Edge of Glory: Grading the Predators’ 2011 Offseason

Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesAlright, so I normally start these offseason posts with some fun pop culture references from whatever summer we’re discussing. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how difficult the summer of 2011 was hockey as a whole, especially in the Nashville Predators community.

In August, we lost Wade Belak, a man beloved by practically everyone in Smashville—players, coaches, and fans alike. His death came just mere weeks after Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien, two other players well-liked and respected across the league, lost their lives as well. Just weeks later, we’d be forced to cope with another tragedy, as the plane carrying the KHL’s Lokomotiv…