Back in December when Ozzy Wiesblatt scored his first NHL goal and pointed skyward, there was no question as to why.
The Predators winger, who has established himself as a constant on the Nashville roster since he made the team out of training camp last fall, has overcome the odds to get here. But the adversity he faced last autumn was unexpected, to say the least.
In September, with Ozzy in Nashville preparing for Predators training camp, and younger brother, Oasiz, in Tampa with the Preds prospects at the NHL Prospect Tournament, an older Wiesblatt brother, Orca, tragically passed away in a car accident.
Months later, in his 28th career NHL game - Wiesblatt found the scoresheet, and he knew exactly what to do next.
“It's just a relief for me,” Wiesblatt said after that first goal. “I've thought about pointing to the sky for my brother for a while now, and just a cool feeling. And obviously, that one's for him.”
Moments like that last a lifetime.
And it’s for that reason - and many more - he’s been named the Predators nominee for the 2026 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Nashville chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey, Wiesblatt more than meets the qualifications.
“It’s pretty cool to be recognized as someone that’s had a tough path to get where they are," Wiesblatt said after learning of his selection. “Everybody has, in a sense, and pretty cool that mine's recognized in that sort of way. It’s really cool; really honored.”
His story has been well documented.
One of five siblings raised by a single mother, Kim White - who is also deaf - nothing came easy for the Wiesblatts. But Ozzy, who was selected in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft by San Jose, has found a home in Nashville.
And it’s the mindset cultivated in his younger years that is responsible for his current trajectory.
“I think it's just a never give up mentality,” Wiesblatt said. “I think that's the way that me and my siblings have all been raised. Throughout life and throughout hockey, we’ve already seen our mom do hard work. Hockey is one thing, but working multiple jobs and taking care of kids is another. That’s hard work, and that's getting through stuff. We see that through the way we were raised and through our mom.”
The chance to thank her by having her along for the team’s Mothers’ Trip to Dallas last February won’t be forgotten anytime soon, and while Wiesblatt certainly enjoyed his mom’s company, they thought about someone else, too.
“I think about him every day,” Ozzy said of Orca. “I think just for me, I'm so lucky that our family is so close that if any of us are feeling some type of way about it some days, we can always just talk to each other and get through it together. So, it's definitely something that drives me - doing it for him, in a sense.”
As the saying goes, Wiesblatt is living the dream at the NHL level. The odds were stacked against him to begin with, and what he’s overcome to get to this point is nothing short of remarkable.
And while his nomination for the Masterton is a highlight thus far, it certainly won’t be the last.
“I've spent a lot of time reflecting on it, and playing in the NHL, this is any kid’s, and hockey player’s dream, really,” Wiesblatt said. “I’m living it right now, but you can’t get content and be comfortable where you're at. You always want more. It’s been an awesome ride so far, and we’ve got a lot of meaningful hockey to be played still, so it's an exciting time.”
