Nashville Predators Puck Drop: For The Love Of The Game

Welcome to The Puck Drop, a weekly roundup of all things Nashville Predators. We look at news stories, social media posts, and everything else that has to do with, cue Paul McCann, YOUR NASHVILLE PREDATORS.

A quick look at the NHL standings will tell you that Predators’ fans have little to be cheerful about. The Predators are in seventh place in the Central Division with a 6-8-0 record.

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While we are all frustrated with what is transpiring on the ice, I can guarantee you that no one is more frustrated than the players and coaching staff.

These guys are professionals who have spent their entire lives honing their skills and working to become the best hockey players that they can be.

It’s easy for us to sit in our comfy chairs and be critical. We all do it, myself included. It’s also easy for us to say what we would do if we were in charge of the team.

We all should try to remain calm and understand that there other factors in play and plans that have yet to be revealed. Some of which may come to fruition and some may never see the light of day.

When two cavemen decided to pick up a rock and have the first-ever catch, you can bet a third caveman stood idly by and criticized the other two. Caveman three must have thought that there were better ways to pitch the rock and wondered how he could replace the other two cavemen with better cavemen who could pitch the rock as he liked.

The point of that story is this; do we have the right to be critical of our favorite team? Absolutely. Could any of us play better, coach better, or manage the team better? Doubtful.

When you find yourself being overly critical of the Predators, take a pause and remember why you fell in love with the Predators and the game of hockey in the first place. It’s a beautiful game, and we are all fortunate to have an NHL franchise in Nashville.

This week, we look at a recent arrival, some Preds birthdays, and the G.O.A.T’s resurgence.

The Debut of Another Nashville Predators Baby

Mattias Ekholm and his wife Ida welcomed their second child into the world on Monday, a baby girl named Mya. The couple also has a young son named William.

Ekholm missed the first game against Tampa Bay due to the birth, but returned and played the second of the back-to-back games. Unfortunately, Ekholm was hurt in that second game and is now on the injured reserve list labeled as week-to-week.

Congratulations to the Ekholm family!

The Return of Classic Rinne

While there have been a few bright spots this season, perhaps the brightest has been the resurgence of Pekka Rinne.

At the end of last season and throughout training camp, the talk has been that Rinne would serve as the backup goaltender to Juuse Saros. Rinne has proven that he’s not ready to hand over the reins just yet.

Through eight games played, Rinne’s GAA sits at 2.56 while his SV% is .911. There have been several instances this season where we have seen some classic Rinne saves.

Keep it up, G.O.A.T. All of Smashville is cheering you on!

What A Week For Rocco Grimaldi

This week Rocco Grimaldi celebrated his birthday and scored a beautiful goal against Tampa Bay. It even ended up on the SportsCenter Top 10 plays.

Grimaldi had recently spent some games as a healthy scratch, but has thankfully seen more ice time as of late. It’s good to see him get back into the lineup and continue to bring the intensity and speed he is known for.

Happy Birthday, Rocco!

Speaking Of Birthdays

Forward Mathieu Olivier celebrated a birthday this week as well.

Many have been impressed with the gritty style of play that he has brought to the Predators. After impressing the coaching staff in training camp, Olivier regularly finds himself on the roster.

Unfortunately, Olivier is now on the injured reserve list but should be back in action very soon.

Happy Birthday, Mathieu!