Preds Year In Review: Best of 2020

The past 12 months won't be forgotten anytime soon, and not necessarily for the best of reasons.
The year 2020 brought challenges the likes of which most of us had never seen - or imagined we'd ever experience. A global pandemic and civil unrest altered the lives of Americans, and for those of us here in Nashville, a March tornado and a Christmas Day explosion added to the hardships for so many of our friends and neighbors.
And yet, in a year where mask wearing and Zoom calls became the norm and the news seemed to worsen by the day, there was still some good to celebrate, too.
So, as we bid farewell to the past on this final day of 2020 and look ahead to better moments in 2021, let's take one final glance at how the Preds helped to brighten the year that was.

January 9, 2020: Pekka Rinne Scores A Goal

Just nine days into 2020, one of Pekka Rinne's lifelong dreams came true.
On Jan. 9 in Chicago, the Predators goaltender - who makes a living stopping pucks - deposited one into the opposition's net for his first-career tally at the young age of 37.

After the Preds had taken a 4-2 lead late in the third period against the Blackhawks, the puck found its way back into the Nashville zone and onto the stick of Rinne. He lifted the biscuit into the atmosphere, and after it looked as though it might curve to the left, fortunes changed and it rolled its way over the line. And then the Preds made a beeline for their goaltender.
"For sure [it's a dream come true], I'm not going to lie," Rinne smiled following the game. "I obviously understand it might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so I really enjoyed it. It was an awesome feeling seeing the puck go in… But I'm trying to see it and then [Roman Josi] and [Nick] Bonino, I think they were going nuts, and it was pretty cool. I just threw my hands up in the air and tried to try to act as cool as I can."
At 37 years and 67 days, Rinne became the second-oldest goaltender in NHL history to score a goal. He is just the 12th goaltender in League history to accomplish the feat. The Predators also became the first franchise in NHL history with two goaltenders to score, with Rinne joining Chris Mason in the record books.

January 14, 2020: Filip Forsberg Scores Lacrosse-Style Goal

Less than a week after Rinne did something he had always wanted to do, Filip Forsberg did the same.
The Nashville forward had come close to pulling off a lacrosse-style goal in a game before, but he did so in Edmonton back in January.
After Matt Duchene won a draw in the Oilers zone, Forsberg carried the puck behind the Edmonton net, and in one continuous movement, picked the puck up on the front end of his stick blade, brought his twig up off the ice lacrosse-style and threw the biscuit off of Mike Smith and into the twine.

The Predators ultimately fell in the game, but Forsberg provided one of the best goals of the entire NHL season in the process.
"It was great [to be able to do it]," Forsberg said of his goal. "At the time, it was a big goal too… It's something that I've tried a couple of times, and it's cool that it went in, but at the same time, it would have been a lot sweeter if we were to win."

February 27, 2020: Mikael Granlund Ties Game with 0.1 Seconds in Regulation Before Scoring OT Winner

File this one under "flair for the dramatic."
With the Predators down 3-2 to the Calgary Flames in late February at Bridgestone Arena, Mikael Granlund put forth one of the more memorable performances in recent memory.
With goaltender Juuse Saros pulled and the clock ticking down, Filip Forsberg came up with the puck after a scramble in front of the Calgary net, and from behind the goal line, he fed Granlund who banked a shot in off of netminder David Rittich's pad with virtually no time left on the clock.

Then, just over a minute into the extra session, and after one move around the defender didn't work, Granlund found the puck on his stick once more, and No. 64 snapped it into the twine to complete one of the more dramatic comebacks in franchise history.
"That was quite the ending," Granlund said. "Everything that happened there. The biggest thing is that we got those two points and we found a way somehow. It was a big two points. We tied it up, then they get the third goal right at the end and then we tie it up again. That's hockey sometimes. Entertaining for sure."

March 3-6, 2020: Preds Lead Nashville Strong Efforts Following Tornado

In the early morning hours of March 3, just as the Preds were about to land in Minnesota ahead of a road contest against the Wild, a devastating tornado struck the city of Nashville and left a trail of destruction through Davidson County and beyond.
Once the sun rose and the damage was clear, the Nashville Predators Foundation and the Preds jumped into action offering assistance wherever needed, generating $250,000 for the Community Fund of Middle Tennessee, including a generous donation from Chairman Herb Fritch and his wife Barbara.

Many members of the hockey community also extended a helping hand and made generous, impactful donations, including the NHL, Craig and Helen Leipold, the Minnesota Wild, the Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Florida Everblades and Milwaukee Admirals. Another part of these funds came from Bridgestone Arena contributing a portion of the proceeds from the early March Dan + Shay shows at the arena.
When the Predators returned home, players and coaches took a scheduled day off and got out in the community to help those in need.
"It's heartbreaking… and you can't help but put yourself in their shoes and you're just like, 'Wow, it could have been any of us,'" Preds forward Matt Duchene said. "It was nice to get out and make some donations and give some time… It was amazing to see this community come together. Just car after car after car pulling up, opening their trunk just loaded with stuff; it's just amazing to see. Obviously, there's still a lot to go, but the way that this community has come together is impressive. It makes me very proud to be a resident here."

March, April, May and Beyond, 2020: Predators Raise Funds for Community During Pandemic

Not long after the tornadoes struck the region, the COVID-19 Pandemic arrived and changed everyday lives of virtually everyone in Nashville and beyond.
Throughout this time, the Predators, their players and others have made a number of charitable contributions to support those who have needed assistance throughout the community.
Preds Captain Roman Josi donated $20,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, and then another $20,000 to Home Street Home Ministries, making impacts that helped so many in the community avoid hunger and to heal during these times.

In April, the Nashville Predators Foundation empowered by SmileDirectClub announced that they would distribute 168 grants to local nonprofits, totaling a record-breaking $700,000. This year's sum brought the total allocation to more than $7.2 million over 22 years.
On May 5, former Preds Captain Mike Fisher and the Nashville Predators Foundation announced that $60,000 from the inaugural CATCHIN' DEERS Mike Fisher Celebrity Clay Shoot presented by Implement Now would be donated to three local non-profits - Nashville Inner City Ministry, Rocketown and Room In The Inn.
Two weeks later, Bryan and Stephanie Grane, recent investors in Predators Holdings, LLC, announced a partnership with the Preds Foundation to distribute $300,000 over three years to Middle Tennessee nonprofits. As the first two beneficiaries of the Grane family's generosity, Cottage Cove Urban Ministries and Harvest Hands Community Development Center each received $50,000 in funding.

But the largest number of them all came in mid-April. In the first six weeks after the tornado and the start of the pandemic, $2.7 million was raised and delivered to help address tornado relief efforts and those impacted by COVID-19 through the collaborative efforts of the Predators, the Predators Foundation, Bridgestone Arena and the Ford Ice Centers. The ongoing, all-inclusive efforts also featured support from Predators ownership, players, coaches, management and staff, as well as the NHL, other NHL teams and the generosity of Predators fans and partners.
Throughout 2020, and despite hardships faced by all, the Predators have continued their commitment to the Nashville community in a year when Music City needed its hockey team more than ever.

July-August 2020: Preds, NHL Return to Ice for 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs

After a four-plus month pause from hockey, the NHL got back on the ice with a 24-team Return to Play Plan to begin the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Following a two-week training camp in Nashville, the Predators travelled to Edmonton, Alberta, and hunkered down in the NHL's Western Conference Bubble with games played at Rogers Place. The Preds defeated the Dallas Stars in an exhibition contest before ultimately falling to the Arizona Coyotes, 3-1, in a best-of-five Stanley Cup Qualifiers series.

Although the trip ended sooner than the Preds would have liked, Nashville's participation in an unprecedented scenario - including the lack of a single positive test for the coronavirus from any NHL team - is worth recognition as one of the top feats of the past year.

September 21, 2020: Predators Captain Roman Josi Wins Norris Trophy

Some of the best news of all came in September when Roman Josi was named the NHL's Best Defenseman as winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
Josi's first-career Norris Trophy, which is awarded annually "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position," came as a result of the Preds captain Josi receiving 1499 voting points, including 109 first-place nods, cast by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. The blueliner beat out John Carlson of the Washington Capitals and Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning for this season's award.

Josi won the Norris Trophy after posting the best statistical season of his nine-year NHL tenure, establishing career highs in points (65), goals (16) and assists (49) in 2019-20. Among NHL defensemen, he finished first in shots (260); second in points and assists; tied for second in goals; third in average time on ice (25:47); and fifth in power-play points (23). In addition to setting the Predators franchise record for points and assists by a defenseman in a season, Josi also was the only NHL blueliner to post at least 15 goals, 45 assists, 60 points, a +20 rating and 25:00 of average ice time during the 2019-20 campaign.

October 6, 2020: Predators Draft Goaltender Iaroslav Askarov with 11th Overall Pick

At a time typically reserved for the start of a new season, the Predators were instead adding a future franchise goaltender.
With the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Nashville selected goaltender Iaroslav Askarov, the No. 1-ranked international goaltender by NHL Central Scouting and is the sixth Russian-born goaltender to be selected in the first round in League history.
Instead of making the pick on a stage in an arena in front of all 31 NHL teams, Preds General Manager David Poile, with help from Captain Roman Josi did so instead just steps away from his Bridgestone Arena office as the League pivoted to keep clubs separated during the pandemic.

"Iaroslav is an elite, elite prospect," Predators Assistant GM/Director of Scouting Jeff Kealty said. "The talent level and the athleticism stands out right away. We compare his athleticism to that of Pekka Rinne or (Los Angeles Kings goalie) Jonathan Quick, and he's mature beyond his years in terms of his compete level and mental make-up. Even at such a young age, he's proven himself in a men's league by playing in the KHL over in Russia. We believe he was the best player available, and if you have a franchise goaltender on your hands, which we do believe he will be, you're in a very good situation."

November 12, 2020: Preds, Montgomery County Break Ground on Multi-Purpose Event Center

Even in the midst of a pandemic, the Predators are always planning for the future of the game.
In mid-November, representatives from the Predators and Montgomery County broke ground on the Montgomery County Multi-Purpose Event Center in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee.
"We began this project more than seven years ago, and to see it all come to fruition today in Clarksville is a testament to the passion and persistence of Mayor Durrett," Predators President and CEO Sean Henry said. "I've never worked with anyone who loves their community more than Jim Durrett, and this project symbolizes his desire to leave a lasting legacy for all of us to enjoy for decades. Additionally, to be able to partner with Austin Peay and the visionary leadership of Athletic Director Gerald Harrison and Interim President Dannelle Whiteside will add something even more special to this incredible event center."

The 250,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022. In October, the Nashville Predators signed a contract to manage the facility, leaving the organization responsible for its overall day-to-day operations. Additionally, the Predators will be charged with booking the facility and finding all the appropriate sponsors and partners to bring the venue to life and make it flourish.

November 16, 2020: Preds 'Reverse Retro' Alternate Jersey Unveiled by adidas and the NHL

With a new season on the horizon, the Predators revealed a fresh look.
adidas and the National Hockey League introduced the adidas Reverse Retro ADIZERO Authentic jerseys for all 31 NHL teams to be worn this season - marking the first time in League history that all 31 teams have participated in a League-wide alternate jersey program.
The Nashville Predators worked closely with adidas and the NHL to design their version of the Reverse Retro jersey, which represents unique and historical moments in Predators history, while refreshing the color and design combination for an all-new presentation.

The overarching design theme during adidas' two-year-long process was to mine each team's jersey archive and team colors, remixing them to create something new and never seen before. For the Predators, the Reverse Retro design revisits the team's first season in the NHL - 1998. The speed nicks in the numbers, striping pattern, silver touches and remastered crest all pay homage to the original Preds jersey, while the bold, GOLD body offers a new interpretation of the design.
The Preds are expected to wear the jersey in multiple games during the 2020-21 season, and the jersey may be purchased at NashvilleLockerRoom.com.