Preds Rookies Head to Florida Prospect Showcase to Learn, Win

It's a unique situation for these select few.
Just 24 hours ago, they all gathered in Nashville and took to the ice for the first time as a group under the guidance of a new head coach. And in less than 24 hours from now, they'll lace up their skates again, this time with foes donning Washington Capitals sweaters staring them down on the other side of the rink.
The 22 participants in this weekend's Predators Rookie Camp - and subsequent NHL Prospects Showcase in Estero, Florida - will receive an experience unlike any other, a jump right off the high dive of sorts, before even dipping a toe in the water.

That's how they like it, however. A chance for the young Preds to test themselves against those at their own skill level - opponents, who also hold dreams of one day playing under the bright lights of 20,000-seat arenas.
The Predators will face the Caps twice - Saturday afternoon (at noon CT) and Tuesday morning (at 10:30 a.m.) - and the Tampa Bay Lightning once on Sunday afternoon (at noon), all from Germain Arena on the Gulf Coast.
Karl Taylor, who took command of Nashville's top minor league affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, this past June, will be behind the bench, along with Ads assistant coaches Scott Ford and Greg Rallo.
Of course, the goal is to win hockey games, but for many, it's also an introduction or refresher on how the Preds organization wants to play - and it's not for the faint of heart.

"Today was about culture and pace of play," Taylor said following the group's first practice on Thursday afternoon from Centennial Sportsplex. "We want to play fast, and we want to attack. We don't want to be slow and deliberate, we want the other team reacting to us."
Friday morning's session was reserved for some defensive work and putting a bit of structure into the system, and while two days isn't necessarily the ideal amount of time to prepare for a game after a long offseason, there shouldn't be too much of a learning curve.
Ultimately, no matter what part of the world they're from, the Preds all speak the language of hockey, something they hope will translate into their game plan.
"This is the most fun part," Nashville defenseman Alexandre Carrier said of the tournament. "You play [games] right away and get ready for the main camp. Everyone has been working hard all summer long, working on your skills off the ice, so it's going to be exciting to see what level we're at and how fast we can play. Hopefully, we can play as a team and get some wins."
One of just two players with NHL experience on the Nashville roster this weekend, Carrier is an individual who will be looked to as a leader among the group. He remembers well how nerve-wracking a setting like this can be, but now at the ripe, old age of 21, Carrier can offer a wealth of experience from the backend.
"I used to come here and I was holding my stick so tight," Carrier said. "You don't know anything or anyone, so to come here being comfortable, it's a plus. It helps a lot, and now it's my turn to help the younger guys that come here that are nervous like I was my first two years."

One could surmise that 19-year-old Eeli Tolvanen might be one of those players. He joins Carrier as the only other Nashville skater who has seen NHL action already, but the Finnish winger says he is more confident than he's ever been with the Predator logo on his chest. And while Tolvanen knows he still has plenty to learn before he becomes a full-time resident of Music City, that address could take hold as early as next month.
"The coaching staff told me I have to get bigger, stronger and faster," Tolvanen said of the advice he received after Development Camp last June. "It's the next step to play in the NHL, and I think the summer workouts went very well. I had a good program and good guys to work out with.
"But just to know the coaching staff, all the players and just to be back in the city, I can come in and everything is settled, so it's easy to jump in and start to work."
After two days of practice, Tolvanen and his teammates are eager to show what they've been able to take in thus far and why they might be worthy of a longer look from Nashville Head Coach Peter Laviolette and his staff, who will be watching in Florida.
Although they all come from slightly different backgrounds with slightly different playing styles, each of the rookies ultimately possess the same goal: to one day call 501 Broadway their home rink.
This weekend could be a noteworthy step in that unique journey.