Hockey returns to Bridgestone Arena today as the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers get together for their annual preseason doubleheader with a pair of games (2 & 6 p.m. CT) in Music City.
Just a few days into Training Camp, the doubleheader affords an opportunity for the Nashville coaching staff to get a look at 40 different players in game action, something that’s invaluable at this stage of the season.
“There's lots of competition in camp,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “There’s a lot of guys fighting for some spots. A lot of them showed really well today [in scrimmages], the ones we talked about, and there was an opportunity [today ]to see it all over again. I thought the [Erik] Haula, [Jonathan Marchessault] [and Michael] Bunting line was exceptional. I thought they enjoyed the pace of all the scrimmages, so that was good to see.”
That new-look trio of Haula between Marchessault and Bunting has been an impressive line over the first few days of camp, and the Preds have also been working with new pairings on the blueline as well.
Captain Roman Josi, who is back and “100 percent” healthy following a POTS diagnosis, has been skating with offseason acquisition Nic Hague to start camp. Brady Skjei has been paired with newcomer Nick Perbix, and Adam Wilsby, who Brunette called one of the best players on the first day of camp, has been paired with Justin Barron.
