Annual Community Relations Day Sees Preds Spread Cheer Ahead of Opening Night

An integral part of being a Nashville Predators player is to be as impactful in the community as they are on the ice.

They recognize their platform and how big of a difference the franchise and its players can make in the lives of those who live in Middle Tennessee. That’s why, every season, the team spends a day giving back to Smashville through various volunteer projects and events.

“Community Relations Day presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is one of our favorite initiatives each season,” Predators Vice President of Community Relations Rebecca King said. “It’s a great way for our players to meet organizations in Smashville who do incredible work every day.”

A total of 11 Preds players spent their afternoons with five different groups, seeing firsthand the organizations’ respective missions.

Cole Smith and Adam Wilsby learned how to make and decorate Petit Fours from Sweet Daisy Petit Four Shoppe, the social enterprise of Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition. The Shoppe provides survivors of human trafficking and addiction a safe place to work and connect with fellow survivors. The duo cut and glazed the dough, then finished by decorating each delicacy with a dollop of frosting and sprinkles or a daisy. Smith and Wilsby can add 'confectionery creator’ to their resumes as their final products tasted as good as they looked.

While Smith and Wilsby were baking, Michael Bunting and Filip Forsberg were playing goalball with students from Tennessee School for the Blind. The game, designed for visually impaired athletes, sees players try to score on the other team by throwing a ball with bells in it. Bunting and Forsberg were blindfolded and paired with an alumna of the school. Showing off their skills, they won the afternoon’s game.

Next up, Justin Barron and Spencer Stastney helped prepare meals for the homeless community with People Loving Nashville. The organization feeds the community every Monday night. Barron and Stastney were masters of the grill and cooked vegetables. By the end of the afternoon, they helped make more than 400 meals.

Nic Hague and Michael McCarron met with families of the new St. Mary Villa Child Development Center and the neighboring charity Renewal House. St. Mary Villa aims to provide affordable childcare for families. The organization has a Preds room in their facility funded by a Preds Foundation Helper Grant. Hague and McCarron enjoyed playing floor hockey and hanging out with the kids. Preds partner Hattie B’s Hot Chicken also provided a meal for both charities as part of the Hattie B’s Assist program which celebrates nonprofits in Middle Tennessee.

Finally, Brady Martin, Nick Perbix and Fedor Svechkov joined the Tri-Star 6U & 8U Youth League for practice at Ford Ice Center Antioch. The three helped with drills, mini scrimmages and worked on skills with the kids. There were lots of smiles on the faces of both the kids and pros once practice was over.

“I think we had just as much fun as the kids,” Perbix said. “We had an NHLer when I was growing up come back to our hometown and skate with us, and I still remember that to this day. So, being in that role and getting the opportunity to do that is cool.”

There’s nothing like giving back to the place that’s given so much to each individual, and CR Day reminds us just how special Smashville - and its people - truly are.