Skilled Predators Thrive Early Under New Rules

Let others praise the Nashville Predators, who have won eight of their first 10 games in the new, obstruction-free NHL.

General Manager David Poile, who built a team with small, swift forwards, solid goaltending and an exceptionally mobile defense, isn’t ready to pass judgment just yet.

“I don’t think we’ll know where we stand until we go through our conference,” he said. “We haven’t played Vancouver yet and we haven’t played Detroit, who we play eight times. The standard for us is set by Detroit and I think that standard is going to be set for us all again.”

By any standard, the Predators have had a strong start. As they travel to Anaheim tonight, San Jose on Wednesday and Staples Center on Saturday, they’ve lost only once in regulation time and once in overtime. Goalie Tomas Vokoun (2.51 goals-against average, .920 save percentage) has been their linchpin, but he’s not the whole story.

“I don’t think any of us knew where we were, coming out of the lockout, on the ice or off the ice,” Poile said. “We felt good about what we were building and we certainly felt good about where the new rules were going.

“Having said that, you have to realize that what you have in your head and on paper and what happens are not always the same.”

The Predators made the playoffs for the first time in 2003-04, seeded eighth in the West. They acquitted themselves well against the top-seeded Red Wings, winning twice at home before succumbing in six games. With 30 points in 24 games from late-season acquisition Steve Sullivan, 25 goals from right wing Scott Walker and 53 points from defenseman Marek Zidlicky, they had a good core largely built upon drafts and the occasional trade.

The new collective bargaining agreement gave Poile new latitude. He increased the payroll to $28 million, still in the bottom half of the NHL and low enough for the Predators to be eligible for revenue sharing funds, “but last year we were at $23 million and Detroit was at $78 million, and you can’t have that kind of gap anymore,” he said.

Poile ventured into the free-agent market for former Mighty Duck winger Paul Kariya, whom he believed would sell tickets and boost the team’s skill level. Kariya liked what he saw too, and agreed to a two-year, $9-million deal.

“When he signed, it was a great statement for our franchise,” Poile said. “Around the hockey world it was sort of like a Rodney Dangerfield reaction. ‘Nashville? Why Nashville?’ ”

Because if the NHL maintains its anti-obstruction crusade -- and Poile says it will -- the Predators could thrive. That, in turn, might help them at the box office. Poile wouldn’t disclose season-ticket sales but said they’re up 2,000 from 2003-04. However, the Predators have sold out only their opener, and their six-game average of 14,367 is 83.9% of capacity at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

“Our fans have been terrific,” Poile said, “and in terms of hockey interest, I think that’s there, but what we have to understand is we have a long way to go in a lot of areas, including our season-ticket base and corporate support.”

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Be Careful What You Wish For

The NHL wanted more scoring, and that’s what it’s getting.

Through Sunday, teams had averaged a combined 6.42 goals per game, up from 5.14 for the entire 2003-04 season. There were an average of 13.3 power plays per game, up from 8.5 in 2003-04, and power-play success was 18%, up from 16.5%.

Generally, games are better. But some seem like a cross between indoor soccer and pinball. Defensemen are hesitant to hit and forwards run goalies. Has the pendulum on the NHL cuckoo clock swung too far to the other extreme?

Not from Wayne Gretzky’s perspective as coach of the Coyotes.

“You’re going to see probably a little bit of an uprising of people who want to go back to the old way, but the old way is not very good. It’s not exciting,” he said. “This allows the finesse players, the skaters, to do well. You’ve got puck possession, you’re going to be successful, and that’s what the game is supposed to be.

“Hitting is still part of the game. Physical play is part of the game. Good defensive plays are part of the game. But you can’t hook and hold anymore. If you do, whether it’s the first minute of the game or last minute of the game, it’s a penalty. And I commend the league and the referees for sticking with it. They’ve got to stick with it the rest of the year.”

He also said obstruction should be eliminated at hockey’s lowest levels so players know what not to do when they reach the NHL. “The game got so absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “You could hook and hold, and a 1-0 lead going into the third period was a sure win. And that’s not what hockey is supposed to be.”

Nor should it be 7-6 or 5-4 every game.

“I don’t look at the score necessarily, but how the game was,” said Duck defenseman Scott Niedermayer, the 2003-04 Norris Trophy winner. “There are a lot of things involved in hockey more than just scoring goals that are exciting to watch.”

That said, Niedermayer added that he thinks the changes “are the right thing” to do. “Defensive players had such an advantage. They could do almost anything,” he said. “An offensive player had an extremely difficult job to try and score goals.

“It’s been like that for a long time. It will take a while. You’re going to see teams start to figure it out and only have three or four short-handed situations a game....

“I’m sure it’s tough for the referees. It’s tough for us. It’s tough for everybody involved.”

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Slap Shots

A 30-day exclusive negotiating period between the Blues’ owners, Bill and Nancy Laurie, and prospective buyer Dave Checketts expired last week with no news, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Checketts’ bid to buy the club and its Savvis Center lease was proceeding. Checketts, a former Madison Square Garden executive, heads Sports Capital Partners, Inc., which reportedly bid $150 million.

Players are trying to ignore uncertainty about the team’s future. “All the reports we’ve heard is it’s is definitely going to stay in St. Louis and that’s the only thing you need,” center Doug Weight said. “You hope for an owner to come in and it’s good people and run things in a good fashion, but there’s nothing we can do about that. We play the game when you’re out here, as hard as you can. All you can do is try to win.”

The Carolina Hurricanes will retire the No. 10 jersey worn so well by Ron Francis, who ended his 23-season career before the season started. Francis, whose 1,798 points rank fourth among career scorers and whose 1,249 assists make him second only to Gretzky, will be honored on Jan. 28.