CBS newsman Bob Schieffer worked for the “Fort Worth Star-Telegram” at the time and told a story about how the news was coming so quickly that people would stand in line and circle the block where the newspaper was printed because the newspaper was changing and adding to the story that quickly. The folks outside continually bought a new newspaper to get the latest information.

 

Television, however, was able to do all of this on the fly…as it occurred. That’s probably the day Walter Cronkite became “The Most Trusted Man in America”.

 

Today, we have the immediacy of the internet to go along with TV and radio.

 

I bring all of this up because about 25 minutes after I posted a blog on this website about how nothing noteworthy was happening for the Predators and Admirals, Nashville up and announced the signing of defenseman Jack Hillen.

 

Today, I decided I would find out a little more about Hillen. Here’s an interview with Hillen.

 

Hillen’s senior season (2007-08) at Colorado College was a memorable one. He was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, WCHA First Team All-Star and NCAA West First Team All-American.

 

Last season, Hillen led the Islanders with 137 blocked shots.

 

Here’s a great article that notes Hillen’s all-around athletic ability and his level head.

 

Here’s an interview where Hillen talks about his life in college. He’s a smart guy. He was also being recruited to play at Harvard.

 

He certainly isn’t the biggest guy, but I like the shot-blocking stat. That shows me a guy that is smart and willing to work hard and play, as Lane Lambert would say, “desperate hockey”.

 

His signing, while on the surface a minor one, really helps the depth for the Predators. He’s a guy that’s played the last two seasons in the NHL. His signing likely pushes one of the young defensemen to Milwaukee.

 

On Nashville’s website, the six defensemen currently listed as members of the Predators are Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Jon Blum, Kevin Klein, Francis Bouillon and Hillen.

 

That leaves Tyler Sloan, Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, Teemu Laakso, Mattias Ekholm, Vistor Bartley, Scott Ford, Jeff Foss Charles-Olivier Roussel and Taylor Aronson to battle for a spot in Nashville (probably two spots because of Bouillon’s health).

 

Still, just the signing of Sloan and Hillen the last couple weeks has given the Predators AHL affiliate a needed boost of experience and/or talent. Kudos!

 

Moving on…

 

Congratulations to colleague John Walton. He is leaving Hershey after nine years as that team’s play-by-play announcer and will take the same job with the NHL Washington Capitals. John is a fellow Minnesotan and we often make snarky comments on Twitter about how bad the Twins are or about old North Stars. He’s a good man and I’m very happy for him.

 

Former Nashville first-rounder Austin Watson, who spent the end of last season with the Admirals, has made the first cut for the U.S. World Junior Team.

 

Today is the 23^rd anniversary of Wayne Gretzky’s trade to Los Angeles from Edmonton. I wrote about it last year and even found the newspaper advertisement. Enjoy.

 

I leave you with an artist performing at the Wisconsin State Fair, Billy Dean. He was the opening act at the first concert I ever attended when he opened for Alan Jackson at the Rochester Civic Center in Rochester, MN in 1992. I even got to meet him after the show. This is a really good version of a song first made famous by Dave Mason.