Smashville Scope: February 3

Nick Bonino received a phone call on Jan. 5 from his Papa before his 600th NHL game, just as he had in the previous 599.
Jim Orsini, Bonino's grandfather and biggest fan, never missed a game from back home in Connecticut, no matter when or where his grandson was playing - and he always made that pregame phone call.
Sadly, that 600th call turned out to be the last.

Orsini passed away two days later, but not before Bonino could get home to see him one final time. The Predators centerman got back to Nashville in time to play against Boston on Jan. 7, the first game of his career without the pregame chat.
"I left the morning of the 7th, he ended up passing away that afternoon and I played the Boston game for him. I had a goal that they called back, and I was hoping he was lobbying for me up there," Bonino smiled.
A few weeks later, just as the Predators always do during the third and final television timeout of the second period at Bridgestone Arena, they honored a member of the military with the help of Bones Barracks, a program started by Bonino and inspired by Orsini, as a way to say thank you to all those who have served.
Saturday night, Bonino, along with the rest of his teammates and the entire crowd, stood and applauded as photos of his Papa were shown on Fangvision.

Private First-Class James V. Orsini served in the Army from April 1943 to November 1945. He served from Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge, where he was captured and was a Prisoner of War in Stalag IX-B for almost four months.
Upon being liberated, he returned stateside and finished his military assignment as a member of the Military Police, guarding German Prisoners of War in Houlton, Maine. He was honorably discharged on Nov. 29, 1945, and then returned home. One year later, he married the love of his life, Nina, and enjoyed 73 years of marriage. James passed away at 96 years of age with Nina by his side.
"I'd play hooky a lot and play cards with them all day," Bonino said of his grandparents. "They came to every game, every high school game and a lot of college games. When I was in college, they were in their early to mid-80s, and they would come up to Boston with my parents and my uncle. And then every pro game I ever played, he would call the day of, and that continued until my 600th game."
Bonino was right back to work killing a penalty just seconds after Orsini was honored, but it was a moment he'll never forget.
"It was nice to be able to give him that honor," Bonino said. "I probably should have done it last year for him to see it, but knowing he's watching, it meant a lot to me."

Josi 4 Norris:

You're probably aware of Roman Josi's stellar numbers over the past four months, and with just 31 games to go in the regular season, Nashville's captain continues to make his case for his first Norris Trophy nomination as the NHL's best blueliner.
It's worth taking a deeper dive into some of the defender's digits that are rather impressive, so here are some fun facts that back up Josi's bid for the Norris.
As of Monday afternoon, Josi ranks second among all NHL defensemen this season in points (51) and assists (37), and he's tied for second in goals with 14. Josi slots third in average ice time (26:02) and he's first with 184 shots.
Josi became the first defenseman and third player in Predators history to record 50 points through the team's first 50 games of a season. He joined a pair of players on Nashville's 2006-07 team in accomplishing the feat: Steve Sullivan (55 points in 50 games) and Paul Kariya (53 points in 50 games).
The Swiss skater has recorded 38 points (9g-29a) in his last 37 games. Thursday's game in New Jersey was his 13th multi-point effort of the season, the second-most among League blueliners and two shy of matching his career high in a season (15 in 2015-16 and 2014-15).
Josi is just one goal from matching his career high of 15, which he set in 2014-15 and tied in 2018-19.
He continues to produce at a point-per-game clip, and with a few more prolific outputs, he could challenge Paul Kariya and the franchise record for points in a single season with 85. Stay tuned.

Outdoor Rink Now Open in Smashville:

The Rink on Broadway is open for business.
Smashville's new sheet of outdoor ice debuted this past weekend on the Bridgestone Arena plaza, and even if you weren't able to make it for the opening festivities, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the great outdoors.

For $10, which includes skate rentals, fans will have the opportunity to take the ice in 75-minutes sessions. The rink will remain open until Feb. 23, and complete hours of operation
can be found here
.

Admirals Update:

The Ads just don't show any signs of slowing down.
Nashville's AHL affiliate continues to hold their spot as the best team in the league, and they're winners of five-straight outings, including a pair of wins over Chicago and Rockford last weekend.
The Admirals scored seven goals in both of those contests, and Saturday's game at Rockford saw Eeli Tolvanen tally twice to extend his goal streak to four games. Rem Pitlick, Cole Schneider, Daniel Carr, Matt Donovan and Jeremy Davies also found the back of the net in the win, and Connor Ingram only allowed one goal for the opposition.
Carr leads the club with 19 goals and 41 points, followed by Schneider with 36 points, and then Tommy Novak and Alexandre Carrier with 30 points apiece. Pitlick has 15 goals on the season, while Schneider, Tolvanen and Richard have 13 each.
Milwaukee is now 33-8-4-2 on the season with 72 points, and as of Monday afternoon, they sit 10 points ahead of the closest challenger in the entire league.

Mic'd Up:

The mic'd up segments have returned, and this week, we have two for your viewing - and listening - pleasure. Enjoy the sights and sounds from Yannick Weber and Mikael Granlund.

Goal of the Week:

Save of the Week:

Shot of the Week:

…and there's more where that came from.
Predators at Capitals Photo Gallery
Predators at Devils Photo Gallery
Predators vs. Golden Knights Photo Gallery

The Week Ahead:

Tuesday at Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m. CT
TV: Fox Sports Tennessee Radio:102.5 The Game
Thursday at Calgary Flames, 8 p.m. CT
TV: Fox Sports Tennessee Radio: 102.5 The Game
Saturday at Vegas Edmonton Oilers, 6 p.m. CT
TV: Fox Sports Tennessee Radio:102.5 The Game
Monday at Vancouver Canucks, 9 p.m. CT
TV: Fox Sports Tennessee Radio: 102.5 The Game

Predators Official Podcast:

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sits down with the show to discuss the next premier event in Nashville, player and puck tracking and the NHL Global Series. Thomas Willis and Brooks Bratten describe where the Predators sit three weeks out from the Trade Deadline and what might happen to their roster next.

Upcoming Bridgestone Arena Events:

Looking for more than just hockey at the home of the Preds? Here's what's coming to Bridgestone Arena.
This Week's Shows:
Cirque du Soleil: AXEL - Feb. 6-9.
Click here for more details and tickets
.
All for the Hall - Feb. 10.
Click here for more details
.
Coming Soon:
James Taylor and his All-Star Band - June 30, 2020.
Tickets on sale Friday
at 11 a.m. CT.
Chris Stapleton - Oct. 2, 2020.
Tickets on sale Friday
at 10 a.m. CT.

Week in Review:

Recap: Preds Shut Out by Golden Knights
TSU, Preds Enter Partnership for $1 Million in 1 Month Campaign
NHL Commissioners Address Outdoor Game in Nashville, Player Tracking
Recap: Preds Beat Devils in Shootout, Sweep Back-to-Back Road Trip
Tennessee Secretary of State Excited About Partnership with Preds
Recap: Preds Come Back to Win Wild One in Washington