~Tritt herein~ » Mike to make a full recovery in four to six m

NASHVILLE -- Nashville Predators forward Mike Fisher has a ruptured Achilles tendon that likely will cause him to miss at least the start of the upcoming season. In a statement released by the team Monday, Predators general manager David Poile said Fisher underwent surgery Thursday after rupturing the tendon during a training session. "We expect Mike to make a full recovery in four to six months, and look forward to his return to the ice," Poile said. The Predators open the season Oct. 9 against Ottawa. Fisher, 34, served as Nashvilles alternate captain last season and had 20 goals and 29 assists in 75 games. He has 226 goals and 255 assists in 887 career regular-season games. Fisher tweeted, "Setbacks are opportunities for growth," on Monday and included a picture of his bandaged lower leg in a walking boot. The injury seriously hinders Nashvilles plans to boost its offence under new coach Peter Laviolette. After missing the playoffs for a second straight season, Poile fired coach Barry Trotz and replaced him with Laviolette, emphasizing the need to add more scoring punch to a franchise that traditionally has prided itself on defence. The Predators have spent much of the off-season attempting to boost that offence. They acquired forward James Neal from the Pittsburgh Penguins and signed free-agent centre Olli Jokinen to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. But the Predators would suffer a major blow if they have to spend much of the season without Fisher, one of the teams top offensive threats since coming to Nashville in a 2011 trade with the Ottawa Senators. Mondays news continues the Predators recent run of bad luck with injuries to key players. Star goaltender Pekka Rinne played just 24 games last season because of an E. coli infection in his surgically repaired left hip. Rinnes injury may have cost the Predators a playoff berth, as they finished the season three points out of eighth place in the Western Conference. Nike Air Force 1 07 Australia . -- One shot came out of bottom of a cactus, the other from the base of a desert bush with rocks scattered around it. Sf Air Force 1 Mid Australia . The game marks the rare occasion when two homegrown running backs, Jon Cornish of the Calgary Stampeders and Andrew Harris of the B.C. Lions, will start in the West Divisions battle for a Grey Cup berth. http://www.airforce1shoesaustralia.com/a...-australia.html. Vinci also beat Dulgheru last week in Bucharest en route to her first WTA final in a year. Vinci next faces sixth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan, who beat Czech qualifier Katerina Siniakova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-2. No. Air Force 1 Australia . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach. Air Force 1 Sale Australia . -- Canadas Justin Shin shot an 8-under 64 on Thursday on PGA Wests Nicklaus Tournament Course to take the first-round lead in the Web.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Los Angeles Angels hope the Jason Grilli theyre getting from the Pittsburgh Pirates is the dominant version of last year rather than the struggling one of this year. The Pirates feel the same way about Ernesto Frieri. The Angels and Pirates made a swap the relievers on Friday night, each team optimistic that a change of scenery will be enough to allow their new arms to revert to their old ways. "Obviously were trying to get a bullpen with some chemistry and upgrade it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, "and I think Jason Grilli is a guy who can hopefully come in and fill a role, and if he pitches as well as he did last year he could be really important to us." The 37-year-old Grilli was struggled with his command this season, and was 0-2 with a 4.87 ERA and 11 saves in 22 appearances. But he was pivotal to the Pirates resurgence last year, when he piled up 33 saves and had a 2.70 ERA in helping the club to a 94-68 record. "Its a difficult trade to make from the standpoint that Jason had a good run here, and did a lot for our franchise both on and off the field," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "Hes loved by a lot of guys in the clubhouse and a lot of fans." Grilli is expected to join the Angels in Kansas City onn Saturday.dddddddddddd. "Much like Ernie, he struggled with some things here and there this year after a terrific year last year," Scioscia said. "Once he gets settled and we can evaluate exactly where he is and where his role is going to be to make us as deep as we can be, well have a better idea." Frieri had a career-best 37 saves for the Angels last year, but the 28-year-old right-hander is just 0-3 with 6.39 ERA and 11 saves in 34 appearances this season. The final straw may have come the previous night in Los Angeles, when he loaded the bases in the ninth inning against Minnesota. Joe Smith relieved him and gave up a bases-clearing double but bounced back to strike out Kendrys Morales to preserve the 6-4 victory. Frieri has allowed at least one run in four of his last five appearances, and while hes thrown six shutout frames in the eighth inning, he has a 7.92 ERA in the ninth inning or later. "Ernesto is a guy weve pursued for a couple of years but havent been about to get," Huntington said. "Hes going through a rough stretch but hes doing things our scouts like and our (statistical) analysts like. Weve had success bringing guys in and having them benefit from a change of scenery, a change of league. Thats what were hoping for here." ' ' '