Bridgestone Winter Park Changes Dates Due to Weather Concerns

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The Nashville Predators announced that Bridgestone Winter Park has been canceled for Thursday, Feb. 24, due to weather concerns. It will be operating fully from Feb. 25-26 in the City of Nashville’s Walk of Fame Park.

Scheduled performer, Cody Parks and the Dirty South, will now perform live on the band stage inside Bridgestone Arena.

Those attending Thursday’s game are encouraged to be seated by 5:45 p.m. to see Pekka Rinne‘s Number Retirement Ceremony, taking place at 6 p.m. Fans at home can tune into Bally Sports South beginning at 6 p.m. to watch the pregame celebration.

Additionally, the NHL trophies and Dr Pepper College Championship trophy will be moved inside the arena for fans to view.

Bridgestone Winter Park Hours: 

  • Friday, Feb. 25: 4:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 26: 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For more information about vendors and performances as well as to reserve your complimentary ticket, head to nashvillepredators.com/WinterPark.

Predators, Bridgestone Arena, TSU To Host NHL’s Black Hockey History Tour

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The Nashville Predators will host the National Hockey League’s Black Hockey History Tour, a 525-square-foot mobile museum that celebrates black achievement in hockey. The tour will stop at Tennessee State University and Bridgestone Area from Feb. 25-26.

The museum’s exhibits highlight past, current, and future black hockey players, grassroots organizations committed to growing the game and women who have impacted hockey. Additionally, the museum showcases a collection of player artifacts. The Nashville stop will also feature an interactive Nashville Predators locker room display.

“We are always excited to have the NHL’s Black Hockey History Tour Truck stop in Nashville,” says Robin Lee, Nashville Predators Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorship Service. “As our organization strives to be a leader in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, the Black Hockey History Truck is an amazing asset to share with our community. Representation matters and this exhibit is a great opportunity for minority students in our youth hockey programs to see what is possible and work towards that goal.”

The Black Hockey History Tour, which launched in 2019, is part of the NHL’s Black History Month celebrations and will visit 28 cities across North America in 2022. The curated mobile museum will showcase today’s stars and look back at the pioneers and trailblazers who helped shape NHL history.

Admission to the bus is free for all ages.

Black Hockey History Tour Stops:

Feb. 25 – TSU, parked inside Hale Stadium (10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) & Bridgestone Arena, parked on Fifth Avenue (4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

Feb. 26 – Bridgestone Arena, parked on Fifth Avenue (10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Former Predator David Lewand, Five Former Tennessee Vols To Be Inducted In TN Sports Hall Of Fame

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The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame has announced a string of inductees for its 2022 Class, including first Nashville Predators NHL Draft pick David Lewand, as well as five former Tennessee Volunteers.

“We’re thrilled to be able to add David to our Class of 2022,” says Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “As this full class continues to be announced, we feel like people will be pleased with the amount of different sports and regions of the state that are represented.”

Lewand played 12 seasons in Nashville, during which he set several franchise records. Legwand holds the records for games played (956), most goals scored (210), most assists (356), and most points (566).

“We are proud to honor this great group of athletes with induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame,” adds Willis. “These five athletes from five different programs are a great example of the hard work and dedication required to meet Hall of Fame status.”

Vols being enshrined include Sharrieffa Barksdale (track and field), R.A. Dickey (baseball), Harry Galbreath (football), Nikki-McCray Penson (women’s basketball), and Tony White (men’s basketball).

Barksdale was a standout track star for the Lady Vols, becoming the first female in the history of the women’s 400-meter hurdles to go under 55 seconds. She won the silver medal at the Pan American Games in 1983 and earned a spot on the US Olympic Team in 1984 in Los Angeles.

Nashville native Dickey attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers. He ultimately decided not to sign with Detroit and attended the University of Tennessee, and was named Academic All-American and Academic All-SEC during his time in Knoxville. Dickey was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1996 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut in 2001. He went on to play for Texas, Seattle, Minnesota, the New York Mets, Toronto, and Atlanta. In 2012, Dickey posted a 20-6 record and became the first knuckleball pitcher to win the Cy Young Award with the Mets.

Galbreath, a Clarksville native, starred as an offensive guard at Tennessee from 1984 to 1987, where he played in every game of his career. He was selected in the 8th round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Galbreath was named to the All-Rookie team in 1988 and spent five seasons in Miami before going to play for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets. After his playing career, he served as offensive line coach at Austin Peay, Tennessee State, and Hampton University. Galbreath passed away in July of 2010.

McCray, a native of Collierville, played for legendary Coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee from 1992-1995, playing 127 games and scoring over 1,500 points. She played professionally in the ABL before joining the WNBA’s Washington Mystics in 1998. McCray was named a WNBA All-Star three times and won gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2000.

White played at the University of Tennessee from 1983 to 1987. He is the third all-time leading scorer for Tennessee with 2,219 points. White appeared in 127 games averaging 17.5 points per game throughout his career at Tennessee. He also holds the school record for most points scored in a single game with 51. White was a second-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 1987 NBA Draft.

This group of athletes join Titans star defensive end Jevon Kearse, Maryville College coaching legend Randy Lambert, and Trevecca basketball legend David Suddeth as members of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

The full 2022 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class will be released in the coming days as well as information regarding tickets for the induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans.

Predators Sign Defenseman Mark Borowiecki To One-Year Deal

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Nick Borowiecki. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Mark Borowiecki to a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2022-23 season.

Borowiecki has skated in 39 games for the Predators in the 2021-22 season, his second with the organization, and has recorded two assists and 103 penalty minutes. He leads all Nashville defensemen and is sixth among NHL blueliners in hits with 134, and he’s 15th in the NHL in hits per 60 minutes at 15.3.

“It means a lot. More than I can probably say, more than I can articulate at the risk of getting a little too sentimental,” said Borowiecki in a postgame press conference. “This organization has really stood by me. This group of guys in the locker room especially some of these older guys, like Mattias [Ekholm] and Roman [Josi]. The support they’ve given me through last year and coming into this year and trying to find my game again [has meant the world]. Again, I just can’t put it into words.”

The Ottawa native was originally drafted by the Senators in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft. He appeared in 185 career AHL contests with the Binghamton Senators, winning the Calder Cup in 2011 and earning a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic in 2012.

The 2020-21 season was Borowiecki’s first with the Predators in which he appeared in 22 games, recording one assist and 38 penalty minutes in 13:41 of average ice time. He signed as a free agent with Nashville in October 2020 and is in the midst of his 11th career NHL season. He posted 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 436 games, 375 of which came with Ottawa from 2012-20.

“The amount of gratitude my wife and I have, it’s pretty special to me,” continued Borowiecki. “My son is two-years-old and when he sees the Preds logo, he says ‘daddy’s team.’ It makes me emotional just saying that, but that’s pretty sweet. When I heard him say that I knew this is the place I wanted to be and that I didn’t want to play anywhere else.”

Since joining the Preds, Borowiecki has been very active in the community. He serves as the Predators’ “Hockey Is For Everyone” ambassador and regularly contributes to Nashville Predators Foundation empowered by SmileDirectClub initiatives throughout the season. In addition to several good Samaritan acts of kindness, he is actively involved with local LGBT charities and supports Canadian military members through the Soldier On program.

Predators To Host A Bridgestone Winter Park Ahead Of Stadium Series Game

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The Predators are hosting Bridgestone Winter Park in the City of Nashville’s Walk of Fame Park from Feb. 24-26. The event will take place in part to celebrate veteran goaltender Pekka Rinne‘s number retirement and the team’s participation in the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game on Feb. 26.

The free family-friendly community event will take place across Fifth Avenue from Bridgestone Arena, featuring live musical performances, Predators fan activations, appearances by Nashville Predators alumni broadcasters, and more.

“Pekka Rinne’s number retirement and the first NHL outdoor game in Tennessee’s history give us a wonderful opportunity to showcase all that is great about Smashville and Music City,” says Claire Francis, Senior Director of Marketing for the team. “We are blessed to host these two great moments in the franchise’s history during the same week and we aim to create a memorable celebration for hockey fans and music lovers.”

Live entertainment is scheduled for all three days that the park is open starting at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, the evening of Rinne’s number retirement. Fans with tickets to the game will be encouraged to enter Bridgestone Arena beginning at 4:30 p.m. so they are in their seats for the 6 p.m. ceremony. Fans without tickets will be able to watch the ceremony on video screens programmed in the park.

A full schedule for Bridgestone Winter Park, including performance times can be found one the Preds website.

Featured performers are Bexar, Borderline Natives, Brassville, Cody Parks and The Dirty South, Jeverson, Kat & Alex, Lindsay Ell, Morgan Evans, Parmalee, with more still to be announced.

In addition to the musical performances, Bridgestone Winter Park will serve as host to several fan activations, including the National Hockey League’s Black Hockey History Truck and a hockey trophy display featuring the Clarence Campbell Bowl, the King Clancy Award, the Vezina Trophy and the Presidents’ Trophy, courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The three-day event will feature multiple food vendors, including Hattie B’s, Puckett’s food trolley and Moe’s Southwest Grill. Additional partner activations in the park include the Jack Daniel’s Airstream, Boston Beer Beverage Vehicle, Yee-Haw/Ole Smoky Moonshine Beverage trailer, Frito-Lay Snack Cart and Tennessee Lottery Mobile Tickets.

Bridgestone Winter Park will be open:

• Thursday, Feb. 24: 3:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

• Friday, Feb. 25: 4:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

• Saturday, Feb. 26: 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

New 3v3 Ice Hockey League, 3ICE, Announces Games In Nashville

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The new six-team, independent, three-on-three professional ice hockey league, called 3ICE, will head to Nashville to play a single-day tournament on Aug. 6.

The league, which was founded by former NHL goaltender and television producer E.J. Johnston, who serves as CEO, recently agreed to an international multi-platform media rights agreement with ESPN. They also have a television rights deal in the U.S. with CBS.

“This is a fantastic agreement for our league, we could not be more excited to partner with a network like ESPN to help showcase the speed, skill and flat out excitement of 3ICE to the entire globe,” says Johnston. “We cannot wait to be a part of ESPN’s family of content and look forward to delivering the best part of hockey and a truly unique experience to the world through their platforms.”

The new league will play 52 games throughout the summer after the NHL season ends. 3ICE will take its league on the road and eight of the tour-stops will feature all six teams competing in bracket-style tournaments, which include three first-round games, two semifinals, and a title game. The season will culminate with playoffs and a final league championship in Las Vegas on Aug. 20.

3ICE has already announced its coaches for the six teams which include hockey Hall of Famers Guy Carbonneau, Grant Fuhr, John LeClair, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, and Bryan Trottier.

2022 3ICE Schedule:
Week 1: June 18 – Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Week 2: June 25 – Magness Arena, Denver, CO, USA
Week 3: July 2 – Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Week 4: July 9 – Giant Center, Hershey, PA, USA
Week 5: July 16 – Budweiser Gardens, London, ON, Canada
Week 6: July 23 – PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Week 7: July 30  – Centré Vidéotron, Québec City, QC, Canada
Week 8: August 6 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, USA
Week 9: August 20 – Playoffs & Championship at Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Predators Executive David Kells Named Venue Executive Of The Year By ‘Pollstar’

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David Kells. Photo: Courtesy of Scoop Marketing

The Predators and Bridgestone Arena Senior Executive Vice President David Kells has been named Venue Executive of the Year at the 33rd annual Pollstar Awards.

Kells has been with Bridgestone Arena and the Preds since 2005, and was recently promoted to Senior Executive Vice President in January of 2021.

“2021 will be remembered as the year that artists were able to once again connect with fans at live events around the world, and Pollstar is thrilled to be able to recognize the artists, venues, events and executives who were able to make that happen at the highest level, as determined by their peers,” says Ray Waddell, president of Media & Conferences for Oak View Group, Pollstar’s parent company. “This year’s Pollstar Awards is a celebration of live entertainment, and we salute the winners, nominees and all who participate in the greatest business there is.”

This is Kells fifth Venue Executive of the Year win since being named the Preds SVP in 2017.

“There is a reason why Bridgestone Arena is nominated as arena of the year virtually every year and why it is always one of the busiest venues in the world! That reason is this year’s Exec of the year, David Kells!! Congratulations and Thank You David!” said Nashville Predators CEO and President Sean Henry via Twitter.

This past year, Kells was named the President of the Board of the non-profit Leadership Music. He has been a member of the organization since 2014.

Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley To Headline NHL Stadium Series Game In Nashville

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Country music superstars Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley will headline the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium on Feb. 26.

“We are thrilled to have two of the biggest names in country music join us in Nashville for the Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series,” says Steve Mayer, NHL Chief Content Officer and Senior Executive Vice President. “Miranda and Dierks are not only two musical superstars but also hockey fans that represent the strong bond that has formed between the Predators and the country music community. The NHL Stadium Series will celebrate Nashville’s transformation into a hockey town, the city’s country music roots and the Predators-Lightning’s growing rivalry. We expect this to be the first of many announcements to come.”

Lambert and Bentley’s first intermission performance will be televised as part of the NHL Stadium Series broadcast, which begins at 6:30 p.m. CT on TNT.

This is the first time Nashville has ever hosted an outdoor hockey game. The Preds previously played in the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl against the Dallas Stars.

Tickets to the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series are still available for purchase through Ticketmaster.