Nashville Predators

The 2013 Alternative NHL Awards highlighted the league's greatest underachievers in a number of specific categories, but we've saved the best for last. Just as the Professional Hockey Writers Association will award the Hart Trophy to the NHL's Most Valuable Player this summer, here at OTF I would like to bestow a Least Valuable Player award, which goes to the skater whose presence on the ice brought woe and misery to his teammates this season (goalies have been mercifully omitted from consideration). Last week on the Marek vs Wyshynski podcast they were joking about such an award being called The Fart Trophy, but of course I would never stoop to such juvenile humor. Ah, who's kidding - I have 10- and 11-year-old boys in the house, and I wish I just got this article posted earlier, because I was thinking the same thing. Anyways, on with the show... What "Least Valuable Player" Means The general idea behind the LVP (something I first rolled out in 2010) is to identify those players whose ice time showed the greatest negative turn in Goals For & Against for their team, as compared to when they were on the bench. To use a simplified example, if a team out-scores its opponents by 1 goal for every 60 minutes of play, but when Joe Schmo is on the ice, they only break even, his "Impact" would be -1 goals for every 60 minutes of his play. Assuming Joe played 15 minutes a game for 48 games, that would translate to -12 goals for the entire season. These Impact calculations are done for 5-on-5 play, 5-on-4 power play, 4-on-5 penalty killing, as well as for the balance of Penalties Drawn vs. Penalties Taken by that individual player (a guy who draws lots of calls has a positive influence, a thug who takes lots of penalties puts his team in a hole). Source data comes from Behind the Net. To make things crystal clear, this designation does not mean "worst player in the NHL". If a guy is absolutely horrible, he wouldn't stay on the roster for very long, nor get the kind of ice time that's required to rack up the numbers described here. For the players at the bottom of this list, it takes individual effort along with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune to obtain these results. Beside each player's Impact figures I've included PDO and Corsi Rel stats to provide a bit of context. The bottom line, however, is that when these guys hit the ice, bad things started to happen for their teams. LVP Honorable Mentions NAME POS TEAM 5-5 Impact PP Impact PK Impact Penalty +/- Total PDO Corsi Rel Bryce Salvador D N.J -11.5 -0.3 -9.4 -1.0 -22.3 969 -14.7 Erik Gudbranson D FLA -18.6 -1.5 -2.1 -0.6 -22.9 934 -6.9 Scott Hannan D S.J -20.4 +1.0 -2.7 -0.8 -22.9 946 -5.2 Valterri Filppula C DET -6.3 -16.6 -1.7 +1.4 -23.2 979 +5.4 Matt Cooke RW PIT -12.2 -0.5 -11.1 -0.2 -24.0 1012 -15.8 I know, you Nashville Predators fans will be shocked to see Scott Hannan's name on this list. Of course, he's probably having the last laugh, as he's still in the playoffs with the San Jose Sharks. 5th Place Matt Niskanen #2 / Defenseman / Pittsburgh Penguins Height: 6-0 Weight: 209 Born: Dec 06, 1986 GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG SOG PCT 2012 - Matt Niskanen 40 4 10 14 4 12 0 0 2 67 5.9 NAME POS TEAM 5-5 Impact PP Impact PK Impact Penalty +/- Total PDO Corsi Rel Matt Niskanen D PIT -14.1 -10.8 +1.3 -0.8 -24.4 996 +7.7 The Penguins had some amazing results when guys like Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis, and some scrub named Sidney Crosby were on the ice, so if you didn't have the chance to play alongside those guys, woe unto ye. 4th Place Sean Couturier #14 / Center / Philadelphia Flyers Height: 6-3 Weight: 197 Born: Dec 07, 1992 GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG SOG PCT 2012 -

Nashville has seen its share of natural disasters, and in the true Volunteer spirit, the Nashville Predators are hosting a plaza party to raise funds for victims of the Moore, Oklahoma twister.  Details below: NASHVILLE PREDATORS HOST PLAZA EVENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR OKLAHOMA RELIEF -Stop by the Bridgestone Arena plaza tomorrow between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.for games, music and fun for the cause-   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 22, 2013) – Tomorrow, Thursday, May 23 between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. stop by the Bridgestone Arena plaza for a day of games, music, food and fun, benefitting Oklahoma tornado relief. Drop by to enjoy some free morning coffee and donuts courtesy of Dunkin’ Donuts, join in on a game of air hockey or cornhole, grab a bite to eat from one of Nashville’s infamous food trucks, shop at the Predators Pro Shop and donate to Oklahoma relief. Donations of all denominations are accepted and fans who donate $25 or more will be entered to win prizes such as autographed pucks, Nashville Predators preseason ticket vouchers, tickets to 102.5 The Game’s SportsFest, Nashville Sounds tickets and more. WHAT:           Nashville Predators event to raise money for Oklahoma relief WHEN:           TOMORROW, Thursday, May 23 from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.   WHERE:        Bridgestone Arena plaza (501 Broadway, Nashville)   FOOD & DRINK:          Dunkin’ Donuts will provide free coffee and donuts in the morning, starting at 7 a.m. Food trucks will be on site from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participating trucks include Wrapper’s Delight, Yayo’s OMG and Cupcake Collection. Ten percent of food truck proceeds go toward the Predators Oklahoma relief efforts. DNC SportService will be offering alcoholic beverages throughout the lunch hour.   PARKING:     Free parking will be provided in the Sixth Avenue Garage (on the corner of Sixth and Demonbreun).   DONATE:       In light of the tragic tornado that took place on Monday in Oklahoma the Nashville Predators are gathering donations for the American Red Cross. One hundred percent of your donation is tax deductible. Not able to make it to Thursday’s event? Visit nashvillepredators.com/oklahoma to make your tax deductable donation now. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.  American Red Cross is always in need of blood donations.  Stop by 2201 Charlotte Ave, Nashville to donate.

The Nashville Predators hired former NHL defenseman Phil Housley as an assistant coach in large part to help 2009 draft picks Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm gain some traction.

Nashville, Tenn. – Tomorrow, Thursday, May 23 between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. stop by the Bridgestone Arena plaza for a day of games, music, food and fun, benefitting Oklahoma tornado relief. Drop by to enjoy some free morning coffee and donuts cour...

We’ve seen select guys make through-the-legs goals before but have you ever seen a through-the-legs saucer pass? Let alone on a stage as big as the Memorial Cup? London Knights forwards Max Domi (son of former NHL tough guy Tie Domi) and Bo Horvat — both 2013 NHL Draft eligible, by the way — hooked up for what might go down as the play of the tournament. Enjoy. — VIDEO COURTESY of The Score

Nashville Predators News David Poile mishandled Peter Horachek’s firing - Examiner.com C'mon, who hasn't been fired over the phone? I think I might actually prefer it. Annual Report Card: Roman Josi | The Predatorial You had me until "young Swiss starlet". Please don't ever use that phrase again. Nashville Predators, Craig Smith hope European play sparks resurgence | The Tennessean As do we all. Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey Kings vs Sharks Mid-Series Review - Jewels From The Crown The numbers aren't too kind to the Kings...they could easily be down 3-1. No one besides Lundqvist stepping up - NYPOST.com Championship teams are not built with handsome goalies alone. LA Kings Tweet Out Rape Joke [UPDATE]-Deadspin I suppose this was inevitable. I guess this is why most teams have a more, um, straightforward social media presence. Pavel Datsyuk may not be naturally gifted, but he works hard, says Glenn Healy (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports Wait, what? Natural or not, he's the real deal. The 15 best hockey fights from the 2013 regular season-Puck Drunk Love Hey, Big Ern! Dallas Stars to Unveil New Uniform, Logo at Rebranding Event - Dallas Stars I hope it's something with a ten-gallon hat. Those are awesome. Blue Jackets noticing upswing at box office-TSN A move to the East and not sucking as much are positives, for sure. MasterCard Memorial Cup-Halifax 9 London 2 They kept the scorekeeper busy in this one. The 20 Types of Depressed Sports Fans- Grantland I'm definitely a solid #2 and #9 with a dusting of #6. Hahaha I just said I'm a solid #2!

We told you Peter Horachek was fired earlier, and the Predators wasted little time replacing him. Former NHL player and Team USA World Junior Coach Phil Housley has officially joined the team.   As a player Housley was best known as the guy who is the second all time leading scorer among American born players.  As a coach?  He’s got a gold medal with the USA WJC National Team that included prospect Seth Jones.  A defensemen by trade, one would have to assume Housley will be handling that unit himself, leaving Mitch Horn to focus on goaltenders, and Barry Trotz/Lane Lambert working with the forward units.  I’m not sure if that’s the setup they will have, or if they will all work on every piece of the game together.  Either way it’s a huge sway for the Predators. The best part about having Housley is, he coached in the World Junior Championships just a few months ago, which means he’s seen first hand what some of the top prospects can do and that would give the Predators an edge in the draft department.  We’re banking on the first round pick coming in and playing right away, but if we could make sound picks in the later rounds that develop into playmakers (see Patric Hornqvist, Martin Erat, Craig Smith) then we could easily have a team prepared for deeper and deeper cup runs.  It also helps Milwaukee retool quite a bit, which is good because unless something major changes they won’t have Austin Watson next year, nor Ryan Ellis. So what does this say for the future of the Predators?  Who really knows?  All I know is, there are changes coming, and we now have proof that management is serious about shaking things up this summer. That’s all for now. -Seth

In a natural follow-up to yesterday's news about Peter Horachek being fired, the Nashville Predators have hired a new assistant coach in Phil Housley, one of the top offensive defensemen in NHL history. Considering the number of young blueliners in the Predators system with major scoring potential (Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, etc.), it can be hoped that Housley's influence will continue Nashville's strong tradition of driving the attack with an active defense. It does have to be said, however, that Housley is unproven as a coach at the NHL level. There are any number of amazingly talented players who haven't panned out behind the bench. It will be interesting to see what kind of fresh ideas his background can bring to the team, though. The following (lengthy) release comes from the Preds: Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that Phil Housley has been named assistant coach of the team. Housley coached the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships and ranks fourth all-time among NHL defensemen in points (338g-894a-1,232pts). "Phil brings a unique skill set to our coaching staff," Poile said. "He was one of the most talented offensive defensemen to play in the NHL, and he has worked extensively with young players during his coaching career. He will continue to focus his efforts on our young defensemen and assisting on the power play." Housley, 49 (3/9/64), has spent the last nine seasons in the coaching ranks, most recently serving as an assistant for Team USA at the 2013 World Championships that took home the bronze medal, the nation's first medal at the tournament in nine years. He was also behind the bench for the U.S. National Team at the 2011 World Championships. In addition to leading the United States' to its second world junior title in four years in January, Housley was an assistant coach at the tournament in both 2007 and 2011, helping each team claim the bronze medal. He was also one of two head coaches for the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in September 2012. "A coach with history as a defenseman who was offensively gifted and excelled on the power play is something we have never had on our coaching staff," Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "His insight and viewpoint will bring a fresh perspective to our team." A native of South St. Paul, Minn., Housley was a seven-time NHL All-Star in a career that spanned 21 seasons (1982-2003) with eight teams (Buffalo, Winnipeg, St. Louis, Calgary, New Jersey, Washington, Chicago and Toronto). In addition to having posted the most points by an American defenseman in NHL history, he played the sixth-most games among all League blueliners (1,495). A first-round pick (sixth overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. A seven-time member of the U.S. National Team (1982, 1986, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003), Housley earned a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and helped Team USA capture the 1996 World Cup of Hockey title. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in May 2012, and received USA Hockey's Bob Johnson Award in 2000 for excellence in international competition. Phil Housley at a glance: Head coach of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at the 2013 World Junior Championships. Also helped Team USA to bronze medals at the tournament in 2007 and 2011. An assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team at the 2013 World Championships, helping the team claim the bronze medal, the nation's first medal at the tournament since 2004. Also served as an assistant at the 2011 World Championships. Ranks fourth all-time among NHL defensemen in points (338g-894a-1,232pts), and sixth in games played (1,495). He ranks first among American-born blueliners in points, and second in games played. Inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 200

The Nashville Predators have hired United States Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Housley as assistant coach. Associate Coach Peter Horachek was fired last night. Housley, 49, is the second-highest American-born scorer in the history of the National Hockey League. Over 22 seasons, Housley played for seven different NHL squads. As a head coach, the St. Paul, Minnesota, native won gold at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia. The official press release is below. *** Nashville, Tenn. (May 21, 2013) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that Phil Housley has been named assistant coach of the team. Housley coached the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships and ranks fourth all-time among NHL defensemen in points (338g-894a-1,232pts). “Phil brings a unique skill set to our coaching staff,” Poile said. “He was one of the most talented offensive defensemen to play in the NHL, and he has worked extensively with young players during his coaching career. He will continue to focus his efforts on our young defensemen and assisting on the power play.” Housley, 49 (3/9/64), has spent the last nine seasons in the coaching ranks, most recently serving as an assistant for Team USA at the 2013 World Championships that took home the bronze medal, the nation’s first medal at the tournament in nine years. He was also behind the bench for the U.S. National Team at the 2011 World Championships. In addition to leading the United States’ to its second world junior title in four years in January, Housley was an assistant coach at the tournament in both 2007 and 2011, helping each team claim the bronze medal. He was also one of two head coaches for the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in September 2012. “A coach with history as a defenseman who was offensively gifted and excelled on the power play is something we have never had on our coaching staff,” Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz said. “His insight and viewpoint will bring a fresh perspective to our team.” A native of South St. Paul, Minn., Housley was a seven-time NHL All-Star in a career that spanned 21 seasons (1982-2003) with eight teams (Buffalo, Winnipeg, St. Louis, Calgary, New Jersey, Washington, Chicago and Toronto). In addition to having posted the most points by an American defenseman in NHL history, he played the sixth-most games among all League blueliners (1,495). A first-round pick (sixth overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. A seven-time member of the U.S. National Team (1982, 1986, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003), Housley earned a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and helped Team USA capture the 1996 World Cup of Hockey title. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in May 2012, and received USA Hockey’s Bob Johnson Award in 2000 for excellence in international competition.   Phil Housley at a glance: Head coach of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at the 2013 World Junior Championships. Also helped Team USA to bronze medals at the tournament in 2007 and 2011. An assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2013 World Championships, helping the team claim the bronze medal, the nation’s first medal at the tournament since 2004. Also served as an assistant at the 2011 World Championships. Ranks fourth all-time among NHL defensemen in points (338g-894a-1,232pts), and sixth in games played (1,495). He ranks first among American-born blueliners in points, and second in games played. Inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2012. Also the recipient of USA Hockey’s Bob Johnson Award in 2000 for excellence in international competition. A seven-time NHL All-Star Game selection (1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2000). Broke into the NHL as an 18-year-old, posting 66 points (19g-47a) in 77 games, finishing secon

Nashville, Tenn. – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that Phil Housley has been named assistant coach of the team. Housley coached the United States to a gold medal at the 2013 World Jun...