Postcard from Prague: Bill Haslam joins Nashville Predators fans cheering abroad
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – Dave McCargar, long-time Nashville Predators season-ticket holder, was set to depart last Friday to Europe with his wife for “a lifetime experience” built around hockey.
Which made it especially inconvenient that he ended up in the emergency room four days prior to that with a kidney stone. Surgery on Thursday was successful, except for a pulmonary event that meant his anesthesiologist didn’t want to clear him to travel. He underwent X-rays to show his lungs were clear, and then Friday morning, he boarded a plane for the NHL Global Series.
Not going? “That wasn’t on the table,” the 71-year-old McCargar said with a laugh.
He and his wife Julie were among at least 100 die-hard Predators fans attending an event Thursday night at the team’s hotel in Prague. The fans were largely part of a travel group who’d purchased a package around upcoming games between the Predators and San Jose Sharks.
They were able to mingle – in a courtyard with a beautiful backdrop -- with players and franchise leaders that included CEO Sean Henry, general manager David Poile, current majority owner Herb Fritch and former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, the team’s future owner.
Even mascot Gnash made an appearance.
“We wanted an excuse to come to Europe,” said Nashville’s Lauren Navarro.
“And we found one,” echoed her friend Erin Clark.
Predators fans have been well-represented in Prague the past couple of days, easily outnumbering Sharks fans in attendance at Thursday’s practices at O2 Arena.
“It’s uniquely Smashville,” Henry said. “When your owners are Day 1 season-ticket holders, that means something. … Our fans outgrow every room we’re in. They really do. It’s really wonderful. We have the best fans in sports where you can bring in players in unscripted to just hang out for a bit. This doesn’t happen anywhere else.”
'Ready to put on a show'
For the Predators players, Thursday’s pre-game practice held a shift in mood from the light-hearted vacation vibes through Bern and Prague.
“That part of it is done with,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “Now it's time to make sure that we're ready to play.”
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The Predators and Sharks will have morning skates Friday beginning at 10:30 a.m. local time. The first of two games is set for 8 p.m. (or 1 p.m. back in Nashville).
“It's gotten to the point now we're ready to get out there and play some hockey,” forward Ryan Johansen said. “… We're ready to put on a show.”
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bill Haslam joins Nashville Predators fans ahead of NHL Global Series
