Predators suffered their second straight loss and their first regulation loss of the season at the hands of the Oilers. Erat opened the scoring with a goal in the first period, then it was all Oilers. Edmonton's power play was a lethal 50%, having scored 3 out of 6 times. Is this the start of a losing streak?! Nashville now faces a three game road trip in California: Anaheim, San Jose, and Los Angeles.

Contender or Just a Hot Streak?
October 27, 2005
Now with the streak over, Nashville will have to answer this question. Nashville lost to a bad Blue Jackets team. A team that dropped two straight against Detroit by a combined score of 12-2. We are only one point behind division leader Detroit. Are we truly contenders or not? We will start learning the answer to this question starting with the Edmonton game this weekend.

Streak Ended By Lowly Jackets
October 26, 2005
The Predators winning streak will remain at eight. Hall scored the game tying goal during a 6-4 power play with 19.5 seconds remaining seconds in the third period. In overtime, on the power play, Timonen flubbed receiving a pass and gave up a 2-1 break that resulted in a goal by Adam Foote. The loss comes against one of the worst teams in the league. Even the Penguins, who have yet to win a game, had more points than the Jackets. The other come from behind goal was scored by Kariya. Vokoun made 31 saves. The good news is that Nashville still got a point from the overtime loss. Walker, Johnson, and Markov were scratches for the game.

Kyle Schultz Passes Away
October 25, 2005
Milwaukee Admirals broadcaster Kyle Schultz passed away today. He spent 13 years as a broadcaster covering minor league hockey in Utah, Augusta, Tallahassee, and Milwaukee. He died in a car accident on the way to a pick-up hockey game. He leaves behind a wife and five year old son. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Nashville Climbs Higher Into History Books
October 25, 2005
With an 8-0 start, Nashville becomes only the fourth team in NHL history to reach this mark. The 1975-76 Buffalo Sabres and the 1934-35 Toronto Maple Leafs managed to tie this mark. The 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs beat this mark to reach a 10-0 start.

Winning Streak Up To Eight
October 25, 2005
In a penalty-filled game, Nashville succeeded in keeping its historic streak alive. The Preds racked up 93 penalty minutes, but managed to kill 12 of 13 power plays. We took an early 3-0 lead thanks to first period goals by Erat, Perreault, and Kariya. However, the Blackhawks came back with two second period goals in the second period. It appeared the momentum would be too much for Nashville, but the Legwand-Kariya-Hartnell line came through with a score late in the second period. Sullivan tallied a shorthanded goal, the second of the season for the team, early in the third. Despite outshooting the Preds 41 to 22 in the game, the 'Hawks only managed one more goal in the game. Vokoun set a season high with 38 saves on 41 shots in this, the 500th game in franchise history.

Berry Joins Admirals
October 25, 2005
Defenseman Rick Berry was acquired by Nashville from Phoenix for future considerations. The journeyman was acquired to add depth to the AHL Admirals. Berry has 2 goals, 13 assists, and 314 penalty minutes in 197 NHL games.

Sens Lose; Preds Sole Unbeaten
October 24, 2005
The Ottawa Senators, the only other unbeaten team in the NHL, fell tonight to the Carolina Hurricanes. The 'Canes rallied from a two goal deficit to win 3-2. Carolina goaltender Gerber turned aside 45 of 47 shots in the victory. Ottawa now have a 6-1 record. Nashville remains in second place in the Central Division because the Red Wings have only lost once this season and have played more games at this point.

Seven Straight Wins
October 22, 2005
Thanks to Tomas Vokoun, the Predators winning streak remains intact as they down San Jose 2-1.Vokoun stopped a season high 37 of 38 shots. He was also the focal point on the ice when a slapshot hit him in the neck, underneath his mask. Despite the injury, late in the third period, he continued to play and made more key saves to help win the game. Perreault scored the game tying goal on the powerplay and Hartnell scored the game winning goal at the midpoint of the third period.

League Recognition?
October 22, 2005
As Nashville tries to extend its streak to seven straight wins tonight, the team has captured more attention of the national media. On the NHL.com web site, a poll asks which team will end the streak. With 15,552 votes in, almost 41% say tonight's opponents, San Jose, will do it. The rest of the picks in chronological order by schedule: Chicago 8%, Columbus 5%, Edmonton 16%, another team 31%.

Streak Continues With Six Wins
October 21, 2005
It had to be settled with a shoot-out, but the Predators managed to score a victory over the Blues in the second consecutive match-up. Hamhuis began the scoring in the first period. Two goals by St Louis put them in the lead heading into the third period. Yet again, for the fifth game of the season, the Predators come from behind thanks to a game-tying goal by Stevenson. Sullivan and Zidlicky each scored their first shoot-out goals, with Vokoun stopping the first two St Louis shooters, to clinch the win. The victory also clinches a winning record for the month of October, which is a franchise first!

Sullivan Named NHL Player of the Week
October 18, 2005
With four goals and three assists in three games last week, the NHL bestowed Offensive Player of the Week honors to Predator Steve Sullivan. It is his first time winning the award since February 23, 2004 when he tallied 10 points in his first three games with Nashville.

Winning Streak Continues With Blues
October 15, 2005
Nashville won for the first time in St. Louis since January 4, 2001 to keep its historic, season-opening winning streak alive. Penalty killing ruled the game as neither team to convert on one of  the 11 power plays. Sullivan began the scoring in the first period, followed by a tying goal by the Blues in the second. Legwand and Hartnell also scored during the second period. In the final stanza, the Preds were held to only six shots on goal. But Johnson sealed the victory with an empty net goal.

Hull Announces Retirement
October 15, 2005
Two days after the Phoenix-Nashville game, prolific scorer Brett Hull announced his retirement. In his final game, which happened to be against the Predators, the future Hall-of-Famer logged only nine minutes of ice time and had a -1 for the game.

Best Starts In Franchise History
October 15, 2005
The Predators have already set a franchise record when the went 2-0. Two wins later, the Preds continue to chart new territory as they battle Detroit for the division lead. Below is the history of Nashville's first 10 games:
 

Season	Record
1998-99	3-6-1
1999-00	4-5-1
2000-01	4-2-3-1
2001-02	3-5-2-0
2002-03	1-5-1-3
2003-04	4-5-1-0
2005-06	4-0-0-0

Preds Outshoot Coyotes
October 13, 2005
Paul Kariya, who racked up 8 PIMs during the game, redeemed himself by scoring the long goal (again) during the shoot-out to win the game. Special teams were the name of the game as only one goal was scored at even strength. Nashville's perfect penalty killing record was ended by Phoenix as they went 3 for 10 on the power play. However, the Pred power play continues to be strong with 3 of 5 conversions by Sullivan and Timonen, and a short-handed goal by Johnson. Mason stopped 27 of 31 shots to win in his first appearance this season.

Preds Rally to Beat Avs
October 12, 2005
With a slow start to the game, Colorado took advantage and racked up a 3-0 lead. However, goals by Hordichuk and Zidlicky narrowed the lead to 3-2. Then Paul Kariya tied it up with his own goal against his other former team, having scored a goal against Anaheim in the previous game. The Avs replied with their own goal but, thanks to Nashville's power play, goals from Sullivan and again from Zidlicky sealed the win. A helmet-less Simon Gamache helped with the win, as it drew Avs goal Aebbischer to take a stupid penalty in hitting Gamache. Zidlicky seized the opportunity and buried the power play goal only seconds into the penalty. The game was Sullivan's 600th in the NHL.

Tootoo Sent to Milwaukee
October 10, 2005
Coach Trotz had announced his intentions to keep the roster at 22, one less than the mandated maximum. This is to prevent players from sitting idle on the bench when experience could be gained in the AHL. Tootoo has the unfortunate advantage over Simon Gamache in that he does not have to clear waivers to be sent down. Hopefully he will be back soon!

Preds Beat Anaheim in Shoot-Out
October 8, 2005
In an historic game, the Preds defeated the Ducks their first ever shoot-out. In storybook fashion, it was Paul Kariya who scored the sole shoot-out goal against his former team that won the game for Nashville. Recently signed center Yanic Perreault scored both goals for Nashville. The 2-0 mark to start the season is the best ever for the franchise. It also marked Vokoun's 100th win in the NHL.

Fiddler Sent To Minors
October 7, 2005
In preparation for the second game of the season, Vernon Fiddler was sent down to Milwaukee and Scott Nichol was taken of injured reserve. The roster total remains at the league maximum of 23. Fiddler has continued to show strong improvement and, according to Trotz, will likely be back in Nashville to fill specific roles during the season. Fiddler will have to clear waivers before moving to Milwaukee.

Predators Win Season Opener!
October 5, 2005
In front of a sell-out hometown crowd, on a Wednesday night, the Predators topped the San Jose Sharks 3-2. The game featured a lot of open ice skating and a few well-delivered hits. It was a far different game from the clutch-and-grab style of hockey that was strangling the league two years ago. Walker struck first, halfway into the first period, with assists from Sullivan and Suter. The game was also Ryan Suter's first appearance in the NHL regular season. His dad, Bob Suter was in the stands to watch his son play. Unfortunately, Patrick Marleau struck with a short-handed tally in the waning seconds of the first period.

The Preds were flat through most of the second period. The Sharks capitalized with a goal by Nils Ekman. But less than two minutes into the third period, Paul Kariya scored to get the crowd and the team back into the game. Legwand and Timonen assisted on the score. With five minutes remaining Hartnell with an assist by by Markov.

Robitaille Leaves Preds Again
October 4, 2005
The Minnesota Wild claimed Randy Robitaille off waivers today. Robitaille had lost the competition for the number two center spot to Yannic Perreault and was being sent to the AHL farm team. However, he had to clear waivers before actually relocating and the Wild took the opportunity to add him to their team.

Perreault Signed
October 3, 2005
Yannic Perreault first joined the Predators team back in September as a training camp try-out. He was one of many players vying for the center position on Nashville's second line. Trotz and company must have liked what they saw as he edged out Randy Robitaille for the starting spot. He was signed to a two-way one year deal.

Final Roster Moves
October 3, 2005
The Predators sent defensemen Shea Weber and Kevin Klein to Milwaukee on October first, with only a few days before opening night. This leaves eight defensemen left on the roster, including Ryan Suter, Greg Zanon, and Jamie Allison. Four days later, Scottie Upshall, Randy Robitaille, Jerred Smithson, and Greg Zanon were sent down to the Admirals.

More Roster Reductions
September 25, 2005
Following four preseason games, with a record of 3-1, Nashville made further roster cuts to reduce the total down to 30. The following players were sent to Milwaukee: forwards Kris Beech, Paul Brown, Greg Classen, Darren Haydar, Libor Pivko, Brandon Segal, Timofei Shishkanov and Jeremy Yablonski; defenseman Sheldon Brookbank; and goaltenders Brian Finley and Pekka Rinne. Forward Alexander Radulov, who made an impressive showing during this preseason, was sent to his junior team in Quebec. Beech, Clausen, and Haydar must clear waivers before relocating to the AHL affiliate. If another NHL team claims one of these three, they must place him on their NHL roster for 30 days.

Parent, Try-outs Moved
September 23, 2005
2005 first round pick Ryan Parent stayed a few extra days in camp than his peers due to his strong performance. However, given his youth and the great depth at defense, he was sent back to his junior club to continue his development. Poile also reassign forward Marco Rosa, and defensemen Ryan Bonni, Ryan Glenn, P.J. Martin, and T.J. Reynolds (signed to an Admirals contract in August) to Milwaukee.

Junior Prospects Sent Back
September 20, 2005
The Predators reduced its roster size to 47, mostly by sending prospects back to thier respective teams in junior leagues. Stanislav Balan (Portland, WHL), Nick Fugere (Gatineau, QMJHL), Vaclav Meidl (Plymouth, OHL) and Cal O’Reilly (Windsor, OHL), defensemen Cody Franson (Vancouver, WHL) and Scott Todd (Windsor, OHL) and goaltender Kyle Moir (Swift Current, WHL). D Kevin Reinholt and G Derek Yeomans were released from thier amateur try-out agreements and were sent back to their junior club, Kelowna of the WHL.

Center Competition Heats Up
September 12, 2005
With training camp officially open, the competition begins for roster spots on an increasingly talented Predator team. There is little question that the position most up for grabs is for center. No less than 13 players are in the hunt for one of four, maybe five, spots on the team. Legwand and Johnson are expected take two of these places. However, the last slots are available to the players with the best showing and potential. The list is a mixture of prospects, recent acquisitions, and a try-out by proven veteran Yanic Perreault. Here are the contenders: Stanislav Balan, Kris Beech, Greg Classen, Vernon Fiddler, Greg Johnson, David Legwand, Vaclav Meidl, Scott Nichol, Cal O'Reilly, Yanic Perreault, Randy Robitaille, Marco Rosa, Jerred Smithson.

Beech Joins Predators
September 9, 2005
Nashville traded a conditional draft pick to Pittsburgh for the rights to center Kris Beech. The 6'2" center is known for his playmaking abilities and defensive awareness. Beech was the seventh overall pick in the 1999 Entry Draft; the first pick after the Preds drafted Brian Finley. Beech had fallen out of favor with the Penguins, with only one full season spent with the NHL team in 2001-02. The following seasons were spent mostly at Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The move continues the work at filling the biggest positional hole on the team as Beech joins new centers Robitaille and Classen.