Paul McCann: First Step

Last night was a good win for the team, but every time they win a game we wonder if this is the catalyst that brings back the Preds team we're all familiar with only to see them stink up the joint the next three games. While I'm happy for the win I'm taking a 'wait and see' attitude with this team. Getting by Columbus is going to be tough, especially with busloads of BJs fans coming on Saturday.

They seemed to have some jump & energy last night. I wonder if the goofy nature of this short season, coupled with 25% of their roster spending significant time on IR has impacted the spirit of the team. Hockey, I am learning, is a sport where continuity & team identity is very important.

Shuffling players in & out all season from the waiver wire & the AHL makes team bonding and continuity a very tough job. Heck, last year, the Preds add four quality players at the trade deadline and only a couple of them worked out...the others managed to disrupt the team chemistry.

As we all know, Trotz is a good coach - but his one big weakness is the ability to quickly shift gears. And I think all of the coming & going on the roster is even tougher with a coach like him.

All teams deal with injuries. But if you remove a teams top two scoring threats (27 & 33) while also losing a face-off specialist & good penalty killer. That's bad enough. Then to shelf your #4 & #5 D-men...one of whom is critical on the penalty kill and the other chews up valuable minutes.

Well, that's a lot for a team that wasn't very deep to begin with. Add those ingredients to a short season...and you get a really slim chance to recover and make the playoffs. Can it be done? Sure. But it's a long shot.

Last night was a good win for the team, but every time they win a game we wonder if this is the catalyst that brings back the Preds team we're all familiar with only to see them stink up the joint the next three games. While I'm happy for the win I'm taking a 'wait and see' attitude with this team. Getting by Columbus is going to be tough, especially with busloads of BJs fans coming on Saturday.
- Predaceous

The slogan for this year should be Love & Hate. Love the team last night & hate the team the other night. Love Josi when he is pinching in on the play, hate Josi at the PP point! 2 shorties last night but maybe the refs helped on one of them. If this team sneaks in the playoffs, it is going to be a #7th or #8th seed. Leading the babes to the slaughter house.

I'm outta here for a while! No feed where I'm going & limited wi-fi for 5 days. The WD's are going to be bad.

I was impressed at the defensive game you guys played last night. Was a good game for you guys.

I know the game was announced a sellout, but there sure were a lot of invisible people there last night..... It was the smallest crowd I can remember seeing this year. My section had quite a few empty seats. Was it just a bunch of no-shows or are they counting sellouts different this year?

I know the game was announced a sellout, but there sure were a lot of invisible people there last night..... It was the smallest crowd I can remember seeing this year. My section had quite a few empty seats. Was it just a bunch of no-shows or are they counting sellouts different this year?
- Scottrod83

In the NHL a sellout is determined by tickets distributed, not tickets sold. So that just means the Preds distributed all their tickets. That doesn't mean people have to use them. It's also why there was a clause in the Preds previous lease that stated they had to have under 14k average PAID attendance in order to trigger the escape clause. I thought the building was pretty full, and if they were going to actually count the bodies in the arena they would have had north of 16,800.

As for the NHL sellout policy, it's still better than the NFL policy which allows teams to claim a sellout when they're roughly within 95% of a true sellout. You're even allowed to 'purchase' a lower percentage such as 85% in order to have blackouts lifted. At least with the NHL all tickets are accounted for.

I thought the building was pretty full, and if they were going to actually count the bodies in the arena they would have had north of 16,800.

- Predaceous

It was fairly full, just not as full as I have seen it this year.... I kinda like having a little extra elbow room!

It was fairly full, just not as full as I have seen it this year.... I kinda like having a little extra elbow room!
- Scottrod83

There were 4 empties in my row of 10 seats last night ... 4 that I know were sold. I was a bit surprised when they announced the sellout; but 108 was pretty much full.

Last night was a good win for the team, but every time they win a game we wonder if this is the catalyst that brings back the Preds team we're all familiar with only to see them stink up the joint the next three games. While I'm happy for the win I'm taking a 'wait and see' attitude with this team. Getting by Columbus is going to be tough, especially with busloads of BJs fans coming on Saturday.
- Predaceous

This is way, waaay far from our most talented team but in the early years, if we busted ass, we might win. This team, this year, if we bust ass we DO win. We have some real talent. It's just not 20 deep like we've had before. If the boys give the effort we'll make the playoffs. Likely will be bounced quickly but I won't listen to any of the board talk about missing and maybe winning the number one pick lottery. MUST keep the playoff streak alive.