Motown heads to Music City.
One in a series of retarded alternate logos used in Tennessee.
NOW, WHERE WERE WE?
The last time these two teams met was the third to last game oft the 2008-09 season. Detroit lost that game in a shootout, 4-3, with Osgood in net. Franzen (34), Lidstrom (16), and Kronwall (6) were the goal-scorers in regulation, and Scuttles scored the lone shootout goal for the Red Wings. Marian Hossa left the game in the second period with a “sore groin,” but returned to action for the playoffs. Not that you would have noticed him.
WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE THEN?
The Predators were the lone Central Division team to NOT make the playoffs, finishing four points out of eighth place. They lost Vernon Fiddler, Greg Zanon, Scott Nichol, Jed Ortmeyer, Radek Bonk, and Ville Koistenen — and replaced them with, well, Francis Bouillon and some two-way guys.
OH, HI AGAIN
The closest thing the Predators have to a former Red Wing is David Legwand, who’s a native Detroiter.
MEMBA ME?!
The only former Predator in the Red Wings system is Andy Delmore.
DID YOU KNOW…
…that the following players were selected by the Predators in their expansion draft: Mike Richter (who was an impending free agent), Al Iafrate (who retired, rather than head to BBQ Land), Uwe Krupp (who signed with the Red Wings instead), and Doug Brown (who Detroit lost in the draft, but traded to get back the next day)?
THEIR LAST GAMES
–Detroit won in a shootout — Huzzah! — against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
–Nashville also won in a shootout on Saturday, against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
RECORDS
Detroit Red Wings :: 11-6-4 (3rd in Central, 8th in West) :: 4-4-2 on the road.
Nashville Sabrecat Things :: 12-8-1 (4th in Central, 10th in West) :: 7-3-0 at home.
EXPECTED LINEUP
I haven’t heard anything about starting goaltender for this one, but I have to assume Babcock is going to go back to Chris Osgood to try to get him back into a groove after missing four games while ill – and losing his one start since. And check out the new defense pairings…
Bertuzzi — Datsyuk — Holmstrom
Cleary — Zetterberg — Leino
Draper — Helm — Eaves
May — Abdelkader — Miller
Lidstrom — Ericsson
Lebda — Rafalski
Stuart — Meech
Osgood
Howard
Scratch:
Kirk “Four-Time Healthy Scratch” Maltby
Injured:
Andreas “Year-to-Year” Lilja
Johan “Mouthguard Connoisseur” Franzen
Valtteri “Santa Hat” Filppula
Jason “The Ginger Dandy” Williams
Niklas “Son of a BITCH!” Kronwall
QUICK THOUGHTS
1. The Nik Kronwall injury hurts – big time. He was our leading scorer on the blueline and his presence on the power play will obviously be missed. A lot of folks are dreading a Lebda/Meech pairing, and who can blame them? Hopefully, Derek Meech has been learning by watching (he’s been a healthy scratch for the last 8 games, and 16 of this season’s 21 games). In a related story, if you haven’t read this article at the Scrappy Octopus, you should turn in your Red Wings fan card right away.
2. One has to wonder if Mike Babcock is going to do what he can to keep Brad May in the lineup as a result of another injury. Not that I’m ready to concede that May’s presence is an effective preventative, but Babcock seems to think so. Would Laraque have stuck his knee out if May was in the lineup to do something about it? Yeah, probably, but he’s an ass. But the fact is – that’s why May’s on the team and he isn’t effective in that respect from the press box.
3. Darren McCarty is making his talking-head debut tonight on Versus. I’ve never been more sure of anything than I am he’ll do a fantastic job.
4. Mike Babcock is putting Derek Meech on the power play instead of Jonathan Ericsson. Allow me to repeat: Detroit Red Wings head coach Michael Babcock has selected reserve defenseman Derek Meech to play the point on the second power play unit instead of 100-miles-per-hour shooter Jonathan Ericsson.
5. The Olympic year schedule is rearing its ugly head once again, with four games between now and Saturday. We’ll probably see a bit of Jimmy Howard, as after tonight the Red Wings have the Thrashers Wednesday, the Flames Friday, and Blues Saturday.
WHAT WE LEARNED vs. the Canadiens
We learned that we can, in fact, get the second point after the 60th minute. We shouldn’t lose all hope in Jimmy Howard. The power play could have used Nik Kronwall in that first period – methinks the score wouldn’t have been 2-0 after one.
PREDATOR WE COVET
I love Joel Ward. I was secretly hoping we’d pursue him this summer before he re-signed in Nashville.
You gotta stop picking the exact same player for the guy you covet from every single team. It's getting a little creepy. Are you reading my diary too? If so, could you ignore the page where I've written "J.J. from Sweden" a dozen times surrounded by hearts and the number 5?
Between the Tootoo whistles, Versus announcers (not including DMac, who I'm excited for), and that Tim McGraw song they play after Preds goals, I may just completely destroy my mute button tonight.
Do you mean I pick the same kind of player from each team — or the same player YOU covet? Either way, your Swedish lust is hereby ignored. No worries, friend.
I hope to NOT hear the Tim McGraw song tonight (the same goes for all country songs, always). You can keep it muted during play because McCarty's only on in intermissions, is my understanding.
The exact same player I covet. I remember looking up Joel Ward's contract status after a game we played against them last year. I was disappointed when they re-signed him. The guy's got hustle.
Thanks for the shoutout to The Scrappy Octopus! You know, this whole Laraque thing has really gotten me thinking…maybe we need McCarty to lace up his skates and straight up tackle Laraque when he returns from his joke of a suspension. I like Brad May, but I'm not sure he can get the job done the way I imagine it needs to be done.