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"My Take On The Preds"
TN • United States • 40 Years Old • Male
A special note to our friends at the Preds and Fox Sports South:

WHY ON EARTH IS TONIGHT'S GAME NOT ON TV?

Seriously? How often do we play in Toronto? I realize that the Preds TV package doesn’t allow for every game to be shown but there is zero reason why this game is not being shown on TV. Just glancing at the TV schedule I would gladly trade a Thursday evening home game against the Kings in February for a game like tonight. I guess NHL Center ICE needs to be on my Christmas list! Bottom line though...this is so stupid for this game not to be on.

The league has handed down a five game suspension to Predator forward Scott Nichol for his double minor high stick on Patrice Brisebois. This suspension has made me come to this conclusion...Nichol needs to go. Let me be the first to say that there are times that Scott Nichol is an incredible asset to this team. In fact there have been times in the past when I would have called myself a fan. His high energy play and grit is something that is appreciated but it has also been (and is being) a liability to the Preds. I am a fan no more. His ill timed penalties have been discussed here in the past but I am tired of it. He is a repeat offender and this will not be the last time that he sees a suspension. We would be better off trying to deal him or dropping him. I would much rather see a Rich Peverley come up and get some solid time on our fourth line than risk putting Nichol out there. Let some other team enjoy his high energy play and then pay for the ill timed penalty that costs a game or a playoff series.

Who gets the start tonight? Looking at the numbers Dan Ellis is the clear number one. As a co-worker of mine said today "He's beating Mason in every category." Ellis is 6-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .929 SV%. Mason is 7-9-4 with a 3.15 and .894 SV%. Ellis is making the case for more playing time and has responded every time he gets the call. My guess is Trotz still believes in Mason and will give him the start tonight but at some point even Trotz has to look at the numbers.
December 4, 2007 2:52 PM ET | Delete
I still have nightmares of Nichol last year against the Sharks. I think Hordichuk is just as good when you factor in the bonehead penalty you'll get from Nichol. Who knows?
December 4, 2007 4:01 PM ET | Delete
Its just hard to replace Nichol's faceoff ability and fire with our current talent pool. If Peverly was an adequate replacement, I'm sure Nichol would have been gone a long time ago.
December 4, 2007 4:10 PM ET | Delete
you don't get to see this game?that sucks....stupid Bettman...
December 4, 2007 6:32 PM ET | Delete
radio only I'm afraid...or Center Ice.
December 4, 2007 7:17 PM ET | Delete
Nichol and Ortmeyer are at 60 % fow - highest on team and among NHL leaders so far this season. I cannot overlook the value of winning faceoffs. I don't like his lack of self control but his other qualities such as hustle, tenacity, and the desire to succeed have value. How much value those qualities are worth vs his occasional and detrimental lack of self control/untimely penalties is debatable.
December 4, 2007 7:31 PM ET | Delete
We get to play the Leafs once this season and it's not on tv, supposedly because of a "proximity issue" of our game being too close in distance to the Wings at Habs tilt which is on VS. According to other sources on HB and as I understand it, VS feels that Toronto is too close to Detroit and/or Montreal, and broadcasting our game on FSN might hurt their ratings. Apparently, VS had the NHL at gunpoint when the broadcast contract was drawn up. To both parties: what idiots and what unbelievably shoddy logic.
December 5, 2007 5:25 PM ET | Delete
You missed one helluva game.
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