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Coaching Sneak Peek?

April 15, 2014, 3:53 PM ET [22 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Are we getting a preview of what is to come? USA Hockey has just released the news that Pete Laviolette will be Team USA’s head coach for the upcoming World Championships in Belarus. Laviolette was an assistant coach for the US Olympic team in Sochi. The assistant coaches are Joe Sacco, Don Granato and (drumroll please…) Predator assistant coach Phil Housley. Another Predator connection… Lawrence Feloney, Predators Video Coach will serve as video coordinator.

Peter Laviolette has more than 750 games of NHL Head Coaching experience under his belt. He has led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title eight years ago. He took the Philadelphia Flyers to a Cup final in 2010. He began his NHL coaching career coaching the New York Islanders in 2001-02 and 2002-03. His last job was in Philly, where he was fired last October only three games into the season. Over his ten full seasons as a head coach, his teams have made the playoffs six times. He has been dismissed twice during the season, the second time being Carolina in 2009. His overall coaching record is 389-282-25-63, his playoff record is 43-39.

Laviolette is known as a coach with a temper and has a reputation for not accepting a lack of intensity. I do recall his appearance on 24/7 in 2011, he certainly showed his intensity and wasn’t afraid to let his players have it. A career-long minor league defenseman, with the excetion of a brief 12 game callup with the Rangers in the 1988-89 season, he has deep international experience both as a player and a coach. He played in two Olympics and was the head coach in one… and he will get a look at two key pieces of the Predators future in Craig Smith and Seth Jones.

So… the World Championships start in a couple of weeks on May 9th. Is this staffing just coincidence? Or perhaps an audition? More to come…

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SlapShot Radio will feature the playoffs starting tomorrow night. We will spend the hour with Predators TV Color Analyst Terry Crisp and get the perspective of someone who’s been there. What’s it like to prep for the playoffs as a coach, as a player? We will also take a look back at the Predators season.

Please come join us at Tavern 96 tomorrow night. Tavern 96 is located a Bridgestone Arena’s SoBro Entrance… we will have Game One of the Montreal/Tamp Bay and the Columbus/Pittsburgh series on the T96 TV’s.

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Random Notes

- Calle Jarnkrok has been assigned to Milwaukee for their playoff run.

- The Predators also announced the signing of 2013 3rd round pick Felix Girard.

- Six years and $30 million… for Andrew MacDonald… really Philly?

- The Predators finished the season with a 97% to capacity attendance number of 16,600 per game. That’s down 626 per game from last season (24 home games) and down 30 per game from 2011-2012.

- Looking at attendance numbers, St. Louis came in at 88.9%, down over last season. Columbus came in at 81% to capacity and Colorado came in at 90.5%... some interesting numbers.

- Thanks to stadium games, Chicago came in at 117.6% capacity, Detroit at 110.4%, LA @ 107.6% and Vancouver clocked in at 107.2%. You almost hate to see what the Islanders and Devils % to capacity would’ve come in at without the Yankee Stadium games.

- Mark your calendar for Saturday May 3rd for Petey’s 5K Face-Off, the annual run/walk to support the Peterson for Parkinsons Foundation. It was a blast to do it last year so make sure to join the SlapShot Radio team for this fun event. More information is available at the PFP Website.

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You are invited to follow me on Twitter. Search for @PredPAPaul… Not only will I be updating when I get news or updates, but we are having a bit of fun by getting your input on Gnash introductions, weigh in on Twitter and who knows, we may use your introduction for the best mascot in the NHL at the next Preds game! You can also keep up with all the goings on with SlapShot Radio by following the show on Twitter @SlapShotRadio1

Also... make sure to "like" SlapShot Radio on Facebook... here's the link.

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SlapShot Radio, Join Pete Weber and I as we chat with hockey’s best, every Wednesday night at 7pm on 102.5 the Game and the SlapShot Radio Network. We return for our playoff run tomorrow, live from Tavern 96 at Bridgestone Arena.

Don’t forget to visit our season’s advertisers… The Wine Shoppe at Green Hills, Dr. Jane Bacon at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (615-872-7762), Nolensville Collision Repair Center and Burger Republic, check their excellent menu out at their website, Defend Quality… Burger Republic.

Want to be part of the SlapShot Radio family?

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Our podcasts are posted… Click here to download or listen to any of this season’s podcasts.

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