Opening Night: Kraken vs. Preds Preview

The waiting is almost over.
After three weeks of Training Camp, six preseason games - and two years since the Predators started a fresh season in front of a sold-out Bridgestone Arena - Nashville is set to host Opening Night to begin the 2021-22 NHL season.
Tonight's guest? The Seattle Kraken, who will be playing just their second game ever after becoming the League's 32nd team and joining the ranks to start this new campaign.
And, as always, the Opening Night excitement is there, perhaps just as much as ever before.

"I think that's one thing we're really excited for - to have all the fans in the building again," Preds Captain Roman Josi said following Wednesday's practice. "Opening Night is one of the best games all year, every time, because everybody is excited. The fans are excited, we're excited and it's a new year. That's definitely the one thing we missed the most last year - having our fans in the building. It's going to be loud [tonight], so it's very exciting."
The Predators named their 23-man roster on Tuesday, and rookie forward Philip Tomasino was among those who have made the team. A mix of young players and established veterans will make up Nashville's nucleus starting tonight, and from Head Coach John Hynes's perspective, there's plenty to watch for as the Preds begin a new journey this evening.
"The results were excellent, [and we've seen] major improvements from guys that have come back from our original team," Hynes said of the past three weeks. "I think when you look at the training camp, it was highly competitive… So, I think it's a motivated group, and they're coming in with a good environment around the team. We have some things internally that we've talked about, what our identity wants to be, and I think that that's become more and more clear [since] the second half of last year… We have a group that's come back physically fit, mentally ready, understanding how we want to play and who we are as a group."
On the outside, not many - if any - of the pundits are giving the Predators a chance to compete in the highly-skilled Central Division, but that's fine with them. Win or loss tonight, Nashville knows what it takes over the course of an 82-game slate.
"I mean, we're all confident with the group that we have together," Preds forward Colton Sissons said as Training Camp began. "I think we have a similar vibe to last year when we weren't getting a lot of respect, I don't think, around the League and in the rankings. You know what? We're down with that. We can come out and surprise a lot of teams, and we're not going to be easy to play against, that's for sure. So, we're all excited here."

Tomasino Set to Make NHL Debut with Preds:

He's in.
Just over two years after the Predators selected him in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, forward Philip Tomasino will make his NHL debut tonight in Nashville as the Preds host the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena.
As one might imagine, Tomasino admits he has some nerves, but he'll try to keep things as simple as possible while treating this like any other game.
Except there's just a bit more to it.
"It's what you dream of since you've been a kid," Tomasino grinned on Thursday morning. "It's been a whirlwind last couple of days here, and I couldn't really sleep last night, so the emotions are kicking in pretty high. I'm really excited, and it's going to be a long day until we get on the ice here, but I think just overall it's been awesome. To get this experience has been cool, but I think once you're on the ice, you forget about all that…and try to play hockey and play your game. It's going to be really fun."
Tomasino got the news Monday that he had made the roster, and Predators Head Coach John Hynes later informed the 20-year-old he would also be in the lineup tonight, an exchange that was appreciated by the bench boss, too.
"He earned it, he deserved it and he's a really good player," Hynes said. "[He had a] good training camp, good substance to his game, and we announced it today with the team on the ice and they gave him some stick taps. When you think about it, it's a special thing… This is the only time you ever get a first game, and I think it's really special for him, his family, for the team, and those are the more enjoyable meetings that you can have as coaches."
Tomasino's parents will be in attendance tonight in Nashville, one more added perk for the jovial rookie, and simply put, he can't wait to realize a lifelong dream of playing a game in the best hockey league in the world.
"It's going to be a really cool feeling for all of us," Tomasino said. "I know they're really excited, and I'm really excited as well, just to be able to play in front of all the fans. I haven't gotten a chance to play a regular-season game, so that's going to be really cool. [There will be a] lot of emotions, but I'm looking forward to it and it's going to be a lot of fun for everyone here."

The Good Guys:

Only four players on Nashville's Opening Night roster - forwards Tomasino and Cody Glass, defenseman Philippe Myers and goaltender David Rittich - did not play for the Preds last season.
Captain Roman Josi returns having led the Predators in scoring for the past two seasons with 33 points in 2020-21, and Mikael Granlund led Nashville with 13 goals last season. Goaltender Juuse Saros is the man in net, and he'll be looking to build off of a 21-11-1 record in the previous campaign that saw him receive votes for the Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy.
Nashville's top trio of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene have skated together throughout the preseason, and Granlund has had Luke Kunin and Eeli Tolvanen on his wings as of late.

The Opposition:

The Kraken played their first game in franchise history on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, a 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights. Seattle came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in their inaugural outing before Vegas tallied the game-winner in the third period.
Ryan Donato, Jared McCann and Morgan Geekie all scored in Seattle's opener, and goaltender Philip Grubauer - who signed as a free agent after leaving Colorado over the summer - made 26 saves in the loss.
Former Preds forward Calle Jarnkrok - who was selected by the Kraken in the Expansion Draft - may not be in the lineup tonight for Seattle; Jarnkrok is one of a number of Kraken players who have been on the team's COVID protocol list in recent days.

All-Time Meetings:

This will be the first-ever matchup between the Predators and Kraken; it will stand as Seattle's second-ever NHL game.
It is the first of three meetings between the two teams in 2021-22 and the only to take place at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville will visit Seattle for the first time on Jan. 25 and will return to Climate Pledge Arena on March 2.
Calle Jarnkrok was selected by Seattle from Nashville in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Jarnkrok spent eight seasons with the Predators from 2013-21 and posted 211 points (94g-117a) in 508 games. He is one of 13 skaters in Predators history to play in at least 500 games with the team.
Kraken forward Colin Blackwell made his NHL debut with Nashville in 2018-19 and went on to play in 33 games with the Predators over parts of two seasons. He notched three goals and 10 points from 2018-20.
Seattle's Head Equipment Manager, Jeff Camelio, spent 15 seasons as Nashville's Assistant Equipment Manager; 2019-20 was Camelio's final campaign with the Predators.

Opening Night in Smashville:

The Predators are 13-8-(0)-1 all-time in regular-season openers, including a 9-3-(0)-1 record when the season opener occurs at home.
Nashville's .614 point percentage in season openers is the fourth-highest in NHL history among franchises that have competed in at least 10 such games. In home openers, the Predators are 13-7-(1)-1 all-time and have won seven of their last eight and 11 of their last 14.
On opening night last season, Nashville defeated Columbus, 3-1, on the strength of goals from Luke Kunin, Filip Forsberg and Calle Jarnkrok. Forsberg has scored in each of Nashville's last four season-opening games, the longest active streak in the NHL. If he scores on Thursday vs. Seattle, he could become the 12th player in NHL history to score in at least five straight season-opening games.

When You Go:

The Opening Night festivities at Bridgestone Arena begin at 4 p.m. CT with a Plaza Party and the return of the Preds Player Gold Walk. Preds sponsors Nissan, ICEE, Tennessee Lottery, Hattie B's, Firestone Direct, Gibson Guitar Throne, Build-A-Bar and more will be on the Plaza leading up to game time.
Arena doors open at 5 p.m. ahead of tonight's 7 p.m. puck drop in Smashville with roster cards and rally towels being given to all fans.
All guests aged 12 and older attending tonight's game will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test administered by a healthcare professional within 72 hours prior to the event that includes their name and the date of the test.
Fans attending the game are encouraged to use the CLEAR Health Pass
to provide easy proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test and offer safer and faster fan entry into events held at the venue.
The CLEAR Health Pass - Bridgestone Arena's preferred vaccine verification method - is a free mobile app that securely houses COVID-19 vaccination and test information. Predators fans and all Bridgestone Arena attendees ages 18 and older are encouraged to utilize the CLEAR Health Pass app to make entry into the venue as smooth as possible. All Bridgestone Arena entrances, including the two main ones at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway and Demonbreun Street, will accept the CLEAR Health Pass for venue access.
Anyone unable to use the CLEAR Health Pass
must follow all Bridgestone Arena entry protocols
.

Watch & Listen:

Coverage for this evening's 7 p.m. CT puck drop from Nashville begins at 6 p.m. CT with a special one-hour edition of the Predators Live! pregame show on Bally Sports South hosted by Lyndsay Rowley and Terry Crisp. Willy Daunic, Chris Mason and Kara Hammer have the call on the television side, while Pete Weber and Hal Gill will broadcast on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network. Pregame coverage on the radio begins at 6 p.m. with Darren McFarland. For broadcast information and channel locations throughout the country,
click here
.