Nashville Predators

WITH FOUR NIGHTS to contemplate keeping Shea Weber for the next 14 years, the Nashville Predators have yet to make a decision whether to match the $110 million offer sheet the Flyers tendered the star defenseman last Wednesday. When contacted by the Daily News on Sunday, Predators CEO Jeff Cogen referred to the original statement issued by the team on Thursday. Similarly, the Flyers have not heard anything yet as to the Predators' intentions. In their statement, Nashville general manager David Poile said they will "take the appropriate time to review and evaluate it and all of its ramifications in order to make the best decision for the Predators in both the short and long-term.

An NHL source with knowledge of the situation said on Sunday night that Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and his Nashville counterpart, David Poile, have talked "just once" since restricted free-agent Shea Weber signed a 14-year, $110 million contract with Philadelphia on Wednesday. That fuels speculation that Nashville is thinking about sending Weber, arguably the league best all-around defenseman, to the Flyers in a trade. If Nashville was going to match the offer, there would be no need for Poile to confer with Holmgren.

Presented as the first centerpiece for a new franchise, goalie Mike Dunham yesterday pulled on a white, navy, gold and silver jersey adorned with the head of an angry cat with a serious overbite, and the Nashville Predators were officially born as the NHL's 27th team. After plucking one unprotected player from each of the 26 existing teams at the expansion draft in the Marine Midland Arena, Nashville general manager David Poile said that he and coach Barry Trotz placed speed and character as their top priorities.

Who: Nashville Predators (27-17-7) at Flyers (33-13-5) When: 7 o'clock Where: Wells Fargo Center TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WIP (610-AM)  

The Flyers have added more defensive depth, acquiring Janne Niskala from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Triston Grant and a seventh-round draft pick next year. Niskala, 26, had 19 goals and 25 assists in 80 regular-season games for the Predators' Milwaukee affiliate. He was second among AHL defensemen in goals, and was a member of the bronze medal-winning Team Finland at the IIHF World Championships. Before joining the Predators' last season, Niskala played parts of the previous seven seasons with teams in top European leagues.

KEVIN KLEIN scored a go-ahead goal 6:25 into the third period and Pekka Rinne made 40 saves, lifting the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night and a 3-1 lead in the first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Predators, who have won both games in Detroit, can eliminate Detroit in Game 5 on Friday night in Nashville. Predators rookie Gabriel Bourque broke a scoreless tie 1:55 into the third period. Detroit's Niklas Kronwall tied it 1:19 later with a power-play goal that was waved off on the ice but reversed by video review.

The Flyers yesterday acquired defenseman Janne Niskala from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Triston Grant and a seventh-round pick in next year's draft. The 6-foot, 200-pound Niskala, 26, totaled 19 goals and 25 assists in 80 games last season for the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville's American Hockey League affiliate. His 19 goals tied him for second among AHL defensemen. Before joining the Predators organization last year, Niskala played parts of seven seasons with three European League clubs.

Wayne Gretzky showed off some more of his magic last night. In his only visit to Music City in what could be his final season, Gretzky had five assists in helping the New York Rangers end a three-game losing streak with a 7- 4 victory over the Nashville Predators. The youthful expansion team looked a little star-struck by Gretzky, especially early, as he set up two of the Rangers' four first- period goals. "If you are brain-dead against Wayne Gretzky, I mean, he can set my 4-year-old son up to score if you leave him alone," said Predators captain Tom Fitzgerald.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman yesterday said talk of the Nashville Predators relocating to Hamilton, Ontario, is premature. Bettman pointed out that there is not a binding agreement between Predators owner Craig Leipold and Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie. Leipold and Balsillie, the co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, agreed to a term sheet for the transfer of ownership of the club, but that is nonbinding. The delay in closing the deal prevented the sale from being up for vote by the league's 30 teams before this weekend's draft in Columbus, Ohio.

The Flyers made a trade yesterday, exchanging prospects with the Nashville Predators. Phantoms defenseman Mikhail Chernov, 22, was traded even-up for 25-year-old left winger-center Mike Watt. Watt has four years of NHL experience, with scattered ice time for Edmonton, the New York Islanders and Nashville. Given the Flyers' need to fortify left wing and center, this is purely a depth move. "We liked him since his days at Michigan State," said Flyers assistant general manager Paul Holmgren of the former collegian and second round pick in 1994.

The clock continues to tick for the Nashville Predators, who must decide by 11:30 p.m. Wednesday whether to match the Flyers' 14-year, $110 million offer to restricted free-agent Shea Weber. "We have no clue what's going to happen," Kevin Epp, one of Weber's agents, said Monday night. "We're all in a state of limbo. " Epp believes that the size of Nashville's ownership group - 10 people - may be slowing the process. "There's a lot of owners who have to get together to make the decision," he said.

WITH FOUR NIGHTS to contemplate keeping Shea Weber for the next 14 years, the Nashville Predators have yet to make a decision whether to match the $110 million offer sheet the Flyers tendered the star defenseman last Wednesday. When contacted by the Daily News on Sunday, Predators CEO Jeff Cogen referred to the original statement issued by the team on Thursday. Similarly, the Flyers have not heard anything yet as to the Predators' intentions. In their statement, Nashville general manager David Poile said they will "take the appropriate time to review and evaluate it and all of its ramifications in order to make the best decision for the Predators in both the short and long-term.

An NHL source with knowledge of the situation said on Sunday night that Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and his Nashville counterpart, David Poile, have talked "just once" since restricted free-agent Shea Weber signed a 14-year, $110 million contract with Philadelphia on Wednesday. That fuels speculation that Nashville is thinking about sending Weber, arguably the league best all-around defenseman, to the Flyers in a trade. If Nashville was going to match the offer, there would be no need for Poile to confer with Holmgren.

WHEN SHEA WEBER and his traveling party surreptitiously arrived in Philadelphia nearly 2 weeks ago to first discuss the idea of signing an offer sheet with the Flyers, his agent told him to soak in the entire experience. "When you sign a 14-year deal, you need to look around and make sure," agent Jarrett Bousquet told the Daily News. "You need to make sure everything checks out, that it fits your lifestyle, that you want to live in a big city instead of a small town. Everything has to work.

GLENDALE, ARIZ. - Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and an assist, and the Phoenix Coyotes avoided their usual overtime theatrics, beating the Nashville Predators, 5-3, on Sunday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series. Martin Hanzal and Taylor Pyatt also scored for the Coyotes. Ryan Suter, Patric Hornqvist and Andrei Kostitsyn scored for the Predators. Phoenix scored three times on 19 second-period shots. The Coyotes built a two-goal lead early in the second period.

KEVIN KLEIN scored a go-ahead goal 6:25 into the third period and Pekka Rinne made 40 saves, lifting the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night and a 3-1 lead in the first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Predators, who have won both games in Detroit, can eliminate Detroit in Game 5 on Friday night in Nashville. Predators rookie Gabriel Bourque broke a scoreless tie 1:55 into the third period. Detroit's Niklas Kronwall tied it 1:19 later with a power-play goal that was waved off on the ice but reversed by video review.

Evgeni Malkin scored twice, James Neal had four assists, and the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff spot with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Nashville Predators on Thursday night. Chris Kunitz, Matt Cooke, and Pascal Dupuis also scored to help Pittsburgh pull within a point of the New York Rangers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games remaining. Marc-Andre Fluery made 29 saves for his NHL-leading 40th victory. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby was held without a goal for the 12th straight game and failed to score a point, but it hardly stopped the Penguins from winning their ninth straight home game to keep the heat on the Rangers.

NASHVILLE - This being the Music City, it was fitting that most of the sellout crowd broke into a singsong chant moments after the Flyers had fallen into a 2-0, second-period hole on Saturday night. "Bryz-galllllllllll-ov," they mocked. Ilya Bryzgalov was the subject of their chants, though the Flyers' goalie was screened and could not be faulted on the second goal. The Flyers got to within 2-1, but a deflected goal by Nick Spaling early in the third period helped the Nashville Predators register a 4-2 victory at lively Bridgestone Arena.

Who: Nashville Predators (27-17-7) at Flyers (33-13-5) When: 7 o'clock Where: Wells Fargo Center TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WIP (610-AM)  

The Flyers have added more defensive depth, acquiring Janne Niskala from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Triston Grant and a seventh-round draft pick next year. Niskala, 26, had 19 goals and 25 assists in 80 regular-season games for the Predators' Milwaukee affiliate. He was second among AHL defensemen in goals, and was a member of the bronze medal-winning Team Finland at the IIHF World Championships. Before joining the Predators' last season, Niskala played parts of the previous seven seasons with teams in top European leagues.