Mason, Preds Alumni Host Guitar Picks and Hockey Sticks Fantasy Camp

Seeing alumni fantasy hockey camps pop up around North America, the wheels started turning for former Nashville Predators goaltender and current TV broadcaster Chris Mason after a conversation during last year's Preds playoff run.
From that interaction with retired St. Louis Blues forward Kelly Chase, who has run similar camps in Canada for more than 15 years, the Guitar Picks and Hockey Sticks Fantasy Camp was born in Nashville.
Mason, Chase and more than a dozen of their former NHL teammates and rivals treated six teams of Average Joes to the pro-hockey experience in a round-robin-style tournament. Proceeds from teams' entry fees - plus the money raised through an auction-style draft of NHL veterans to add to their rosters - benefit the Predators Foundation and charities like the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids and the After the Impact Fund.

The three-day fantasy camp, which coincided with the NHL All-Star Weekend, culminated Sunday in a game between the auction's highest bidding team and the NHL alumni at Centennial Sportsplex.
"I was nervous leading up to this camp because you never know how it's going to go, but it could not have gone better," said Mason, who played goalie in parts of seven pro seasons with the Preds from 1998-99 to 2012-13.
"The guys that came in and paid a lot of money to be in the camp donated a ton to these charities. The event was a huge success, and I couldn't be more happy and thankful."

Mason recruited many of his former Preds teammates, who were happy to partake, including J-P Dumont (2006-11), Hal Gill (2011-13), Stu Grimson (2001-02), Darcy Hordichuk (2005-08) and Brian McGrattan (2011-13).
"They've got tremendous insight in giving back to the community (in Nashville) and I thought that was the best part of it, watching how the former players knew they have an obligation to give back," said Chase, who brought along a sizeable contingent of former Blues stars as well.
Together they made for a wide variety of skill sets on the ice, though the pros didn't flaunt their abilities too much during games. The competition was all in the name of charity and fun, the rules of play and fundamentals far looser than what you'll see on any given night at Bridgestone Arena.
Occasionally an NHL alumnus would take a faceoff with his stick upside down, leveling the playing field as much as lightening the mood. Other times a pro on a breakaway had to handle not only the goalie in front of him but a few water bottles hurtling his way from the bench.

"You can see the skill difference, that's for sure, but it was lots of fun," said Ashley Godwin, part of a team that flew down from Alberta for the event. "The guys are joking with you on the ice - couple hooks, couple slashes to make you feel like you're part of the team."
The enjoyment wasn't reserved for those paying to be there either. Laughter came equal to those with a dozen years of NHL service as zero, along with every experience in between.
"The feedback we've got so far has been great so hopefully this will be an annual thing," Mason said. "That was our intention. First year was a great success."