The Nashville Predators are the hottest team in the NHL with a 12-0-2 record since Feb. 17 and riding their second-longest point streak in franchise history.
Nashville won 4-1 in Seattle on Saturday to continue their dominant play thanks to captain Roman Josi’s second multi-goal performance of the season.
“The focus level has been high through this stretch,” head coach Andrew Brunette said after Monday’s optional skate. “Keep putting it in the bank and I think we’ve gotten a lot better as we go here and understanding important times.”
Brunette pointed to when Seattle tied the game on Saturday and his team was able to answer the bell despite a small setback.
“The next four to five shifts everyone raised their game up a little bit,” Brunette said. “I think those are learning experiences and those are things we’re getting better that. Understanding the momentum swings and wanting to raise our level of play. Those can be the things that trip you up if you aren’t focused.”
Last Wednesday defenseman Spencer Stastney suffered an upper-body injury against the Winnipeg Jets filling in for Dante Fabbro who is also out with an injury. Nashville may be without two defensemen for the next few weeks with the roster now up to 25.
Now defenseman Marc Del Gaizo is back with the Predators after having a cup of coffee with the big club back in November playing his first five career NHL games.
“I think he played really good for us in that stretch,” Brunette said. “He’s been dominating in the American Hockey League so it’ll be fun to see him play.”
This time around Del Gaizo got the call on Sunday morning that he would be making the trek to Nashville. He said that he traveled all day to join them.
“I had a bunch of clothes because we had a pretty long road trip down in San Diego,” Del Gaizo said.
Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Marc Del Gaizo (#2) during a game on October 24, 2023. (Photo from Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)
In his time with the Milwaukee Admirals this season, he has posted a career-high 32 points in 51 games. He eclipsed his AHL career best with an assist against the San Diego Gulls over the weekend.
Now like Stastney, he’s hoping to stake his claim in why he belongs on the Predators in another opportunity to showcase himself.
“Just add something to this team, the [Predators] have been doing really well,” Del Gaizo said. “Just do whatever they ask me to do, hopeful to help the team.”
Del Gaizo is set to be a restricted free agent this summer with 65 games remaining until he is qualified as an unrestricted free agent.
Brunette hopes to see more of the same from Del Gaizo after his last stint with the Predators over three months ago.
Being a core player in the AHL with the Admirals has been a highlight of his season and now he’ll have a chance once again with Nashville to see what he has to offer at the highest stage.
Del Gaizo has also had a front-row seat to see the likes of Zachary L’Heuruex, Fedor Svechkov, Reid Schaefer, Juuso Pärssinen, and Philip Tomasino step up their game on a team currently leading the Central Division by eight points.
“It’s really encouraging to see how many players from Milwaukee make it here,” Del Gaizo said. “The coaching staff down in Milwaukee does a really good job of developing guys and getting them ready to play here. Just super encouraging and happy to be in the room here with a lot of familiar faces from Milwaukee.”
Nashville welcomes the San Jose Sharks tomorrow night with a familiar face who just made his NHL debut on Sunday in Chicago. Goaltender Devin Cooley was traded to San Jose late in the trade deadline for a 7th-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres.
Cooley was in the Predators organization for four seasons mainly playing with the Milwaukee Admirals. He shared the net with prospect Yaroslav Askarov last season before not deciding to re-sign with Nashville.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Top photo courtesy of Nashville Predators
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