On that late-May afternoon, roughly two-and-a-half months into what had become the temporary new reality, the NHL commissioner also took a moment to look ahead to the future by stating the League not only intended to hold a 2020-21 season, but they wanted fans in arenas at some point too, if such an activity was deemed safe and prudent.
A nearly-full Bridgestone Arena was a nice thought to have wander around the mind, but predicting what would happen in the months ahead, let alone days, seemed nearly impossible.
And yet, here we are, one year later, the Predators about to host 14,107 Smashvillians inside their home building for Game 6 of a first-round meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Considering everything we've all gone through to get here? Rather remarkable.
Also, while we're on the subject of noteworthiness, the Preds are one win away from pushing what many have called a Stanley Cup contender to a Game 7.
Yes, Nashville's hockey club is down 3-2 in their series, following a 3-2 overtime loss Tuesday night in Carolina.
The Preds were disappointed with the outcome, as one might expect, but if they could have gone right off the plane and straight to Bridgestone Arena in the early hours of Wednesday morning as they arrived back in Tennessee, they might have taken that deal.
Never before has this team been so eager to get back in front of their home crowd, a crowd that helped will them to a pair of dramatic triumphs - both in double overtime - in Games 3 and 4 to make everyone in Carolina think maybe this wasn't going to be so easy after all.
Actually, should anyone have really thought that to begin with?
This is the Predators team that was "left for dead" as described by Nashville General Manager David Poile, but then had a resurgence in the second half of the regular season the likes of which is rarely seen in the top professional hockey league in the world.
And during that climb back into contention, the Predators followed up nearly every deflating loss with an effort seemingly superior to every other one in the rearview.
"It's what we do," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said roughly 15 minutes after Hurricanes Captain Jordan Staal scored to put Nashville on the brink for the first time this postseason. "It's not getting too high, not getting too low…and the thing I really like about the group, as you've seen the last two-and-a-half months, when we're in situations like this, our ability to refocus, put it behind us and get better [is unmatched]. We're going home for a Game 6, and we've got a tremendous opportunity here in the series, battling as the series has gone on. I'm really confident that we'll use the day the right way [on Wednesday], we'll put this one behind us, and we'll be ready; a couple adjustments, but I know our guys will be ready to go."
If the Predators are to advance and shock the hockey world by knocking off a team that wasn't supposed to lose to a club that found their way in by winning their penultimate game of the season, they'll have to win one on the road eventually.
But, let's focus on the present and a Thursday evening that will feature a city primed and prepared to cheer for their team in the most pressurized of circumstances - although that won't scare the Predators.
"We know what we need to do, and we've been through this before," Hynes said. "That's part of why you go about your business the way you go about your business in the regular season. It's not about the noise, it's not about getting too high, too low, it's just getting better. We've really come through in a lot of situations this year where we've had a tough loss, and then you 've got to come back to win a game. We've got a lot of confidence in who we are, how we're playing, what we're doing and how we're responding."
One year ago, the Predators were simply hoping to have a chance to play. One year later, they're still playing by so much more than just chance.
Game 6 it is, SMASHVILLE. See you at Bridgestone Arena.
