Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Potential Cup Raise and PHX Hearing Makes for Big Day in the NHL

Today may be a momentous day for the NHL. While attention should be focused on game six of the Stanley Cup Finals and the potential cup raise, the hearing in the desert will provide ample distraction as a pre-game warm-up.

We would like to thank our guests from last night's POTG Radio. Since we are in Florida with unstable internet, Chris Wassel of The Program did a great job of running the board and co-hosting the show from California.

Travis Hair of Five for Howling was our guest for the second half of the show had great insight into today's hearing. It was probably one of the better half hours of coverage on the whole situation since the Phoenix media has fallen down on the job and refuses to has tough questions on behalf of the City of Glendale and the local Coyote fans. Click the button below and listen for yourself.

Listen to PredsOnTheGlass on internet talk radio

Game Six...

After another night's sleep, I still will be picking Pittsburgh as my Twtpool pick this morning. I do think that this Pittsburgh team has improved since last year, especially with the outstanding play of Geno Malkin. He has contributed consistently throughout the playoffs and did not disappear in the finals as he seemed to do last season.

I do think Detroit will win on Friday if they don't close it out tonight. I think the Conn Smythe will be a tough choice between Henrik Zetterberg and Chris Osgood. Both have been difference makers through all four series. Zetterberg has been a shut down player, taking on Nash, Kane, Getzlaf, and Crosby and limiting their chances in each series. Additionally, he has been the leader for the Wings in point production and has picked up the slack for the injured Pavel Datsyuk. Osgood has been surprisingly steady and leads all goalies with a 2.00 GAA through the playoffs.

Mirtle has a good story on numbers and how few NHLers actually get their name on the cup.

Hearing in the Desert...

The hearing in Phoenix over the potential relocation of the Coyotes gets underway this morning. Briefs were due by last Friday, so this should only be oral arguments over the submitted material which could lead to a ruling from the bench. After all the circus type antics of the past hearings, I can't imagine that someone won't muddy the water that will prevent an immediate ruling. Judge Redfield T. Baum wants to keep the case moving forward and realizes that there will be an appeal no matter what happens so I think we will know something soon if not today.

We've heard plenty from the Canadian media (and almost zero from the Arizona press) but Eklund reposts some Coyote fan stories that was put together by Heather McWhorter, The Yotes Diva, that gives the side of the story that has been totally missing in the main stream media.

To add a little humor to the clamor for the second team in the GTA, the National Post came up with this story.

Just in time for the hearing, Make It 7 comes up with a theme song/video that includes a Nashville slam and repeated use of a small child flipping the bird. I guess that's about par for the course.

Here's a link to a live blog from the hearing. Several folks will also be tweeting the hearings which can give you a wide range of opinions. Check out @TheYotesDiva @OdinMercer @kmcgran @kash2112

In Predator Nation...

Jim Diamond comes up with a fairly obscure story about the air quality at the Predator's practice facility at the Centennial Rink. When you are paying athletes, which are your only asset, $45 million a year, this may be something the Preds may want to have cleared up prior to next year's season.

John Glennon and the Tennessean take a look at the potential $2500 per game tax on NHL and NBA players. I did not realize until now that Preds players would have to pay $7500 a year. They are also taxed when they play in other arenas in some states. They also have a story about the re-signing of Triston Grant. You can tell its the off season when that makes a headline.

Forechecker works the word "abacus" into his headline for today's post. That's something you don't see everyday, but he does have several interesting items to check out.

Around the Hockey World...

In the AHL Finals, the Hershey Bears have a good chance to close out their series against the Manitoba Moose in Pennsylvania tonight. The past few years have been an amazing run for the franchise.

The other big news today is Brent Sutter steping down as head coach of the New Jersey Devils to potentially become head coach of his brother Daryl's Calgary Flames. Many were surprised when he left his hometown Red Deer team two years ago to coach the Devils. Few are surprised that he is leaving as it has been a topic throughout most of the past season. It will be interesting to see who Lou hires as a replacement.

Twitter friend @StephBags has a really good story posted on From the Blue Seats on hockey and Twitter that has a Nashville twist as always, as she talked with Preds fan @karpo about the Nashville Tweetup leading to her purchase of season tickets. Our friends at The Hockey Zen and @dani3boyz also get some pub.

Here's an item about the most annoying person in an ad during hockey games. The best commercials are on the Canadian broadcasts. My favorites are the couple loading their car from the second floor and the garage that is made up like a goal cage. I've been looking for links on YouTube and they aren't there.

Here's another mock draft, this time our friend, Eric Smith at Fire The Cannon in Columbus.

From @dani3boyz: Yesterday's interview of @specialhockey by @HTM_nhlhomeice on XM 204/Sirius 208.

More later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass

Additions...

Off Topic... The Tennessean has a story about Meat and Threes in Nashville. That may be an off term for some of our non-Southern readers but it's mainly down home types restaurants that specialized in some type of fatty meat and fat seasoned veggies. About 15 years ago, we set out on what we deemed the "Cardiac Arrest Tour" of meat and threes in Nashville. To qualify as a finalist three things were required. The waitress could not have a complete set of teeth (sorry that it was not PC but it was the rules), they had to serve sweet tea, and there had to be signed pictures of country music stars that had eaten there on the wall. I don't think we ever went anywhere that was not a finalist.

Funny name mix up story by Alanah about Mike Kennan vs Michael Keenan in Vancouver.

From Andy Strickland - Sutter isn't a slam dunk to Head To Calgary according to a member of the Sutter family. Here's the blog post.

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