Does future include Nashville for defenseman Shane O’Brien?

If there is one thing the Nashville Predators can count on for the 2011-2012 season it is solid defense. The Predators have captain Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, one of, if not the best, top pairing in the NHL, anchoring the blueline. Kevin Klein and rookie Jon Blum played solidly together down the stretch and into the post-season. This leaves Cody Franson and Francis Bouillon under contract with the big club next season to round out the Predators top-six defense corps.

Ryan Ellis, the Predators 2010 first round draft pick and Memorial Cup winning defenseman, will play his first year of professional hockey, with all things being equal, in Milwaukee. Roman Josi is also a highly touted prospect who just finished his first full season with the Admirals. In 13 playoff contests, Josi scored one goal and recorded 6 assists for 7 points. Additionally, the Predators recently signed Mattias Ekholm, the Swedish Elite League’s rookie of the year.  Ekholm is also likely to play his first North American season next year.

Even if Bouillon cannot resume play because of a concussion that ended his season in January, with the strong defensive prospects waiting for their chance to play in the NHL, left out of the mix, then, is Shane O’Brien.

O’Brien stays disciplined against former team

The Western Conference Semi-Finals series between the Nashville Predators and the Vancouver Canucks is back in British Columbia for Game 5 on Saturday night, with Nashville on the brink of elimination.

 

 

Before game 4, Predators defenseman Shane O’Brien talked about how important it was for the team to even the series.

“We let one slip away there in game three. They took home ice advantage right back from us. If you look at the playoffs, home ice advantage hasn’t been as important as years before,” O’Brien, the former Canuck, said about the overtime loss in game three when the Canucks were awarded two questionable power plays that both resulted in goals for Vancouver, including a power play marker to end the game in overtime.

“It’s no secret, we don’t want to get down 3-1 in this series against a good time like that over there. You don’t want to fall down 3-1 going back to Vancouver for game 5.”

Predators go into Anaheim set on shutting down Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan

The Nashville Predators visit the Anaheim Ducks tonight in game one of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. The Predators just narrowly missed out on home ice advantage when they lost last Saturday, 2-0, against the Blues to end out the regular season.

Anaheim’s top line consists of Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, and Ryan Getzlaf. Combined the three have 103 goals and 142 assists.

Predators defenseman Cody Franson says the key to playing against Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan is to play a physical game.  “They are probably the best line in the League. When you are playing against guys of that calibre, that size and that skill set, you want to play physical against them and take away their time and space. You know, make it tough on them,” he said.

Hart consideration for Predators Rinne? Some teammates think so.

When the Nashville Predators visited San Jose on March 8th, Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan said “I hear there is consideration of Rinne for the Hart. I wouldn’t argue that.”

The Hart Trophy is awarded to the player who is considered to be the most valuable to his team.

In the New York Times“Morning Skate” on March 21, Christopher Botta wrote “Pekka Rinne deserves consideration to be the third man when the finalists are announced. The Nashville goaltender is as valuable to the Predators as any player — forward, defenseman or goalie — is to his team.” Steven Stamkos and Daniel Sedin are considered the favorites.

Can ship on shoulder help spark Preds to victory against Canucks?

This season, the Nashville Predators have played the Vancouver Canucks twice. The first game was right before the All-Star Weekend. The teams went into the third period with no score. Nashville took an early lead in the final frame only to lose it by the end of regulation 2-1.

Shane O’Brien talks about playing the Canucks and getting points down the stretch

On February 17th, the Canucks made their first visit to Music City. Despite being called for five minor penalties, in comparison to Vancouver’s two, Nashville came out on top 3-1.

The best defense is a good offense: Nashville blue line is getting the job done

The Nashville Predators have scored 84 goals this season, 15 of them have come from defensemen. Nashville is among the elite in teams that boast defense corps which aid in registering goals with only Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington and Buffalo with more blue line tallies. For a team that lacks that Sidney Crosby or even Rick Nash-type star forward, the Predators are a much more dangerous team when the defense jumps into the play.

Francis Bouillon celebrates after scoring his first (and only) goal of the season on October 14, 2010 (Photo: Yardbarker.com)

Last year 32 of Nashville’s 225 goals were scored by defensemen, 14%. Of course, that includes Shea Weber’s 16 tallies. This year, the Predators rank in the top ten for NHL scoring by defensemen, with 15 goals in 33 games, only five have come off the stick of Weber.

Head coach Barry Trotz notes that Nashville’s defensemen can all skate well and that makes it possible for them to jump up into the play to create odd-man situations. As a result, four of the Predators top six defensemen are on pace to break last years totals, and those totals may be smashed, not just broken.

O’Brien trade most important off-season move for Predators

Just four days before the puck dropped on the Nashville Predators 2010-2011 season, first round draft pick Ryan Parent and Jonas Andersson were traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Shane O’Brien and minor league player, Dan Gendur.

O’Brien has been a welcome addition to Nashville’s blue line. (Photo: Yardbarker.com)

Nashville fans are used to General Manager David Poile signing players and making trades at the end of the off season. Take last year for example. On August 20th, 2009, Marcel Goc signed a one-year deal with the Predators after spending four seasons with the San Jose Sharks. Francis Bouillon came to training camp on a professional tryout after Montreal chose not to offer the 5’8 defenseman a contract. Bouillon didn’t sign his one-year deal with Nashville until September 30th, just days before the start of the regular season.

O’Brien off to a good start for Predators

Just before the puck dropped on Nashville’s season, the Predators organization announced they had traded defenseman Ryan Parent and forward Jonas Andersson for defenseman Shane O’Brien. News of the trade was originally a surprise. Parent was a first round draft pick of Nashville’s, lost in the Peter Forsberg trade. The Predators regained the rights to Parent from the Philadelphia Flyers for the rights to negotiate with Dan Hamhuis. Nashville subsequently signed Parent to a two-year deal.

Shane O’Brien played a solid first game for the Nashville Predators Saturday night against the Anaheim Ducks (Photo: Yardbarker.com)

O’Brien, set to make $1.6 million this year, resigned with the Canucks on July 12th as a restricted free agent. But on October 2, Vancouver put O’Brien on waivers. So you can’t blame the 27 year old for being a little happy about his new opportunity in Nashville as a result of being traded just three days after being placed on waivers.