Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Hump Day Highlights

As I wrote last night in a separate post, the fight in Phoenix is now a mano-a-mano situation.

In a surprise announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Gary Bettman announced that Ice Edge Holdings indicated that they “do not currently intend to participate in the auction” for the Coyotes set for Thursday and Friday of this week. From @brahmresnik: Coyotes BK: Auction times are 830-6 (PST) Thurs and 830-4 Fri. 90 min for lunch.

Jim Ballsillie appeared to take an upper hand with a offer to the City of Glendale of $50 million to drop the lease agreement with the current Coyote team. The National Post reports that Glendale isn't interested in the $50 million. My bet is that they are thinking that if Ballsillie is willing to pay fifty, then what about sixty? eighty? a hundred? There has to be a number where the city cries uncle.

As further proof of the above argument, Greg Esposito wrote that money was no object to Jim Ballsillie in his quest for an NHL team. Coyotes Hip Check has an update with her assessment also.

Here is a different story from the Canadian Press on Brian Burke not talking about Phoenix.

The Globe reports that the auction will be over by 4:00 Friday and a ruling will come from the judge before the puck drops for real in October.

In Pred Nation...

For those who can't wait to see on ice action, the time is near, at least for the rookies. Here is the complete text of yesterday's Pred's Press Release on the Rookie Camp.

WHAT: Nashville Predators Rookie Camp, featuring 20 prospects slated to play either professionally or in the major junior ranks this season.

WHEN: The Schedule for Wednesday, Sept. 9 – Friday, Sept. 11 is as follows:

Wednesday – On-ice testing (12-2:30 p.m.); Media availability (2:30 p.m.)

Thursday – Practice (1-2:30 p.m.); Media availability (2:30 p.m.)

Friday – Practice (10-11:30 p.m.); Media availability (11:30 p.m.)

Rookies will take place in off-ice testing on Saturday, then practice separate from the veterans Sunday (1-2:30 p.m.), before traveling to Duluth IceForum outside Atlanta to take on a squad of Thrashers prospects on Monday (6 p.m.) and Tuesday (11 a.m.).

WHERE: All camp activities will take place at Centennial Sportsplex.

INFO: The camp includes FIVE 2009 draftees, TWO 2008 draftees, FOUR 2007 draftees, ONE free-agent signee, and EIGHT players attending on either an Amateur or Professional Tryout Agreement.

Jim Diamond has further information on the Rookie Camp attendees with a post at the Examiner.

Dirk, the Forechecker, had another post in his series about Predator Bloggers and featured Jackson and I in his Tuesday post. Thanks to Dirk for doing this series and allowing us to be a part of it.

In what should not have been a surprise, Ex-Preds owner Boots DelBiaggio received a sentence of eight years in prison and was ordered to pay $67 million in damages to creditors. Proceeds from the sale of his 26% stake in the Predators will provide part of the funding for the debt.

Preds radio man Tom Callahan enlisted the help of Detroit broadcaster Ken Kal to give a preview of the Wings at Predators Prowl.

John Gleenon wrote of a wild rumor that the Predators have shown interest in Phil Kessel and also about Boots being headed to the big house. John also has what will be the first of may stories on Colin Wilson.

The Milwaukee Admirals signed five players to two-way AHL-ECHL contracts on Tuesday. None of the signing will have any bearing on the Predators.

Admiral's Short Shifts posts the Admirals training camp roster and has a separate article with additional discussion about a few of the players. It appears they have no goalies in camp so expect a few to go down from the Preds before camp officially opens on September 22.

Fear the Fin actually lists the Preds in his top ten rivalries for the Sharks. We must have made an impression along the way.

The Predators new marketing head Derek Perez plans to play in the Dr. Mac Golf tournament today as he tweeted this yesterday, @dperez915: "Getting ready for The Nashville Predators Foundation Golf Tournament tomorrow - should be fun..."

Around the NHL...

Brian Burke said that he had no plans to file an offer sheet for Phil Kessel "at this time" on Tuesday. Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was equally coy in his visit to Leaf's Lunch on Toronto's 640 AM. Both GMs appear to be holding their cards close to the vest on any potential Kessel deal. Today's Globe and Mail has more.

Nick at Let there Be Light (House) reports that the rezoning hearing for the Lighthouse Project has been set for September 22. This inches the project a bit closer to becoming a reality.

A special thanks to Katrina Doell for our Lighthouse T-shirts that arrived yesterday. She provided us with the shirts after we hosted the Special Light House Edition of POTG a couple of weeks back.

Sports Business Journal has a post explaining the reasons that he NHLPA offed Paul Kelly last month. According to their report, it was something that had been brewing for a while. ESPN's Pierre LeBrun writes that Bobby Orr had a different opinion of Kelly.

In a story that is a change of pace for this space, our friend Michelle Kenneth writes of a visit from an Angel that gave comfort to her in a tough situation. This is quite a story that deserves to be read.

NHL Snipers brings the best hockey commercial ever.

The Psycho Puck Lady turns to Hockey Jams for this week's Top 10.

Completely off topic... Jackson showed me this cool skate video last night so I thought I would share it.


More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass

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