As the Nashville Predators attempt to tie a franchise-high 15-game point streak another injury was announced on the blueline Tuesday morning. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon has a lower-body injury and is week-to-week.
Lauzon joins fellow d-men Dante Fabbro and Spencer Stastney on the injured list. Marc Del Gaizo was called up on Monday and will be appearing in his first NHL game since his most recent call-up in November. As an emergency call-up, Nashville still has three more remaining this season.
“We just want to make his life easier, talk to him a lot, and make sure he’s comfortable. I’m sure he’ll be okay,” defenseman Alexandre Carrier said of having Del Gaizo back.
Carrier added that Del Gaizo’s skating is good and smart with the puck while also picking up on closing gaps when going up against the opposition.
Regardless the Predators plan to stick to being relentless as they move forward. Blue hats were in each locker stall with a yellow print that reads “relentless” on it Most players had them on once they got off the ice.
While there’s not a big story about how the hats surfaced, Carrier and his teammates understand that playing their best is relentless. Now It’s full steam ahead as the Predators find themselves in the first Wild Card spot as of Tuesday.
“It’s kind of been our mojo, I think we needed new hats anyway. I think the other ones are getting smelly,” Carrier said with a smile. “It’s a good reminder as well that we have those words in the room and you see it every day.”
Head coach Andrew Brunette wanted his team to rally around this mentality all season long and the Predators have certainly leaned into each other as well as the leadership each voice has to offer.
“When we were on our game this year that was kind of the identity we wanted. Now we’ve grabbed the word and we’ve been bringing it every night,” Brunette said.
Entering Tuesday’s game against the Sharks Brunette is happy with the organization’s depth at defense despite the recent injuries. It’s about the opportunity to seize time in the NHL and make an impact right out of the gates.
“An opportunity to come in here and pull the rope, dig in, and anchor in, and we’re going to need ya,” Brunette said.
Del Gaizo played with Tyson Barrie more often times than not when he was with Nashville earlier in the campaign. The Predator’s defensemen were shuffled around in practice leading to facing the Sharks on Tuesday evening.
Then new forwards Anthony Beauvillier and Jason Zucker have adjusted well so far in Brunette’s eyes and tonight they’ll make their home debuts since being acquired.
“I had him in Minnesota and then he was in Pittsburgh. There are certain similarities between those teams and how they play, and it’s a good reminder as he seems to grasp it,” Brunette said of Zucker.
Colton Sissons has been the “Swiss Army Knife” for the Predators this season as Brunette put it, and right now his role is getting to play between Zucker and Beauvillier.
“You ask him to throw two different players with him and ask him to continue his level of play he’s done all of those,” Brunette said of Sissons. “As a coach we’re extremely fortunate to have a player like him that you can plug anywhere it’s leaking and Colton plugs the hole for you.”
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Top photo courtesy of Nashville Predators
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