In a season that has already seen the Toronto Maple Leafs have to endure long-term injuries to starting goaltender James Reimer and forwards Tim Connolly and Colby Armstrong, the announcement that both Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur were injured during last nights 3-2 shootout loss to the Phoenix Coyotes has more than a few fans of the Blue and White concerned. MacArthur left Tuesday night’s tilt after the second period with what is being reported as an upper-body injury, while Grabovski left the ice late in the third period after a collision at centre. While there is no word on either players’ status for Thursday nights game against the Nashville Predators, one has to think if Grabovski and MacArthur (two thirds of the Maple Leafs second unit) are out of the lineup they’ll be hard-pressed to earn the win. In

All the hoopla over Brian Burke visiting troops in Afghanistan doesn’t seem to be hurting the Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of landing a couple of pieces to their 2011-12 roster. Saturday, Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs signed free agent centre Tim Connolly to a two-year, $9.5 million deal, Today, Burke and Company acquired centre Matthew Lombardi and defenseman Cody Franson from the Nashville Predators in return for defenseman Brett Lebda and forward/prospect Robert Slaney. The deal also calls for the Maple Leafs to give up a fourth round draft choice contingent upon Lombardi playing 60 or more games over the next two seasons. The Predators will give the Maple Leafs a fourth rounder should Lombardi fail to play 60 or more games. Signed as a free agent by the Nashville Predators last summer, Lombardi suffered an early season concussion,

Ahh, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A place where some players ‘bring it’, while others fall well short of the so-called “experts” expectations. Heading into the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs several reports were calling for Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne to have a huge playoff; others were a lot more realistic about his talent and the talents of the team in front of him. Rinne brought a career playoff record of 2-4 to go along with a marginal .911 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.68 into this years playoffs. Needless to say, with those kind of numbers it would be hard to suggest that Rinne was going to catch fire against an offensively explosive team like the Anaheim Ducks, yet there were still some reports out there that suggested Rinne would do exactly that. Through four playoff games

With my Eastern Conference playoff predictions out of the way, it’s time to set my sights on the Western Conference. Parity is alive and well throughout the NHL, but nowhere is it more apparent in the Western Conference where the difference between fifth and tenth place was just five points. Looking at the four Western Conference matchups there is not much to choose between most of the teams, that said, a few favorites should emerge, with the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings garnering a lot of attention from poolies and fans alike. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at the first round matchups and how it should all pan out. (1) Vancouver Canucks Vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks Given the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks have ended the Vancouver Canucks playoff drives in each of the past

Currently sitting in eighth spot in the Western Conference with 72 points on the season, the Nashville Predators are holding on to the final playoff spot by the skin of their teeth. Directly ahead of the Predators sit the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild. Both teams have a game in hand on the Preds, both teams have also earned 72 points. Below the Preds sit the Surging Calgary Flames who have been all but unbeatable since the all-star break with 71 points and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks with 70 points and two games in hand on the Preds. With so many Western Conference teams this close to a playoff birth it is expected that many of the aforementioned teams will be busy on Monday’s Trade Deadline. The Dallas Stars (who are also in the Western Conference playoff

The Nashville Predators have added some offensive depth to their team, acquiring veteran centre Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators. The deal will see the Senators land the Preds first round draft choice in 2011 as well as a conditional draft choice (perhaps as high as a second rounder) in 2013. Originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the second round (44th overall), Fisher, like many Senators, had been struggling this season, registering 14 goals and 24 points through 55 games played. Fisher (who carries a $4.2 million cap hit both this sesason and 2011-12) also carried with him a nasty minus -19 rating, the worst of his NHL career. Fisher was coming off a career year in 2009-10 where he amassed a toal of 25 goals and 53 points (both career highs). For Nashville, they have acquired a legitimate