Verified answer

I really don't think its Trotz. I really do think its more of the players. I can't really see Trotz telling his players to purposely play dirty, but thats just my opinion. As far as the players, we all know Forsberg is Oscar material. He's an awesome player, but he tends to fluff his trips and interference calls a bit. And Tootoo.....well, he's called "thunder" on his team for a reason. He's an energizer, so he goes out there and gets under the skin of his opponents. When Tootoo stirs something up, depending on which side you're on, it can either be clean or dirty. And as far as Hartnell's hit yesterday on Cheech. That's a tough one.....it didn't look intentional, but replay after replay, he did look as if he stuck his knee out. Not to mention he knocked a tooth out on Cheech. Like i said, i really don't think its Trotz, but the players themselves. At the same time, it would be the responsibility of the coach to get these players under control!

The one incident that comes to mind right away after reading this question is the Jordan Tootoo punch vs . Dallas. He was doing nothing but defending himself. It wasn't a cheap shot at all. All it was is that he turned around and as soon as he saw someone attacking him he defended himself. The punch landed so cleanly that it made it look worse than it really was. If the punch doesn't land then there would have been no suspension. Barry Trotz is a very classy guy. I don't think that some of the things you see on the ice is a reflection of him as a person or a coach.

I've gone to many Predators games the past few years, most notably in our situation the one last night and the one against Buffalo. It really seems the media(especially nationally) only gives one side of the story when it comes to these plays.

I think most Predators fans would agree with me on this:

1) Buffalo Game- Scott Nichol is driven into the post. (corkscrewed) No penalty on the Buffalo player for a very dangerous play. Also keep in mind that Scott Nichol was badly injured after a similiar play. Scott Nichol comes up (infuriated) comes around and takes the law into his own hands. To be honest, many fans were disgusted with Spacek. Many even booed when he was being rolled out.

2) Tootoo lays a clean hit on Mike Modano. Afterwards he gets charged by a Dallas player with the intent to harm him. The puck isn't even anywhere near them- the Dallas player wanted to harm Tootoo. Tootoo turned around and saw Robidas coming towards him, and decided to take a preemptive strike to keep Robidas from injuring him. (If you think differently look at the facts- Robidas even got a penalty for charging. I bet you didn't hear that in the national media.)

3) I was really unsure about the game last night. The collision occured half a rink away from the puck, and I only saw it out of the corner of my eye. However judging from how Hartnell acted after the penalty, I do believe Hartnell was extremely upset with Cheechoo. I'm not denying or saying that it was a dirty hit.

Shifting gears now, I'm really not sure about your claim that we take more diving penalties than other teams...(there was one last night and one the last home game of the regular season).

That's really not that much- I don't see us taking more than any other teams.

I think these obtuse views on my team are preconceived notions based on unfair treatment from the national hockey media.

The fact that you are judging our whole organization on half the story- then making inferences about our coaching staff and our integrity isn't right.

edit

My apologies, in no way did you judge the Predators. I would like to clarify one thing however, that being I was speaking of national broadcasters(Brett Hull) who put our team in bad light, not commentators. About the diving, you are right about us taking a few recently, and I believe that it's just a coincidence being that I don't remember that many being called throughout the course of the year. Again, sorry I warped your question.

I don't spend a lot of time watching the Predators so I don't want to directly comment on this question... but IF a team has a lot of diving penalties against them it is totally about the coaching. A coach should have enough authority to call on his players to stop diving... he can definitely stop it and if he allows it then he is instructing them to dive.

Every once in a while a player on his own might embellish to fool the refs into calling something but if it is rampant then the coach is asking his players to do it.

Nashville might play "dirty" but that is only a part of the sport. Teams that do well in the play-offs tend to play dirty in the corners and on the boards... even Forsberg could get dirty in his prime pushing and holding while handling the puck. Scott Stevens, Claude Lemieux, Derrian Hatcher all these guys have rings... you got to have guys who aren't afraid of getting in the box.

Trotz is a very sneaky coach. He does the dirty work when he needs to. I think he might be the ugliest coach. He just sits there with his small little neck and fat head. For him to even justify Hartnells hit is bs. Plain and simple it was a dirty hit. If this happened to Kariya or Forskin I think you Preds fans would have a different opinion.

Well i dont watch the preds much myself either, but maybe its only because of the play-offs. Teams get lots more aggressive around this time. Cant wait to watch some good hits from cammy.

he is a respectable coach but it just looks like a couple of the players have let out some dirty hits lately

Im a sharks fan . And while im not sure I would put it on the coach.........There always are those guys that will play dirter than others.........If it continues he needs to address them. i thought the hit to cheecho was really dirty.......And as a shark fan I was upset.....And also the hit to Thorton was unnecessary.