Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment Partners With Iroquois Steeplechase

Photo: Courtesy of Iroquois Steeplechase

Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), a division of Predators Holdings, has partnered with Iroquois Steeplechase to offer Nashville Predators Partners, Premium Seat Holders, Season Ticket Citizens and all sports fans the exclusive opportunity to purchase individual, tailgating and VIP tickets for the 81st anniversary of the event – which will take place on Saturday, May 13, at Percy Warner Park in Franklin, Tennessee. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University.

“We are thrilled to partner with one of Nashville’s most historic and treasured events, the Iroquois Steeplechase, to bring together more than 25,000 people for a day of excitement and entertainment,” says Nashville Predators President & CEO Sean Henry. “For us, the event is much more than a race—it’s an opportunity to give back to the community. The Volunteer State Horsemen’s Foundation has been able to use Steeplechase as a vehicle to raise more than four million dollars for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University over the years, and we are grateful for the opportunity to get involved and help drive even more fans to Steeplechase and support the Children’s Hospital.”

Iroquois Steeplechase was first contested in 1941 in a valley at Percy Warner Park on a course that was constructed by the Works Progress Administration. Volunteers consisted of local fox hunters, among others. Those volunteers later created the Volunteer State Horsemen’s Association (now Foundation), which today remains the governing body of the race meet, under the leadership of Steeplechase Chairman Dwight Hall.

Events will be held throughout the day for children and families, and awards will be presented for the most stylish dress for males and females, along with others. Cash bars and food trucks will be available on the property for guests to purchase food, liquor, beer and wine. Attendees may also bring their own food and drinks if desired while utilizing special tailgating spaces created for Iroquois Steeplechase.

Nashville Predators To Host Open House For Fans At Bridgestone Arena

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

The Nashville Predators organization will host an Open House at Bridgestone Arena on April 22 from 2-5 p.m. CT to give fans a chance to secure seats for the 2023-2024 full and half season ticket plans and review benefits.

Season Ticket Citizens who put down their first payment prior to the event will have an exclusive window to secure seating locations beginning at 1 p.m. CT.

The Smashville behind-the-scenes tour will include an inside look at the Preds locker room and Lexus Lounge as well as Team Store discounts and the opportunity to shoot on net to win two lower-level full season tickets for the upcoming season. The Open House will also feature interactive games, giveaways, appearances from Gnash and the Energy Team as well as free soda and popcorn. All food and beverages at concessions will be 50 percent off during the event.

Fans do not need a ticket to attend. For more information on the Open House and details on 2023-2024 ticket packages, click here.

Predators Sign Kiefer Sherwood & Michael McCarron To One-Year Deals For 2023-24

Michael McCarron. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators have signed both Michael McCarron and Kiefer Sherwood to one-year, $775,000 contracts ahead of the 2023-24 season.

McCarron completed his third season with the Predators in 2022-23, posting four points (2 goals-2 assists), 20 blocked shots and 75 hits in 32 games. He won a career-high 59.4 percent of his faceoffs in 2022-23, the best mark on Nashville among those who took at least 100 draws. The 6-foot-6, 232-pound forward also averaged a career-high 1:12 of shorthanded ice time, helping the Predators finish with the joint fourth-best penalty kill in the NHL this season at 82.6 percent. At the AHL level, McCarron suited up in 16 games for Milwaukee, recording six points (2 goals-4 assists).

In 2021-22, the Grosse Pointe, Mich., native established career highs in nearly every category with Nashville, including games played (51), goals (7), assists (7), and points (14). During an AHL career that has featured 262 games with Milwaukee (57), Laval (115) and St. John’s (90), McCarron has picked up 141 points (58 goals-83 assists) and was named to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic after posting a career-high 17 goals and 38 points with St. John’s.

Sherwood established NHL career highs in goals (7) and points (13) in 32 games with the Predators this season, his first with the organization. He also added six assists, matching his career high initially set as a rookie in 2018-19 with Anaheim, and 103 hits, placing him in the NHL’s Top 30 in hits per 60 minutes at 14.2 (among those with at least 30 games played). The 6-foot, 194-pound forward closed out the regular season with two goals on Friday vs. Colorado, scoring Nashville’s final goal of 2022-23 after notching the team’s first tally of the campaign on Oct. 7 vs. San Jose in Prague as part of a two-point night (1 goal-1 assist). Sherwood also appeared in 42 games for Milwaukee (AHL) this season, recording 22 goals and 38 points.

At the AHL level, he has produced at nearly a point-per-game pace, recording 172 points (92 goals-80 assists) in 186 games with San Diego, Colorado and Milwaukee since the 2017-18 campaign. In 2021-22, Sherwood was named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team after leading Colorado and finishing fifth in the league in points with a career-high 75 (36 goals-39 assists); his 36 goals were also a career high and the third-most in the AHL.

Predators Foundation To Auction Game-Worn Jerseys To Benefit Covenant School

Zach Sanford. Photo: by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

The Nashville Predators Foundation, empowered by SmileDirectClub, will auction off autographed Predators jerseys with a Covenant School patch worn during the game tomorrow (April 14) against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena. All proceeds will benefit the Caring for Covenant Fund, Daystar Counseling Ministries and first responders.

Additionally, the Nashville Predators, Preds Foundation and Tennessee Lottery have partnered to bring 200 teachers and their families to the game today (April 13) against Minnesota Wild in recognition and support of the teaching community following the tragedy at the Covenant School. Teachers will be recognized during the game and fans will be invited to write cards to local teachers that will be delivered during Teachers Appreciation Week (May 8-12).

Fans can bid on jerseys by visiting covenantstrong.givesmart.com or by texting “CovenantStrong” to 76278. The auction will close at 10 p.m. CT on April 14 and jerseys will be available to pick up or ship the week of April 17.

Colton Sissons. Photo: by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

Spencer Stastney. Photo: by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

Nashville Predators & Country Stars Partner With Compassion International To ‘Fill the Arena’ & Fight Childhood Hunger

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

The Nashville Predators Foundation, empowered by SmileDirectClub, partnered with Compassion International to kickstart Fill the Arena, an urgent effort to rally those in the Nashville area and beyond to feed children and their families — 17,159 children to be exact — the same number of seats in Bridgestone Arena.

The Preds hosted their first Fill the Arena night on Saturday (April 1), where the community gathered at Bridgestone Arena to watch them play the St. Louis Blues and to support Compassion International’s mission to feed children. The second Fill the Arena night will be on Thursday (April 6) when Nashville hosts the Carolina Hurricanes.

“Big changes often start with small things that move one person into action,” says Compassion CEO & President Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado. “Every seat in the Bridgestone Arena represents a child in need and every meal provided will give children a real chance to thrive. Every athlete and artist partnering with Fill the Arena is committed to answer the call to help vulnerable children around the world.”

Spearheaded by past and present Predators players including Mike Fisher, Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi, as well as country music star Chase Rice and more, the Fill the Arena team is ready to do their part to address world hunger. These elite athletes and artists understand that their leadership and participation can help bring much-needed attention to this worthy cause.

“We are facing a global hunger crisis,” says Fisher. “Fill the Arena is Nashville’s answer to the global food crisis, both across the globe and here in our own backyard. We are extremely passionate about filling every seat in this arena and are confident that people will step up and help us Fill the Arena!”

Compassion International previously teamed up with professional athletes from numerous sports to complete Fill the Stadium, an effort in direct response to food shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign raised over $36 million and provided life-saving food and support to 76,473 children around the world.

Founded in 1952, Compassion International is a Christian child development organization that works to release children from poverty. Compassion revolutionized the fight against global poverty by working exclusively with the church to lift children out of spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. Compassion partners with more than 8,000 churches in 25 countries to deliver their holistic child development program to more than two million babies, children and young adults. Their child sponsorship program has been validated through independent, empirical research. In just two years, food insecurity has doubled  to affect 276 million people.

Fans Pack The Bridgestone Arena Plaza For Pekka Rinne Statue Unveiling

Pekka Rinne statue unveiling at Bridgestone Arena. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators unveiled the statue of former goaltender Pekka Rinne on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza on Saturday (March 25) with a ceremony to honor Rinne’s legacy. Rinne, along with Mike Maguire from Best Buddies and eight patient ambassadors from Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, helped reveal the statue.

“Pekka Rinne left a lasting legacy on all of Smashville,” said Nashville Predators President & CEO Sean Henry. “This is an exciting day for our organization as we honor a franchise leader and prominent figure in the community. It’s even more special that we get to share this historic moment with those who have meant so much to Pekka – our fans, Best Buddies and patient ambassadors from Vanderbilt.”

Rinne’s statue was commissioned through Scott Wise, a renowned sculptor and Preds Season Ticket Citizen based in Clarksville, Tennessee where he also works as a firefighter. Rinne’s actual gear including stick, glove and leg pads were used to make the statue’s bronze casting. The statue was installed by Hunt Memorials, a fourth-generation family business that has been serving Nashville since 1928, and the stones were supplied by Mid-Tenn Sand & Stone. The statue was placed over a time capsule that the Preds buried on Tuesday, March 21. The time capsule, which includes over 100 handwritten letters from Season Ticket Citizens, Best Buddies and 365 Fund patients, will be opened in 35 years.

“I am super excited and honored to have been selected to create this bronze sculpture to honor both Pekka and the Predators,” Wise said. “I’ve been a longtime Preds fan and this has been a dream of mine since the Predators first called Bridgestone Arena home. I hope that Pekka, the Nashville Predators hockey club and all the hockey fans of Smashville enjoy the statue as much as I have enjoyed making it.”

Originally drafted by the Predators in the eighth round (258th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft, Rinne was a staple of the Nashville community during his time with the organization. He won the 2021 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the “player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in their community,” the result of a career spent dedicated to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities and the Predators Foundation empowered by SmileDirectClub.

“This experience has been surreal and something I will never forget,” said Rinne. “When I first found out about the statue, I was very surprised and incredibly honored. It really is a dream come true seeing the finished statue standing on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza, and I am so grateful for the Nashville Predators organization, the city of Nashville, and most importantly, the fans. I feel extremely lucky to have played all 683 games of my NHL career with the Predators.”

Rinne was, and still is, committed to the Nashville community, and has done amazing charity work through the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily, which he launched alongside former Predators Captain Shea Weber during the 2012-2013 season. The fund works with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Since the establishment of the fund, donations totaling more than three million dollars have been made to the hospital and its programs. On Friday, March 24, Rinne presented Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with a $400,365.23 check from last season’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiatives.

Nashville Predators Foundation & SmileDirectClub Award SuperGrant To The New Beginnings Center

The Nashville Predators Foundation and SmileDirectClub have announced that The New Beginnings Center, a resource facility helping women of low income to discover the strength in themselves through coaching in nutrition, fitness and behavior change, will be presented with a SuperGrant totaling $10,000 tonight (March 24) as the Predators host the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena. The SuperGrant will be used to support salaries as the need for additional part-time coaches grows.

“We are proud to partner with SmileDirectClub and provide The New Beginnings Center with our fourth SuperGrant of the season,” says Nashville Predators Vice President of Community Relations Rebecca King. “The New Beginnings Center offers life-changing programs for women while supporting their physical and mental well-being, and the Preds Foundation is thrilled to recognize this non-profit and the positive impact they are making in our community.”

The New Beginnings Center opened in 2011 and has since empowered over 3,500 women and teenage girls in the Middle Tennessee community. In 2022, the organization started the Iron Souls program, a holistic health and well-being program for teenage girls. The results of these programs provide improved health trajectories, reversed symptoms of preventable diseases and increased confidence.

“We are so grateful to be awarded a SuperGrant during Women’s History Month,” says The New Beginnings Center CEO Tash Weddle. “It brings a spotlight to the increasing need for services that support the physical and emotional well-being of women and teenage girls. Every day we witness lives being transformed with quality coaching that meets women and girls right where they are. This SuperGrant will help us develop and grow our coaching staff – our key deliverable for generating healthier bodies and minds and creating sustainable change. I am so proud of The New Beginnings and Iron Souls coaches who dedicate themselves to teaching and encouraging healthy lifestyle behaviors, one step at a time.”

Nashville Predators Foundation To Host Hockey Fights Cancer Night On March 25

Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators Foundation, empowered by SmileDirectClub, will host their second Hockey Fights Cancer Night of the season on March 25 as they face off against the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena at 1 p.m. CT. The Predators Foundation looks to build off the support seen during their Hockey Fights Cancer efforts last season, which raised $400,365.23 for the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily.

“We are excited to host our second Hockey Fights Cancer Night of the season,” Nashville Predators Vice President of Community Relations Rebecca King says. “This incredible League-wide initiative unites the hockey community to support cancer patients and their families, and we want to encourage fans to contribute to this campaign and raise awareness for the vital cancer research that takes place at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.”

The Preds will also reveal the statue of former goaltender Pekka Rinne on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza before the game. Rinne, who founded the 365 Fund with former team captain Shea Weber, will visit Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt on March 24 to present a check from last season’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiatives.

“As we enter our 10th year of partnership, we are truly grateful for the support of the Nashville Predators and Hockey Fights Cancer. Over the last decade, the 365 Fund collectively raised over four million dollars in donations and in-kind contributions to advance research and improve outcomes for our patients with childhood cancer,” says Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “None of this would be possible without the foresight and generosity of 365 Fund founders Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber. We are thrilled to welcome our long-time friend and supporter Pekka back to Monroe Carell this week in celebration of all he has done for the children we serve.”

To help make an even bigger difference, the Nashville Predators Foundation is calling on Smashville to support Hockey Fights Cancer, the 365 Fund and the imperative cancer research taking place at Monroe Carell. Here are how fans can get involved and show their support:

  • Bid on silent auction items – such as lavender jerseys worn by Preds in warm-ups before the first Hockey Fights Cancer game on Nov. 19, hockey skates decorated by a local artist and patients at Monroe Carrell and more – by texting PREDS to 76278 beginning March 24.
  • Donate to the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily. The goal is to raise $36,500 through these donations.
  • Purchase a lavender “I Fight For” foam puck in honor, or in memory, of someone fighting cancer. For $10, the buyer will receive one puck and one will be added to the Hockey Fights Cancer net at Bridgestone Arena, which represents all those being fought for in Smashville. Stop by the Foundation Table (Section 106/107) during a Preds game to purchase.
  • Purchase Mystery Pucks from the Foundation Table.
  • Fans can stop by one of the “I Fight For” Zones at the game and write who they fight for. The zones include the Lexus Lounge (Player Wall by locker-room), Foundation Table and Fan Info Desk (Section 331).
  • Purchase tickets to the March 25 game and $10 from each ticket purchased through this link will benefit the 365 Fund.