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The Nashville Predators regular-season home opener against the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena is on Friday (NBC SN, 7 p.m.).  As discussed earlier, the Predators had a lot of changes this summer with one of the biggest being backup goalie, mid-game broadcaster, and Pekka Rinne’s pump-up buddy Carter Hutton signed with the St. Louis Blues.

Oh, and also, Shea Weber is now a Montreal Canadien/Canadian and P.K. Subban is on the Predators (and blowing up social media with tweets like this (possibly NSFW) and this) and Mike Fisher is now the Captain of the team.

So, you know.  Pretty big things for what most people consider a small-market team.

Other moves include signing Matt Carle, Roman Josi (who Shea Weber said should’ve been the Captain in his exit interviews) & James Neal are now the Alternative Captains. The NHL 17 video game has chosen the Predators to win the Stanley Cup this year.  Pekka Rinne was the best part of Team Finland at the Worlds according to The Hockey Writers and has a new workout plan (it involves kale) to stay healthy.  P.K. Subban’s jersey sales saw a 75% increase after he became a Pred.

The Opening Night roster is stock full of home-grown players:

Forwards: Filip Forsberg; Colton Sissons; Mike Fisher; Craig Smith; Cody Bass; James Neal; Calle Jarnkrok; Miikka Salomaki; Colin Wilson; Viktor Arvidsson; Kevin Fiala; Mike Ribeiro; Ryan Johansen

Defense: Anthony Bitetto; Ryan Ellis; Yannick Weber; Mattias Ekholm; Matt Carle; Roman Josi; P.K. Subban

Goaltender: Pekka Rinne; Marek Mazanec


Catching Up With Former Predators: 

  • Rich Clune [2013 – 2015] celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving to say what he was thankful for.
  • Anders Lindback [2008 – 2012] might be one of the New Jersey Devils backups, either for their AHL team in Albany or in the NHL.
  • Kevin Klein [2003 – 2014] has back spasms and might not play in the home opener on Thursday Night.

 

 

 

Born and raised around the swamps of Northern New Jersey, 6 minutes away from East Rutherford and 11 minutes away from Newark (all with no traffic, of course), she is a giant New Jersey Devils fan whose greatest pieces of hockey memorabilia include a Patrik Elias Team Czech #25 shirsey, a Theo Fleury Calgary Flames action figure and a signed picture of Kevin Weekes smiling for the camera. She learned a long time ago that every Devils player that isn't Patrik Elias who she loves will probably be traded away, sent to Russia or just never get a call from Uncle Lou during contract negotiations and she has learned, after drinking a lot of Kool-Aid, that that is okay sometimes because Uncle Lou will always bring them back for the last year or so of their hockey life. Speaking of, she is also been one of the few women in the Bobby Holik Appreciation Fan Club since 1996 or so.

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