Fisher: athlete or comedian? (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Some weeks it is so difficult to get to Friday. All day every day just work, work, working away. So what’s a good way to give your brain a break?

Follow hockey players on Twitter of course!

Not that everyone doesn’t follow their team anyway, but if you didn’t before then GET ON THAT. Because there are plenty of little gems out therre to brighten up your day.

Now normally the Predators are not the team known for the hilarious tweets, but this week we have a ringer from an unexpected source: Mike Fisher.

“buy a diamond and get a free hunting rifle” saw this billboard today. #holdherhostagetillshesaysyes

— Mike Fisher (@mikefisher1212) September 5, 2012

The only question that remains: is this how you present jewelry to your wife Mike? Because I’m pretty sure Carrie Underwood has some spectacular security guards.

We’ll be seeing much more from Mr Underwood. (Photo: Birdget Samuels/flickr)

Good news from Nashville’s “Skate of the Union” this afternoon! 

GM David Poile made the announcement that forward Mike Fisher has signed a two year, $8.4 million contract extension with the Nashville Predators. The Preds acquired Fisher from Ottawa in early 2011, with this past season’s totals proving him to be a solid force in the Nashville offence.

Fisher has had great success centering the first line, giving him the opportunity to be Nashville’s playmaker when it comes to game winning goals. Here’s to two more years of “Mr. Underwood” bringing home the goals!

Take a deep breath and SIGN THAT CONTRACT. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

In a fast moving world, we expect action every day. What did the Preds provide us with this past weekend?

Certainly not any blow-by-blow action, that’s for sure.

What has been in the Nashville news lately is the suspicious fact that Sergei Kostitsyn has filed for salary arbitration.

Well no sir. I do not think so. Let’s keep one of our first line forwards.

The hearing is set to happen between July 20^th and August 4^th, and we will be waiting on baited breath to see what kind of contract will be signed. And it WILL be signed.

» Continue reading “Predators News Smash-Up”

Mr. Underwood, our fantabulous front man. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

If there’s one thing that can be agreed upon about Mike Fisher, it’s the fact that he fits right in with the Predators’ way of play.

But where did our first line, defense-minded center start his hockey career? The same place many hockey players find their calling: right at home.

Fisher began his junior hockey career with the local Peterborough Roadrunners in Ontario before being drafted in the OHL to the Sudbury Wolves. Only one year was needed for the NHL to call him up for the 1998 Entry Draft, where Fisher was chosen 44^th overall by the Ottawa Senators. One more year was spent in Sudbury before making his 1999 debut in the NHL.

Fisher only played thirty-two games his rookie season, but his second year saw the development of an offense style that would one day fit in perfectly at Nashville.

After playing in Switzerland during the 2004-2005 Lockout, Fisher’s point totals continued to improve, finishing at forty-four and forty-eight points over the next two seasons.

Unfortunately, the injuries dealt with from late 2006 through the 2008 season have set Fisher up for a fun post-hockey life of knee issues. This started with an injury to his left knee in late 2006, then re-injuring that knee just before the 2008 playoffs. To finish off the knees of doom, Fisher strained a ligament in his right knee early in the following season. But these problems didn’t stop Fisher’s run as the Senators’ second line center.

A year and a half later, Nashville was given a fantastic Valentine’s Day gift. On February 10, 2011 Fisher was traded to the Predators in exchange for a  pick the next two Entry Drafts. He played his first game on the 12 against the Avalanche and scored his first Nashville goal five days later against the Canucks.

Season stats:

Games played: 72

Goals: 24

Assists: 27

Power play goals: 5

Game winning goals: 7

Penalty minutes: 33

Shots on goal: 157

Fisher has served as an alternate captain on both the Senators and the Predators, continuing to do so through this past season. He was the second runner up for the Selke Trophy in 2006 and is currently up for the Foundation Award for his work in the community. To see just why Mike Fisher is up for this award, I leave you with an adorable video of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher and their time on the ice during a recent interview with Opera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wgxpj6tnjw&feature=related