Josi, Ekholm Praise Fanbase as Preds Prepare to Host NHL Stadium Series

Wednesday morning wasn't Roman Josi's first trip to Nissan Stadium on the bank of the Cumberland River in Nashville, but it did mark the first occasion he sported a Predators logo inside the venue.
He'll do so again in just over four months from now, under the lights, with tens of thousands enjoying an outdoor NHL game.
In Nashville, Tennessee.

Josi and the Preds will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 26, 2022, at the home of the Tennessee Titans, and it's sure to be a party to compete with any the Music City has thrown in the past.
The festivities will be reserved mostly for the spectators, but that's fine with Josi. He'd argue he'll have the best role of them all on that late-February Saturday night.
"I've been here to games before, but just standing down here and looking at the stadium, it's pretty impressive," Josi said Wednesday morning during an NHL press conference at the stadium. "Having it filled with Preds fans all in Gold, it's going to be special."
Nashville's captain was joined by fellow blueliner Mattias Ekholm on Wednesday, and he too was in awe just imagining the spectacle that is yet to come.
"Last year, we were in Dallas [for the 2020 NHL Winter Classic], and we had a lot of Preds fans - like, a lot of them there - but I can only imagine how many we're going to have at home," Ekholm said. "[It's going to be a] super cool atmosphere and experience, and I'm just looking forward to it."
That first outdoor game in Predators franchise history didn't go Nashville's way on the scoreboard, but the experience of it wasn't lost on any of the participants. The invitation back in Dallas brought about yet another marquee event for the Preds on the NHL stage, continuing to signify the League's acknowledgement of Nashville as not only a viable hockey market, but one that continues to be the envy of so many others.
From the 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend held in and around Bridgestone Arena - still widely regarded as the best All-Star experience ever held by the League - to the raucous atmosphere of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, Nashville has impressed during its share of hockey extravaganzas in recent memory.
Those moments provide a sense of pride for those who wear the hometown uniform, and they're ready to feel that once more.
"This is just another thing for the Preds to show how big of a hockey city this is," Josi said. "I've talked to a lot of players, and they still talk about that All-Star Game in Nashville and how amazing that was. And then obviously the Final and everything, I think it's just another chance for the Preds and for the city to show the hockey world how big of a hockey city this is."

"It's just a big thank you for the city, what they do for us and what our fans do for us, and then seeing the League reward the community and reward us with these events… is super exciting," Ekholm said. "But I think it speaks volumes about the people that live here, the people and the fans that come to the games that are our supporters, so I think as much pride we take in it, I think the fans should be just as proud over what they do, because that's how we get these events."
Unlike past showcases in Nashville, this next act will take place outdoors under the stars in a stadium that has seen plenty over the years, but never a hockey game. Chances of the Titans ever participating in a meaningful competition at Bridgestone Arena are much slimmer than running back Derrick Henry's odds of finding the endzone on any given Sunday - or Monday - but the Preds are certainly excited to play the role of guest at the home of their NFL counterparts.
"It's just really cool to have that bond within the city of Nashville, and I feel like everyone is supportive of each other," Josi said. "We always have Titans players at our games, which is so cool for us that they come and support us. We're all huge Titans fans… and just that connection with the fans and the sports teams here, the city rallies behind the sports teams. It's pretty cool to support each other."
As the longest-tenured Preds on the roster, Josi and Ekholm have been fans of the other athletes in their city for a good while, and the transformation they've seen over the past decade is striking. Not only have they witnessed the franchise and the game of hockey grow throughout the region, but they've also seen the city morph into one of the country's most desirable spots to live, work and play.
Those things matter in moments like this, and the awarding of an outdoor game is just another culmination of sorts for the organization, the fanbase and beyond.
The city of Nashville is always ready for a good time, and the Preds are hoping to give their supporters a show they deserve beneath the winter sky, no matter where they reside.
"When I came into the League, I remember playing my first Saturday game at home, and I was like, 'I can't believe how loud this crowd is and how wild Bridgestone [Arena] gets,'" Josi said. "And I think once Nashville got all those big events, like the All-Star Game, we went to the Final, where the national stage could see how awesome the city is, and I think it was always like that. But later, you got a chance to show it to the whole United States, and in Canada, how big of a hockey city it is. But our fans have always been amazing, and obviously these events give the city a chance to show it to everyone."