A group vicepresident said in a statement

Louis. These players were rewarded in the off season with the largest contracts on the team and they were expected to produce commensurate with their compensation This has not been the case. In the early going, both have often times been invisible on the ice. For the Predators to contend for the playoffs, these two players in particular are going to have to step up their offensive production.Jason Arnott and Steve Sullivan have to become more productive as well Each has five points (both have 2G-3A). These are proven veterans that have to score and their scoring has to increase-quickly Arnott and Sullivan have been reunited with J.P. Dumont on the top line, which has not had much time together this seaason due to injuries to Dumont and Arnott.When this line is together, they have the potential to dominate as they did for stretches in the St Louis game. This line, particularly Arnott and Sullivan, has to start scoring consistently for this team to gain ground in the highly competitive Western Conference.An indication of the lack of scoring from the forwards, is that 11 of the Predator's 36 goals have come from defensemen.

While this scoring from the blueline is welcome, it is evidence of the production that is lacking from the forwards.Neither Pekka Rinne (5-4) nor Dan Ellis (3-4-1), have taken the number one goalie position. Both have shown flashes of brilliance and both have shown they can be shaky. The team has to have a clear number one who is solid in the net. Predator fans are still waiting for one of them to claim the starter's role.So, is this a team that has the potential to make the playoffs, or are they destined to be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin This team has shown that they can play with anyone when they play their game; solid defense and gritty, balanced offense. They have also shown that they can stink up a barn when they aren't focused on what makes them successful.After some early season meltdowns, it appears that this squad is understanding and embracing what they have to do to win. We know that scoring will have to improve for this team to make a run at the playoffs. We know that if it doesn't, they will be spectators come playoff time. This article is also featured on theviewfrom111.

By Chang-Ran Kim, Asia autos correspondent Private Capital DETROIT, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) saidit would launch an all-electric car for city commuting by 2012in the United States as part of its plan to speed up theintroduction of green cars as its global sales falter. The FT-EV concept made its debut at the North AmericanInternational Auto Show in Detroit on Sunday, where the world'stop automaker is also unveiling two new gasoline-electrichybrid cars. The FT-EV concept shares a platform with the tiny iQ urbancommuter car, which runs on a gasoline engine and emits just 99grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. "Now, more than ever, while we are so focused on thepressing issues of the moment, we cannot lose sight of ourfuture," Irv Miller, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A group vicepresident, said in a statement. Toyota said the concept car is targeted at the urbandweller driving up to 50 miles (80 km) between home and work,for instance.

"Last summer's $4-a-gallon gasoline was no anomaly," Millersaid. "It was a brief glimpse of our future." Toyota, which had previously said it would aim to get anelectric car out by the "early part of the next decade", wouldjoin rivals General Motors Corp GM.N and Nissan Motor Co(7201.T) in the race to grab the lead in the zero-emission carsegment. ID:nT6192 But Toyota said it still considered gasoline-electrichybrid vehicles its long-term core powertrain technology. With an aim of selling 1 million hybrids annually soonafter 2010, Toyota will launch as many as 10 new hybrid modelsby then in various markets.