Weekend Round Up

People are still talking about Thursday's Skate of the Union which we presented in video form in it's entirety yesterday. The Predators added selected clips to their site late yesterday along with this clip that was played at the start of the SOTU. The music is from Kings of Leon who have claimed Columbia, Tennessee (where we are) as their home town earlier in their career.


In Pred Land...

On the Forecheck gives his summary of the SOTU and has Links for Breakfast this morning.

Codey at Section 303 gives his take on the SOTU also.

John Glennon has more on the SOTU at Inside Predators.

Jim Diamond discusses which Predator is on the hot seat this year. Steve Sullivan and Pekka Rinne are discussed. My thought is that it is probably David Poile. He has been asked to perform miracles within a budget and has no room for error as he discussed at the SOTU. I'm not implying that his job is in jeopardy, but that he has an almost impossible off ice task.

Steve Sullivan made a quick getaway after the SOTU as he tweeted @Sully26: Spending the weekend in Omaha, Nebraska for the Ortmeyer wedding. I had forgotten that Jed was from Nebraska. Congrats to him and his new bride. CBS Sports has a feature on Sully at their site today.

I guess we have a new team to follow this year, the Windsor Spitfires. Here is an article that discusses their defense which is led by # 1 draft choice Ryan Ellis.

Ex-Preds coach Paul Gardner, signed former Canuck and Duck, Jason King, to play for his team in Germany. It appears that the Preds were interested in him at one point.

Around the NHL...

More off-season grades from the RedLightDistrict. Today, the Southeast is featured. Prior grades by division included the Northwest, the Northeast, the Central, the Atlantic, with the West still to come.

In the desert the bids were submitted to the bankruptcy court by those who wanted to keep the team in Phoenix. The Jerry Reinsdorf bid was as expected. The second bid by a group of investors headed by ex-Blackberry man Anthony LeBlanc may not be all that it appears on the surface as this Globe and Mail story explains. It appears that LeBlanc and Jim Ballsille are more than just working acquantances. In fact LeBlanc joined MakeItSeven before things fell apart in Ballsille's initial run at Phoenix.

The City of Glendale is between a rock and a hard place with two courts telling them to produce and not produce the same information on incentives offered to the two groups that submitted bids to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix. Here's a second story (a record for the AZ Republic) on incentives the city may be able to provide.

Boston and Carolina swapped Aaron Ward and Patric Eaves yesterday and then released Eaves. Boston also signed Derrick Morris to a one year deal. I wonder how Ward and Scotty Walker will hit it off in camp (no pun intened) after their altercation in the playoffs last season.

Late breaking news from Sean Leahy at Puck Daddy on a possible rendition of the Pred's new third Jersey. Sean makes a NASCAR reference on a checkerboard bottom. I doubt Sean realizes the UT connection with the checkerboard end zone. David Freeman is a Vol alumni. David Poile dreamed of a Winter Classic between Detroit and the Preds at Neyland Stadium at the SOTU on Thursday.

There has been a lot of speculation about Dany Heatley attending Jason Spezza's wedding this weekend. It appears now that he won't attend as Mirtle explains here.

Finally today, Eklund posts his eulogy for Burt the Dog who passed away yesterday. Burt's last "Tweet" was @burtthedog: Gotta go guys. Thank you all so much for the support and letting me into your lives. I had the best time..other balls to chase now. Peace. I think that was the saddest thing I ever read on Twitter. Our prayers go out to Eklund and his family in their loss.

More later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass

Additions...

Does anyone want a Himalayan Lop-ear rabbit - female - 6 mo old, show type bunny, cage, food, whole set up - free to anyone who wants it. It needs a new home with someone that can pay more attention to it. I can provide a picture if you want one.