Renewed Excitement Plentiful as Preds Begin Full Training Camp Again

Despite the looks of complete fatigue and general disdain displayed after exiting the rink for their individual ice tests, Predators players were rather excited to be back at Centennial Sportsplex for the start of Training Camp.
After beginning the itinerary Wednesday with physicals and team meetings, the group gathered Thursday morning for their annual solo skates to help measure their fitness and start the on-ice portion of camp, a grueling task not many look forward to.
But after almost 18 months of not knowing what was coming next, perhaps even enduring the toughest exercise of the season isn't all that bad.
By the time those same Preds players had recovered enough to speak to the media members who had gathered for in-person availability for the first time since March of 2020, their smiles were back as they looked ahead at what's to come.

"It's definitely a different level of excitement this year compared to last season and everything going on, and the uncertainty with just how things were planned as of last year," Preds centerman Ryan Johansen said. "Like I said, it's just a different level of excitement right now. It's always fun getting off the first day of camp and getting things rolling. So, a good first day, and we're ready to have some fun and go to work."
"Although testing is not the most fun part for everyone, it feels like a normal camp again," Preds Captain Roman Josi said. "You're getting ready for an 82-game season, and it's definitely a lot different [than last season]. Everybody's happy that it's a little more back to normal, and we're excited for it."
That 82-game campaign, which begins on Oct. 14 at Bridgestone Arena when the Seattle Kraken come to town, is preceded by three weeks of camp for the first time since 2019. Predators players have been holding informal skates in Nashville for the past few weeks as they've returned to town, but the first official opportunity to build off an impressive second half of the 2020-21 season has now arrived.
Of course, the Preds weren't planning on a first-round exit in last spring's playoffs, but a fresh start always affords a new opportunity for a different outcome, and those at the forefront are eager to enjoy their newfound sense of normalcy.

"Only one team in the League each year is happy with how it finishes, so I think we took some good steps in the right direction last year," Preds forward Matt Duchene said. "For me, it's been such a messed-up couple of years with COVID… It feels like a couple of years have almost been robbed from you a little bit, so the short summer was almost welcomed… I know we're all excited, and we've obviously got a little younger team this year, and that can bring a lot of energy, especially out of the gate."
That new look for the Preds comes after a number of changes were made during the offseason. Goaltender Pekka Rinne retired, and mainstays Ryan Ellis, Viktor Arvidsson and Calle Jarnkrok departed for new clubs as General Manager David Poile gave his club a shakeup over the past few months.
Those who remain in Nashville know there is certainly a business side to the game at the NHL level, and while saying goodbye to teammates and friends is never easy, there is also an anticipation as the new group comes together.
"I have high expectations," Preds forward Filip Forsberg said. "Obviously, there's been some changes this offseason, but the guys we brought in through trades and free agency I believe a lot in. I've seen them play for their previous teams and during pre-camp here when we skated together, so I'm really excited."

"We played with some guys for a long time that have moved on, and it is what it is now," Johansen said. "It's about moving forward, as cliche as that sounds, but it's about bringing the young kids in, bringing the new faces in and bringing them right into the team, start messing with them right away and have some fun, get to know them as soon as possible. [We want to] build chemistry, relationships and trust and just go out there, get to work, set the bar and [have] everyone come together as a team, and then do our best to get off to a good start."
Hockey players don't usually have issues meshing with each other, and despite all of the modifications to the roster, a strong culture remains - and it will only continue to grow in the days and weeks ahead, thanks in part to the veterans of the squad.
"We have a really tight group, and it's only gotten tighter since I've been here," Duchene said. "I think that's probably the one of the biggest things I've noticed is everyone got along very well… but the team has gotten a lot tighter. We spend a lot more time together, and we've got a lot of guys around the same age within one to three years of each other, so we're able to relate a lot to each other, and a lot of us have new, young families and stuff like that. So, then you have the young guys coming in, and we have all been in that position before, so it's a chance for us to pull those guys in and help them feel comfortable and tighter, help them bring that youthful energy to the team."

Sure, optimism flows freely in the early days of all 32 training camps around the League, but perhaps more than ever before, everyone is taking it all in.
The Preds are embracing that sense and everything that comes with it as hockey returns once more, and the excitement is palpable right about now. After parts of the past two years, there's no better feeling - even if they have to catch their breath once in a while.
"Just having a normal season again is the one thing everybody is looking forward to, and then also just having fans back in the building right away is something everybody's missed," Josi said. "I'm really excited for the team we have. We have so many new pieces, a lot of guys that can step up, a lot of young guys that want to have a bigger role, and I think everyone, every year you come to camp, everyone has something to prove. It's exciting to come back and compete with your teammates again in practice here in camp and get close through camp and get ready for the season."