Paul McCann: Crucial Week Ahead and Randoms...

First

After this road trip to Ottawa and Boston, I think we should push the panic button and fire Radulov!

"- Talk about pushing the panic button… Jesse Rogers on ESPN Chicago is asking if the Blackhawks need to fire coach Joel Quinneville… wow… you can read his case here"

More people than just Rogers are discussing firing Q, and it's not pushing the panic button just because of a losing streak either. Many of the concerns regarding Q have been around for a while now, and are only now being fully brought out because of the team's slide.

I'll believe the Radulov deal when I see him fly back across the pond. It would be an interesting move to bring him in for 20 games or so - and lose the guaranteed full season. But if you feel like he's the last missing chip. Maybe it's worth it to both sides. Rad gets out of his rookie deal for just a 20 game stretch, and the Preds get an offensive weapon for the playoff run.

I'll be interested to see how the team chemistry holds up in the wake the another ill-timed Suter comment. At some point, third & fourth line guys who are having career years and scoring double-digit goals & 20+ points are gonna start to wonder what they have to do to get their assistant captain to quit downgrading their play.

In the grand scheme of things, Suter was not wrong. And I think any objective observer knows that the Preds don't have elite size or skill at the forward position. But after hearing repeated comments about the weakness of the forward lines, when the most suspect play of late has come from the back end (Suter included), it could cause some rifts in the room. I hope it doesn't & Suter's comments were just overblown.

The next couple weeks are gonna be maybe the most interesting in the history of the franchise - except maybe last year's playoff run.

- I thought the Canadian press knew hockey? Just ask them, they'll tell you... Ken Warren in the Ottawa Citizen makes the sweeping statement that the Southeast Division “just isn’t very good. It has been that way ever since the league adopted its current structure.”

I guess it wouldn't be fair to make a sweeping statement about the quality of the Hockeybuzz bloggers based on just one blogger. That wouldn't be fair to your peers.

Boclair's article was rather interesting. I didn't realize how close Weber and Suter were to Rads when he was here. Also, the part about refinancing his house (versus selling it) and that his parents were at a Preds game recently was interesting as well.

Maybe he is getting ready to come back, but who knows.

"- Talk about pushing the panic button… Jesse Rogers on ESPN Chicago is asking if the Blackhawks need to fire coach Joel Quinneville… wow… you can read his case here"

More people than just Rogers are discussing firing Q, and it's not pushing the panic button just because of a losing streak either. Many of the concerns regarding Q have been around for a while now, and are only now being fully brought out because of the team's slide.
- Tweek

I dont know if "panic button" is accurate.

Bruce Boudreau was fired when the Caps had lost 8 games in 11, had a record of 12-9-1, after a 7-0 start.

Look at what the Blues have done after hiring Hitch---they had a record of 6-7 when he was hired, now they are 34-14-7 and have been just as good as the Wings on home ice (just not consecutively).

Obviously something is going on with the Hawks. Since the new calander yr has hit, they have gone from a record of 24-10-4 to 29-20-7---thats a record of 5-10-3 in the new yr. They have time to turn it around, but something needs to change and change quickly. Firing Q is the "easy" choice.....however, the question is, who can the replace him with.

Boclair's article was rather interesting. I didn't realize how close Weber and Suter were to Rads when he was here. Also, the part about refinancing his house (versus selling it) and that his parents were at a Preds game recently was interesting as well.

Maybe he is getting ready to come back, but who knows.
- Whyme78

Need a Blueline ruling HERE, please. Rads is not on the roster. IF they add him prior to 2.27.12, but he is still in the playoffs in KHL, is that legal? Could he then skip across the pond and play for Preds at end of KHL season (if that prior to NHL regular season end?)

Not hoping this happens just wondering bout roster rules

knowing the Preds luck Radulov would be ruled ineligible for the playoffs..

Tue night is worrisome. CHI due to win.. Preds better show up.

Need a Blueline ruling HERE, please. Rads is not on the roster. IF they add him prior to 2.27.12, but he is still in the playoffs in KHL, is that legal? Could he then skip across the pond and play for Preds at end of KHL season (if that prior to NHL regular season end?)

Not hoping this happens just wondering bout roster rules
- im4preds

I'm not sure about the waiver guidelines etc. However, if he did play just one game with the Preds this season, that would fulfill the last year of his contract. In the past, I was always against that and wanted him to play a full year. Now I'm not so sure. He'd still be a RFA after this season if he came back. If that's what it took to convince #6 & #20 to stick around, maybe it would be worth it?

Boclair's article was rather interesting. I didn't realize how close Weber and Suter were to Rads when he was here. Also, the part about refinancing his house (versus selling it) and that his parents were at a Preds game recently was interesting as well.

Maybe he is getting ready to come back, but who knows.
- Whyme78

Rad's sister lives here so maybe the Radulovs are visiting the grandkids. I do not want Radulov back in a Preds sweater!!! I will soften my stance if it means Suter and Weber stay. The future is bright for the next 3-4 years if Ryan and Shea stay and Alex chipping in goals.

knowing the Preds luck Radulov would be ruled ineligible for the playoffs..

Tue night is worrisome. CHI due to win.. Preds better show up.
- coaster28

It is a unique situation. The NHL knows that Rads bolted despite him having a valid contract to play in Nashville. I don't see why the NHL would punish Nashville by not letting him play since his leaving was no fault of the team's.

There will probably be quite a bit of discussion between this management and the NHL brass - but if Rads wants to come back this season I think he will ultimately be allowed to.

- I thought the Canadian press knew hockey? Just ask them, they'll tell you... Ken Warren in the Ottawa Citizen makes the sweeping statement that the Southeast Division “just isn’t very good. It has been that way ever since the league adopted its current structure.”

I guess it wouldn't be fair to make a sweeping statement about the quality of the Hockeybuzz bloggers based on just one blogger. That wouldn't be fair to your peers.
- akermack

Since we are Nashville Predators fans we tend to get judged pretty quickly... But hey I'm just a dumb redneck that married my cousin and makes moonshine in my barn.

Since most of the players that Rad butted heads with are no longer this the Preds he might be able to have a better relationship with his teammates.
And I would have to think if he played again for the Preds he would be "the" guy.

Is the KHL more comparable to the AHL or NHL? Not just the top teams in the KHL but the league as a whole.

Since we are Nashville Predators fans we tend to get judged pretty quickly... But hey I'm just a dumb redneck that married my cousin and makes moonshine in my barn.
- benderboots

Yo. Hook it up man!

Things to look forward to from Radulov:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...I&feature=player_embedded

Things to look forward to from Radulov:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...I&feature=player_embedded
- AlexF

For 80 points he can hit whoever he wants....

For 80 points he can hit whoever he wants....
- buelleo

Things to look forward to from Radulov:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...I&feature=player_embedded
- AlexF

You've got to be kidding me, dude. This is a five-second clip. We have ZERO idea of what happened before the play. If you understand hockey, you'd know he just came off the ice due to bench position (he wouldn't be sitting there to jump on a line change offsides). That pretty conclusive evidence proves, also, that something happened before he sat there (remember, he just sat down, he's at the end of the bench). Now, that something could be big or small, we don't know, nor can we, because the clip is five seconds long. But, we can conclude, reasonably, that he just came off the ice.

To further the argument, there is no indication of what happened after the stick hit the coach in the face, but we do see one small hand gesture by Rads suggesting an apology in the waning moments of the clip. Now, there is no audio, and no further video proof, so we are unable to accurately determine whether he told his coach that he deserved it, or that he apologized. But, since there is no direct evidence showing anything otherwise, this is a free man.

It's just what we have to assume.

For 80 points he can hit whoever he wants....
- buelleo

I will volunteer to stand behind him in a suit with a clipboard if he will come back and score goals.

You've got to be kidding me, dude. This is a five-second clip. We have ZERO idea of what happened before the play. If you understand hockey, you'd know he just came off the ice due to bench position (he wouldn't be sitting there to jump on a line change offsides). That pretty conclusive evidence proves, also, that something happened before he sat there (remember, he just sat down, he's at the end of the bench). Now, that something could be big or small, we don't know, nor can we, because the clip is five seconds long. But, we can conclude, reasonably, that he just came off the ice.

To further the argument, there is no indication of what happened after the stick hit the coach in the face, but we do see one small hand gesture by Rads suggesting an apology in the waning moments of the clip. Now, there is no audio, and no further video proof, so we are unable to accurately determine whether he told his coach that he deserved it, or that he apologized. But, since there is no direct evidence showing anything otherwise, this is a free man.

It's just what we have to assume.
- jmayfield

Are you a lawyer?

Are you a lawyer?
- AlexF

He said the same thing Poile did in the article. Valid point.

I remember when Pronger (or Hull - I have a little CRS disease) broke Al MacInnis' hand slamming his stick on the boards at our bench during their STL era. Weird things happen.

Would you take Bertuzzi in 2009 when he was a UFA? I would take those 45ish points....

He said the same thing Poile did in the article. Valid point.

I remember when Pronger (or Hull - I have a little CRS disease) broke Al MacInnis' hand slamming his stick on the boards at our bench during their STL era. Weird things happen.

Would you take Bertuzzi in 2009 when he was a UFA? I would take those 45ish points....
- buelleo

When I first saw the video I was more amused than alarmed. The KHL is a bit of a rodeo on so many levels so I also wouldn’t put too much stock into that footage, whether there was intent or not. That said, there’s usually an element of surprise when it comes to Russian imports into the NHL. Not saying you shouldn’t give the guy a shot, but I wouldn’t peg him as an automatic for 80 points either.

When I first saw the video I was more amused than alarmed. The KHL is a bit of a rodeo on so many levels so I also wouldn’t put too much stock into that footage, whether there was intent or not. That said, there’s usually an element of surprise when it comes to Russian imports into the NHL. Not saying you shouldn’t give the guy a shot, but I wouldn’t peg him as an automatic for 80 points either.
- AlexF

I agree, especially the 80 pts question. Even 1/2 that number could be huge for the Preds.