I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is ready to settle in for the start of the World Juniors. Puck drops on the tournament today and NHL Network has your coverage in the US with the first game starting at 3pm Central featuring the Czech Republic (featuring Preds prospect Jà¡chym Kondelàk in goal) and Switzerland. Team USA takes on Slovakia at 5:30pm Central, Canada vs. Denmark at 7pm (joined in progress) and coverage of Finland (with Preds forward Eeli Tolvanen) / Sweden will follow.
Team USA has a solid chance for gold, led by Jack Hughes and goaltender Cayden Primeau. The disappointing part is that the US and Canada will not have their traditional New Year’s Eve game as they are in different groups this tournament. We will have to wait for the knockout round for that matchup if it happens.
The week ahead for the Nashville Predators is an interesting one as they try to wash the nasty taste of an 0-3-1 road trip away. The Predators will be home for three of their next four games. When the team returns from break tomorrow, the Dallas Stars will be visiting. Dallas has been dancing on the playoff line and come in to tomorrow’s game outside of the wild card mix by virtue of tiebreakers and a 4-6-0 record in their last ten games and losing two of their last three.
Saturday night it’s Broadway vs. Broadway as the New York Rangers come to town. The Rangers were one of the surprise teams of the early season, but have fallen on hard times recently, falling out of the Eastern Conference playoff mix and going 2-4-4 in their last 10. Then, it’s off to DC for a New Year’s Eve matinee against the defending Stanley Cup champs. The Washington Capitals have quietly, consistently gone about their business, leading the Metropolitan Division, they have almost identical home and away records and look to be in great shape for a potential repeat. After closing out 2018 in DC, the team heads back home for a New Year’s Night game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
All of that before the team heads out on their longest road trip of the season, a two week odyssey that takes them to Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Columbus and Carolina. Control your feelings of impending doom… by that time, the team should be significantly healthier. Expectations are high that both PK Subban and Viktor Arvidsson will be back in the lineup this week and Filip Forsberg is not far behind.
It should be a fun holiday week in Smashville.
Don’t forget to tune in to SlapShot Radio tonight on 102.5 the Game at 7pm. Brent, Zack and I will welcome the PA voice of the Dallas Stars, "Jeff K… Kovarsky to help us break down tomorrow’s Central Division showdown.
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Random Notes
- Milwaukee Update –The Admirals are back in action tonight against Chicago at home.
- You gotta give Carolina full marks… they went all out in their Whalers salute… Pucky the Whale, Brass Bonanza… all of it! What a lot of fun… it would’ve been even better if they didn’t get rid of Chuck Kaiton in the offseason, the Voice of the Whalers and Hurricanes,
- When Team USA drops the puck on their first game tonight in Victoria, BC… a lot of eyes will be watching Jack Hughes, the presumed #1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft… hence the hashtag #LoseForHughes
- Keep an eye out for a couple of other names as you enjoy the WJC… especially on Team Finland. While Pred Nation is well aware of Eeli Tolvanen, you may want to watch Kaapo Kakko, a 2019 draft eligible player that has been raising some eyebrows on the run up to the tourney.
- There are 13 games tomorrow as the NHL returns from its mandated holiday break. Montreal, Florida, Ottawa, Toronto and the New York Islanders get an extra day as they resume play on Friday night. Ottawa and New York got a real bonus as they rec’d an extra day on the front end of the holiday break as well.
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SlapShot Radio’s 11th season is on! As the longest running hockey show in the region, SSR feeds hockey fans what they crave… intelligent, fun, entertaining talk about their favorite sport and we do it from the opening of training camp all the way through UFA day. We are on tonight at 7 on the Predators flagship station, 102.5 the Game. Please join Brent Peterson, Zack McCann and me as we preview the holiday week for the Predators.
We have been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives awareness and results at a reasonable price. Just ask our sponsors… including day one sponsor Drs. Jane Bacon and Aileen Kruger at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762 and Patrick J. Brown’s Farmer Insurance Agency in Mt. Juliet… I switched to them a few years back and their service has been incredible! Give Pat and his team a call at 615-288-2086. Our newest sponsor is Carter Church with Weichert Realty – The Andrews Group, you will learn more about him in the coming weeks..
Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though holiday season advertising deals available. It is a great way to build awareness of your business You can send me a message on the SlapShot Radio Facebook page or by messaging me right here on HockeyBuzz.
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If you are outside of the listening area, listen live online at The Game website or check out the podcast about two hours after the show at on SoundCloud.
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