The Stanley Cup playoffs start tonight. How great is that to say? While our Nashville Predators may have missed out on playoff hockey for the second consecutive season – I always find the playoffs to be a fun watch when you are a neutral. That said, boy are there some fun match-ups right in the first round.

The two high power opening round meetings that I am most looking forward to are the St. Louis Blues against the Chicago Blackhawks and then the Boston Bruins against the Detroit Red Wings. Each of those series should be gripping to watch and each will see a serious contender not reaching the second round. Were I to pick my winners from those series: Blackhawks in six games… Red Wings in seven games.

As for a personal Stanley Cup prediction – I think we could see the Anaheim Ducks against the Pittsburgh Penguins – with the Ducks winning in six games. If that were to happen, think of the perfect send off for Teemu Selanne to end his career on.

What are your predictions? Which match-ups excite you the most in the first round?

Yesterday, the Nashville Predators officially came to terms with Felix Girard on a three-year entry level contract. The Quebec native was drafted by the Preds in the 2013 NHL Draft in the fourth round (ninty-fifth overall).

The 19-year old center just finished his playing time in the QMJHL with Baie-Comeau Drakkar. In four seasons he played in 240 games, scored 142 points (45 goals, 97 assists), amassed 288 penalty minutes, and has a plus/minus rating of +31. In his last two junior seasons he won the Guy Carbonneau Trophy as the QMJHL’s top defensive forward.

In the press release there is no mention of him reporting to Milwaukee. Should I see otherwise, when attending practices today and tomorrow, I will provide an update.

Is this another element to next season’s Admirals group? What do you expect from Felix Girard in the Predators system?

The next AHL award has been announced and, yet again, the Midwest Division is in the mix. Jeff Blashill of the Grand Rapids Griffins has taken home the 2013-14 season’s Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding coach.

AHL’s Press Release:

Blashill has steered the Griffins to the second-best record in the Western Conference entering the final week of the 2013-14 regular season despite a large-scale roster turnover. With a 46-22-2-4 record (98 points) and two games remaining, Grand Rapids is closing in on a second consecutive Midwest Division title despite seeing just four of their top 12 scorers from a year ago spend even half of this season with the AHL club. The Griffins, who rank seventh in the league in offense (3.15 goals per game) and second in defense (2.42), have managed to sit in first place in the division since Nov. 3 and have not lost more than two consecutive games in regulation at any point this season.

Blashill’s influence has had a tremendous impact on the success of the parent Detroit Red Wings as well. Thirteen members of the 2013 Calder Cup champion Griffins have skated for Detroit this season and nine Red Wings have graduated from Grand Rapids to make their NHL debuts, helping the club extend its streak of reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs to 23 consecutive seasons. All told, 18 members of Blashill’s 2013-14 Griffins squad were called up to play a total of 391 games in the National Hockey League, including AHL All-Rookie Team members Ryan Sproul and Teemu Pulkkinen, Second Team AHL All-Stars Adam Almquist and Petr Mrazek, and Red Wings goal-scoring leader Gustav Nyquist.

Born in Detroit and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the 40-year-old Blashill won the Calder Cup with Grand Rapids in his first season as a professional head coach in 2012-13 after serving as an assistant coach with Detroit the previous season. Before joining the Red Wings organization, Blashill spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Ferris State (1999-2002) and Miami University (2002-08) before landing head coaching jobs with Indiana (USHL), where he won a league championship in 2009, and at Western Michigan University (2010-11).

The Louis A.R. Pieri Award, which was first presented in 1968, honors the late Mr. Pieri, a long-time contributor to the AHL as the owner and general manager of the Providence Reds and a member of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame. Previous winners of the award include Frank Mathers (1969), Fred Shero (1970), Al MacNeil (1972, ’77), John Muckler (1975), Jacques Demers (1983), Larry Pleau (1987), Mike Milbury (1988), John Paddock (1988), Marc Crawford (1993), Barry Trotz (1994), Robbie Ftorek (1995, ’96), Peter Laviolette (1999), Claude Julien and Geoff Ward (2003), Claude Noel (2004), Randy Cunneyworth (2005), Kevin Dineen (2006), Mike Haviland (2007), Scott Gordon (2008), Scott Arniel (2009), Guy Boucher (2010), John Hynes (2011), Jon Cooper (2012) and Willie Desjardins (2013).

The next award set to be announced is the Eddie Shore Award for the AHL’s most outstanding defenseman. That will come tomorrow afternoon.

The NHL’s regular season officially ended this past weekend. That means certain players will be making the trip back to the AHL for its final week and playoff season. For the Milwaukee Admirals they’ll be seeing the return of super Swede Calle Jarnkrok.

Jarnkrok’s season started with the Grand Rapids Griffins where he played 57 games, scored 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists), had a plus/minus of +19, and 14 penalty minutes. At the NHL’s trade deadline he was a part of Detroit’s package to the Nashville Predators for David Legwand. He made an instant impact as a member of the Admirals: 5 games, 7 points (5 goals, 2 assist), plus/minus of +5, and no penalty minutes.

He was officially recalled to Nashville near the end of March. Since then he has played 12 games in the NHL, scored 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists), has a plus/minus of +7, and 4 penalty minutes. In yesterday’s season finale to the Predators 2013-14 season – Jarnkrok scored 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in a 7-3 win over the Minnesota Wild.

How big of an addition will Calle Jarnkrok be for the Admirals playoff run? If you had the chance to watch him in the NHL – how do you feel he performed in his time with Nashville?

Yesterday’s news that Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz will not be returning for the 2014-15 season was massive. It is the first change at the head coaching position in the history of the franchise. Quite possibly lost in the attention and emotion from yesterday’s press conferences were the words spoken by Predators Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager David Poile.

Here are a few quotes said by Poile that relate to rebuilding, the Milwaukee Admirals, and the future of the organization:

“I’ve been consciously making some changes over the last year. It’s really started with Marty Erat requesting to be traded. So, we traded a veteran stable. A guy that was a foundation of our team for many years for a young player in Filip Forsberg. So it’s a 33-year old player for a 19-year old player.

We brought in Phil Housley last year to our coaching staff to change that up – to work with our power-play and with our young defense core. In the off-season we signed several free agents. And we traded another veteran this year in Kevin Klein for Michael Del Zotto – another younger player.

At the trade deadline this year we traded our first player that we ever drafted in David Legwand for Calle Jarnkrok and a second round pick from the Detroit Red Wings.

Essentially, we’ve been on a little bit of a rebuild on the fly. To me, we have enough good parts to build around. We have two of the league’s best in Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber. We finished the season here last night with nine-players 24-years or younger – five of those are defensemen: Josi, Ellis, Del Zotto, Ekholm, and Jones. And we got four forwards that are 24 or younger: Jarnkrok, Smith, Bourque, and Wilson. And I think you’ve seen a little bit of a glimpse of the future with Colton Sissons, Filip Forsberg, and I think we’ve got a couple other forwards coming in the pipeline.

I really believe in this roster going forward. I think, with reasonable good health but more importantly every player playing to our expectations, this is a team certainly capable of making the playoffs.

When I think about Pekka Rinne being back to 100% and having a great off-season, along with Carter Hutton, we could have one of the best goaltending tandems in the league.

Our defense, there is no question in my mind, that our defense is going to be one of the best defenses in the league: led by Weber – who should win the Norris Trophy this year, Roman Josi, Seth Jones – is gonna be a star, I think you all saw how good Ekholm and Ellis got in the last part of the season.

And our forwards are changing. They’re getting better. If this last ten-games is any indication of the future with all the scoring – bring it on – that’s exactly what we need.”

“Milwaukee, our farm club that we are so proud of, has made the playoffs again. We’re going to watch them play. As I mentioned a couple of names like Filip Forsberg, Austin Watson, Taylor Beck, Salomaki have all had good years down there.”

“We’ve been focusing the last two or three years on player acquisitions and trying to get more offensive players. We got a couple of kids coming out of juniors. Brendan Leipsic, who is one of the leading scorers in the Western Hockey League that should be in Milwaukee next year. We hope to sign Pontus Aberg from Sweden – who is an offensive player – to get him started in Milwaukee.”

“How about our scoring in the last ten-games? I mean – where did that come from? Is that the real thing or is it not? Craig Smith had a really off year last year – gets twenty-four goals this year. We need a few more of those stories. A young player like Calle Jarnkrok has come in and almost has a point a game. I’m not saying that’s what he going to be but looks like he’s going to bring some offense. I know that Filip Forsberg, down in Milwaukee, he’s young – he’s got to mature – I know he is going to bring us some offense. I hope it is as soon as next year.”

There is a lot to take in from what was said. What are your impressions of everything mentioned by David Poile?

Yesterday the AHL announced the winner of the 2013-14 Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as the league’s most outstanding rookie: Curtis McKenzie.

The 23-year old winger was one of many putting up big numbers this season for the Texas Stars. In his first full AHL season he played in seventy-three games, scored 64 points (26 goals, 38 assists), had 85 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of +6.

The AHL’s Press Release:

McKenzie, a 2009 draft pick by the Dallas Stars, has recorded 26 goals and 38 assists for 64 points in 73 games for the league-leading Stars this season. McKenzie is currently tied for ninth overall in league scoring, and among AHL rookies he ranks first in points, assists, power-play points (33) and power-play assists (23); second in shots on goal (210) and tied for third in power-play goals (10). A 23-year-old native of Golden, B.C., McKenzie was the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for December, and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team last week. He made his pro debut with Texas at the end of the 2012-13 season following four seasons at Miami University,

This award, which was first presented by the AHL in 1947, honors the late Dudley (Red) Garrett, a promising young player who lost his life during World War II while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy. Garrett split his only pro season, 1942-43, between the AHL’s Providence Reds and the NHL’s New York Rangers.

Previous winners of the Garrett Award include Terry Sawchuk (1949), Wally Hergesheimer (1951), Jimmy Anderson (1955), Bill Sweeney (1958), Roger Crozier (1964), Gerry Desjardins (1968), Rick Middleton (1974), Darryl Sutter (1980), Pelle Lindbergh (1981), Steve Thomas (1985), Ron Hextall (1986), Brett Hull (1987), Felix Potvin (1992), Darcy Tucker (1996), Daniel Briere (1998), Rene Bourque (2005), Teddy Purcell (2008), Nathan Gerbe (2009), Tyler Ennis (2010), Luke Adam (2011), Cory Conacher (2012) and Tyler Toffoli (2013).

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2013-14 regular season ends on Saturday, and then 16 clubs will continue to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway next week.

Later today the AHL will announce the Louis A.R. Pieri Award for the league’s most outstanding coach.

For the second time this season the Milwaukee Admirals have a goaltender taking home the CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors.

It has just been announced that Marek Mazanec has been given the distinction for his efforts this last week. He won all three starts, stopped eighty of eighty-three shots on goal, has a 1.00 GAA, and a 0.964 SV%.

Mazanec is the second Admiral this season to take home this award. His battery-mate in net Scott Darling was given the honor for the week ending 12/29/2013.

Thoughts on Marek Mazanec’s recent performances? Are the Admirals spoiled for choice with their goaltenders heading into the post-season?

For 16 years (since 1998) Barry Trotz has been the coach of Nashville Predators. The NHL’s longest-tenured coach with the same organization, and the franchise’s only coach to date, did not have his contract renewed today after a second-straight season finishing outside the playoffs. Nashville went 38-32-12 this season.

The move, though not shocking considering the disappointment of the previous two seasons, signals a change in direction of the Predators, who have worked seamlessly with their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee and its coaching staff, to develop home-grown players, including the likes of Shea Weber, Patric Hornqvist, Roman Josi, Colin Wilson, Nick Spaling, Ryan Ellis and Gabriel Bourque, seven of the team’s top 10 scorers, along with star goaltender Pekka Rinne. Rookie Seth Jones and Craig Smith were also drafted by the club.

Predators General Manager David Poile was quoted in the team’s statement released today:

“Our organization has high expectations and we have not met them in the past two seasons. As a result, it is my decision and determination that we need a new voice and a new direction. Our change in direction began over a year ago as we have made several personnel changes, including trading of long-time veteran players and a change to our coaching staff last offseason. Our goal is to return to the playoffs with the ultimate goal of contending for the Stanley Cup. We know that once we get into the playoffs, anything is possible.

“I also want to thank Barry for everything he has done for our franchise. He has been the face and voice of our team for 15 years. He created, developed and lived The Predator Way – on the ice, in the office and in the community. There could be no finer ambassador for the Predators or Nashville than Barry Trotz. He has laid a foundation and culture that will benefit the next coach of the Nashville Predators.”

Though it is a bit early to speculate on who will replace Trotz, who has been offered a position within the organization (Trotz will likely be a top choice of other teams looking for a new coach after Black Monday), a couple of obvious in-house candidates would be current Predators assistant coaches Lane Lambert and Phil Housley, plus current Admirals coach Dean Evason. Two others with strong ties to the organization would be current Florida Panthers interim coach Peter Horachek and current Carolina Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller, who might be out of job with the regime change occurring in Raleigh. Former Admirals coach Claude Noel, who was fired this season by Winnipeg, is also available, as is former Philadelphia Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, who has some connections to Poile via USA Hockey.

Trotz finishes his 15-year coaching career with Nashville with a record of 557-479-100 + 60 ties. After missing the playoffs the first five seasons, the Predators under Trotz were playoff bound in six of the next seven seasons before sliding back to 16-23-9 last year.

So Roundtable . . . What do you think of the big news today out of Nashville? Are more changes within the organization upcoming?

Scott Darling completed his sixth shutout of the season yesterday. He is now tied with Jake Allen for the AHL lead in that department. There is just one thing about that which really leaps out when you think about it. Games Played: Allen, 51. Darling, 25.

In fact, if it weren’t for him lacking games and minutes played, he would be right up there in most major goaltending categories. Darling has a 1.82 goals against average (GAA). The current top three in the AHL: Jake Allen,  2.07 GAA… Petr Mrazek, 2.07 GAA… Tom McCollum, 2.28 GAA. Darling has a 0.938 save percentage (SV%). The current top three in the AHL: Jake Allen, 0.927 SV%… Petr Mrazek, 0.925 SV%… Joni Ortio, 0.924 SV%.

When this season comes to an end – so will Darling’s contract. I have no doubt that he has earned himself an AHL contract next season and, if the right situation presents itself, even possibly a two-way NHL contract. It is that very same thought that should trickle into the Nashville Predators organization when it comes to another netminder whose contract is up this season: Carter Hutton.

Hutton, like current Admiral Joe Pendenza, was a product of UMass-Lowell. In his time there he played for four seasons, played 85 games, had a 2.36 GAA, 0.911 SV%, and 10 shutouts.

He was never drafted by an NHL team so he made the team by team approach: 2009-10, Adirondack Phantoms – AHL (4 games)… 2010-11, Worcester Sharks – AHL (22 games)… 2011-12, Rockford IceHogs – AHL (43 games), Toledo Walleye – ECHL (14 games)… 2012-13, Rockford IceHogs – AHL (51 games), Chicago Blackhawks – NHL (1 game).

It was this season when Hutton truly broke out. He entered Nashville camp, won the back-up job, and stood up to the challenge of being the Predators starter when Pekka Rinne suffered his set back from off-season hip surgery. This season Hutton played in 40 games, won 20 games, has a 2.62 GAA, 0.910 SV%, and one shutout.

In a situation where he could have easily been seen as in over his head – he took the opportunity to perform at the NHL level and shined.

Sound familiar?

Darling was meant to be our goaltender for the Cincinnati Cyclones this season. When Rinne went down – it wasn’t just Hutton being given the chance to shine because all goalies suddenly took one step up on the system ladder. Magnus Hellberg up – then down. Marek Mazanec up – then down. Darling up – and he pretty much has remained up for the entire season.

Back when all this shuffling around took place, right around November and December, Darling was pushing Hellberg for starts in net. It was the hot hand that was rewarded with more starts. And Darling, playing more AHL games than he ever had before, was earning CCM/AHL awards for Player of the Week and Goalie of the Month. Since returning from a lower-body injury he has shown no ill-signs that the first half of the season was a fluke. He and Mazanec have been pushing each other all the way up until the finish line of the AHL regular season.

There are some real pressing questions for the organization that should come at season’s end: Is re-signing Hutton going to be an option? Will Hutton prove to be too costly as an NHL back up? If Hutton leaves in free agency – do the Predators seek an option outside of their own system? If they stay in system – are Hellberg or Mazanec really prepared or polished enough for NHL duty? And, in a similar mold to Hutton when they came across him last off-season, is Darling worth bringing to camp with a chance at being Rinne’s back up?

Those are all legitimate questions that are going to need to be asked and addressed by the Predators this off-season. How would you answer them?