While I havent been entirely pleased with Arnotts play this season, I dont see any reason to strip the C from him. Someone mentioned the team voted him Captain...unless the TEAM feels there is a leadership issue, I see him keeping the title until his contract expires. I predict either Suter or Weber will be our next captain.
I'd love to see Horns get an A at somepoint. That kid plays through the wall for his teammates every night.
Is there any reasonable chance of Legwand becoming the next captain?
He's single handedly done more for this team then anyone else. Not sure why anybody would count him out. My bets are it's between Sullivan, Weber and Legwand. I know Legwand wants the C just have to see what the rest of the team thinks.
No way the team picks Hornqvist for an A, he's got the work ethic at least this year to deserve it. Just don't think he'll get one yet.
My opinion however differs from everyone elses. I think it'll go Weber C Sullivan A and Legwand or suter for another A.
Preds captain Jason Arnott was scheduled to get his elbow looked at by doctors today, but Trotz said he’s still likely to play tonight against Phoenix. Arnott had been dealing with an injury to the elbow, and when he was hauled down the other night by Thrashers defenseman Boris Valabik, he landed on the elbow.
Well since Glennon let the cat out of the bag, this is the injury I've been hinting at for weeks now. When Arnott left the bench early a few weeks ago and caught a lot of flack from our fan base about his leadership skills, etc (that I saw as recently as Saturday night) he had been hauled down in open ice by a backchecking forward and landed directly on his elbow. As the game progresses, his elbow filled with fluid - leading to him missing time starting in Calgary.
Arnott needs to get to the Olympic break to just let it settle down at a minimum. Valabik's slew foot (which I'm appalled did not lead to a suspension) pulled him right down on the elbow again. It's a very hard injury to play with and is the cause of his reduction in physical play on the ice...
Well since Glennon let the cat out of the bag, this is the injury I've been hinting at for weeks now. When Arnott left the bench early a few weeks ago and caught a lot of flack from our fan base about his leadership skills, etc (that I saw as recently as Saturday night) he had been hauled down in open ice by a backchecking forward and landed directly on his elbow. As the game progresses, his elbow filled with fluid - leading to him missing time starting in Calgary.
Arnott needs to get to the Olympic break to just let it settle down at a minimum. Valabik's slew foot (which I'm appalled did not lead to a suspension) pulled him right down on the elbow again. It's a very hard injury to play with and is the cause of his reduction in physical play on the ice...
Really? Are you serious? He's one of the least physical players in the league. He doesn't finish checks and when he does he pushes someone, doesn't check thru the other person. He skates half the time he's on the ice, the other half he's loafing around. He's whining at the refs when he gets touched or taken down. Jason, play the game and play it hard. Playing 10-15 games that way a year does not cut it. You're the captain and you're supposed to lead by example. If he's that hurt, he shouldn't be out there. The shot that he passed up last night in front of Bryz was ridiculous. If you have bad ice why make the extra pass, shoot the dang puck. Instead, he passes to Sully who doesn't get a shot off either. His attempt in the shootout was pathetic too. It looked like he was using a broom as he swept the puck on net as opposed to actually shooting the puck.
He needs the break to rest and I hope he comes back healthy and ready to go. If not, it's just a wasted roster spot to me. I'd rather see us go with inexperience and a guy that's playing well like Wilson than play a guy who isn't able or willing to play the game hard.
Well since Glennon let the cat out of the bag, this is the injury I've been hinting at for weeks now. When Arnott left the bench early a few weeks ago and caught a lot of flack from our fan base about his leadership skills, etc (that I saw as recently as Saturday night) he had been hauled down in open ice by a backchecking forward and landed directly on his elbow. As the game progresses, his elbow filled with fluid - leading to him missing time starting in Calgary.
Arnott needs to get to the Olympic break to just let it settle down at a minimum. Valabik's slew foot (which I'm appalled did not lead to a suspension) pulled him right down on the elbow again. It's a very hard injury to play with and is the cause of his reduction in physical play on the ice...
Sounds like a bursitis. When the bursa sac swells up and inflames it looks like someone shoved a softball into your elbow. If the build up of fluid is localized to one area then it most likely is a bursa sac, if the elbow swells generally it could be any of the tissues of the body which has been damaged.
I can certainly appreciate someone playing through a tough injury, but not at the expense of the team. I can't justify putting someone on the ice, especailly the first line, if they can't help the team. I have always thought of Arnott as a soft player, but that has nothing to do with playing through injuries or sitting but more to do with his body of work while he has been healthy. Until he heals enough to be effective, he is a liability and should be sitting in the press box watching.
The decision might not just be Arnott's alone. Sometimes decisions are made in concert with management. If Trotz believes Arnott can still bring something to this team then he will make it known that he wants Arnott to keep playing till the Olympic break. In contact sports, you are expected to play at less than a 100% and Arnott is doing that. We don't know what the injury status of the player is. I'm just going to say that right now. If at the end of the season we find out that Weber was playing on an injured ligament in his knee I would not be surprised.
Management might also be playing this because they want Wilson to develop more. Yes, Wilson is begining to tear up Milwaukee. Here's the problem, the jump from AHL to NHL huge that you need to be the best player in the AHL consistantly before you are ready to jump to the NHL. The gap is just too big. Unlike MLB, the gap between their minors and the Majors is not as big so player can come in and help.
As much as I would love to have Wilson in the line up, and trust me I'm drooling over the prospect, the team will be patient with him. He's just starting his career and if you shatter his confidence you can ruin his career. Nashville's philosophy is: better safe than sorry. It might just be better to have an injured Arnott near the end of his career than a young Wilson just begining his career and not ready for the show.
It is certainly hard to leave the guys like Dumont and Sullivan off the list, but I really like any combination of Weber, Suter, and Legwand as our captains. In any list, I think Suter and Weber will lead this team in the future.
I definitely think Suter will end up as the captain because there has to be something that the average fan doesn't see that keeps causing him to be named a captain for everything USA hockey.
Also, captain Jason Arnott talked about the injured bursa sac on his elbow, which he first hurt way back in October and then re-injured on Saturday against Atlanta.
``When I did it the first time, I had to be in a cast four or five days. I just couldn’t move my arm at all,'' Arnott said. ``Now it’s ballooned up. I can play with it, but it’s pretty sore. I just have to play through.’’
Does it affect your shooting?
``It affects my strength little bit, yeah, but there’s no excuses. I’m not saying that’s why the goals aren’t going in. It’s definitely not an injury that should hamper my performance in any way. It’s just one of those nagging things.’’
Trotz: "We’ll have a Captain Predator in a few years.’’ I know he means a guy drafted by the Preds. But it still reads as a knock on Arnott who is the current Captain Predator. What are the captain's roles anyway, besides talk to the officials once in awhile which the A's or whoever do as well? Seems a useful figurehead role, but a bit overrated to my mind.
We are overdue for Colin Wilson to come up. I hope it doesn't take too long after the break for him to be up and gain chemistry. I said preseason we'd not do much unless he happened to make the squad. Well, I was wrong, somewhat. But we could surely use a guy who could both hit and make plays, instead of our usual by committee approach of role guys who can do one or the other but not both.
When age catches up to our top line it shows. And Trotz said he wasn't going to accept the usual points from Legwand. Yet Legwand currently has Smithson on his line. Give Legwand some/a guys who can help score more.
At least Sully, Arnott, Dumont all show good signs of getting healthy at the same time. Maybe that will be enough.
