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. Wholesale China Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. Wholesale Jerseys Review . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. https://www.wholesalejerseysreview.com/. -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Cheap Authentic Jerseys 2020 . As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Wholesale Jerseys 2020 . Appearing on TSN 1050 on Tuesday, Sean McAdam of Comcast SportsNet New England reported that the Blue Jays, along with a number of other playoff contenders were in the mix for the Boston ace.ZURICH - Dubai-based airline Emirates will not renew its World Cup sponsorship with FIFA for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.Emirates was FIFAs airline partner for three World Cups from 2006 through 2014.This decision was made following an evaluation of FIFAs contract proposal which did not meet Emirates expectations, the airline said in a statement.FIFA typically retains six top-tier commercial partners signing up for at least two World Cups.The six 2014 World Cup partners — Adidas, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Hyundai, Sony, Visa — combined to pay about $700 million for the four-year commercial cycle, according to figures in FIFAs annual financial reports. Four have renewed thhrough at least 2022, with Sony yet to sign.ddddddddddddQatar Airways, from the 2022 World Cup host nation, could now replace Emirates.FIFA declined to comment on ongoing negotiations.The governing body said Emirates suggested in 2012 it would restructure its football sponsorship strategy, which was a decision that FIFA respects.Emirates has major sponsorship deals with some top European clubs, including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.Still, Emirates stated on its website that World Cup sponsorship sits centrally to its football strategy.It hired Pele and Cristiano Ronaldo to front its marketing campaign for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. ' ' '