Predators at Avalanche
Rugged forward Cody McLeod was traded by the Colorado Avalanche, but he won't have to wait long to face his former team. One day after McLeod was shipped to Nashville, McLeod will be waiting to greet new teammates at Pepsi Arena when the Predators kick off a five-game road trip against the Avalanche on Saturday afternoon.
"He's a big guy, physical, plays the game the right way and plays hard," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said of McLeod. "He gets in your face, it can get intimidating, so it's nice to have a guy like that on our side." With league-worst Colorado in the midst of a wretched season, McLeod's departure could be the first of many moves as general manager Joe Sakic attempts to retool his roster with younger, faster players. The Avalanche have won only once in their last 12 home games (1-10-1) and have been limited to two goals or fewer in 11 of their last 12 overall. Nashville is 3-0-0 in the season series and has won its last three visits to Colorado, scoring five goals in each.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (19-16-7): The injury list grew longer for Nashville when star defenseman Roman Josi (upper body) and Colin Wilson (lower body) were placed on injured reserve Friday. Josi was injured when he was leveled by Boston's Anton Blidh on a high hit Thursday that coach Peter Laviolette deemed "late and dirty" and joins fellow blue-liner P.K. Subban on the sideline. James Neal, the team's leading goal scorer who has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, practiced Friday and could be back in the lineup against Colorado.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (13-26-1): Center Felix Girard, acquired in exchange for McLeod, recorded three goals and five assists with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League, but Sakic called the 22-year-old center "a player we targeted" and said more moves could be forthcoming. “We are where we are,” Sakic told reporters. “So as we go forward to the March 1 deadline, yeah, we’re going to be looking to make some moves.” Goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who has registered one win in his last nine appearances, will get the start on Saturday.
OVERTIME
1. Predators C Ryan Johansen is stuck in a 10-game goal-scoring drought, but he has collected two tallies and three assists versus Colorado this season.
2. Avalanche C Matt Duchene has recorded 11 goals and 27 points in 28 games against Nashville.
3. The Predators are 0-for-11 on the power play over their last four contests.