Page 43 - Sports Illustrated Kids (October 2018)

New NHL powerhouses mean

new conflicts. he results of this

season will be determined by whoever

gets the better of these increasingly

hostile rivalries. By Sam Page

Nashville

PREDATORS JETS

During the Predators’ surprise
2017 Stanley Cup finals run,
ESPN’s LZ Granderson claimed on TV that he followed
the team back “when they were the Atlanta Thrashers.”
One problem: The Nashville Predators might now be the
closest NHL franchise to Atlanta, but they have never been
any team but the Predators. Granderson can be forgiven for his
confusion, though. The Predators nearly moved to Canada in
2007. The Thrashers became the new Winnipeg Jets in ’11. The
original Jets moved south to become the Arizona Coyotes. And
the original Atlanta team—the Flames—now also plays in Canada.
Perhaps this revolving door of relocation should create some
sympathy between the fans of these Central Division powers.
But after last season. . .probably not.
The Predators and the Jets
finished first and second in
the NHL in points, with

117 and 114, respectively.
Thanks to the playoff system
the NHL adopted after realignment
in 2013, Nashville and Winnipeg had to
meet in the second round. The series went
the distance with the Jets taking Game 7.
This rivalry had kicked off unofficially
before last season, on November 14, 2015. P.K. Subban,
In a game the Predators won 7–0, the Nashville
teams combined for 156 penalty minutes.
At one point, the penalty boxes overflowed defenseman,
with six members of each team. when asked
“That was the tipping point of that about Winnipeg’s
rivalry,” says Chris Mason, Predators deafening greeting
broadcaster and a former goaltender for
both teams. “It just seemed every game for him
after that—it’s just fireworks.” FREDERICK BREEDON/GETTY IMAGES

The Predators boast maybe the best
defensive top four in the league, and the Jets have the forwards
to match them. Who are hockey fans in Atlanta to root for?

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