Episode three of Behind the Glass is here, and Smashville may be in store for the most heartfelt, personal installment yet as the team flies overseas to Captain Roman Jose‘s hometown of Bern, Switzerland.
If you weren’t one of the 116 Predators fans lucky enough to make the Global Series trip, don’t worry. The Behind the Glass crew was along for the ride, capturing every special moment.
Give Me Fuel, Give Me Fire, Give Me Packing by Niederreiter
Episode three opens inside Nino Niederreiter‘s apartment as the Predators forward packs his bags for Europe ahead of Friday evening’s preseason exhibition and Global Series prelude.
“I grew up in Chur, which is about three hours away from Bern,” Niederreiter says, draping a suit jacket across his luggage. “I’ve got all my best friends coming, both my grandmas – they never really saw me play. I think I’ll have like 40 people in the stands – something like that – so I’m pretty pumped about it.”
Naturally, the conversation shifts to Niederreiter’s fellow countryman.
“[Josi] is so big over there, especially in Bern,” he says. “I would say he’s almost the mayor there. Everybody knows him and he’s so popular in Switzerland in general, so it’s going to be such a big deal for him and it’s going to be very special.”
Gold Vibes Only
If you count the preseason – which you very well should – the Predators have now won six straight contests and have earned at least a point in all seven of their outings thus far.
In that time they’ve also netted 27 goals, while allowing just 11.
To paraphrase a now-famous sentiment from forward Ryan Johansenthe Predators are vibing.
But those ‘immaculate vibes’ don’t start and stop on the ice – there’s plenty of team-building and chemistry that has to happen off the ice as well.
If you’re Head Coach John Hynes, you couldn’t ask for a better bonding opportunity than a nine-day trip to Europe with family and friends in tow for a journey through two of the world’s most beautiful cities.
“I think one of the big things is some of the natural team-building stuff that goes on,” Coach Hynes said during a media availability. “You have that camaraderie within your group… It’s not force-fed but I think it certainly does help bring guys closer together.”
From the back of the team plane at a heated Mario Kart tournament – Filip Forsberg‘s boomerang is reportedly deadly – to riverside strolls on the streets of Bern and plenty of smiles inside the locker room, the Behind the Glass crew captures a Nashville Predators squad that is delightfully close-knit, energized and optimistic about the new season.
Down by the River
While the Josi family makes their Behind the Glass debut in episode three – grüezi, Doris, Peter und Yannick – the episode’s most insightful Josi moment comes during a picturesque riverside stroll between forwards. Colton Sissons and Ryan Johansen.
“We were asking [Josi] where he ranks in Switzerland as an athlete,” Johansen says. “As his humble self he was listing a bunch of skiers and soccer players… But I mean, he’s got to be the biggest Swiss hockey player ever.”
The pair of forwards have shared the ice with Josi for at least seven consecutive seasons, and in that time have seen plenty of magic from the 32-year-old blueliner.
Recognizing that, Johansen delivers one of the docuseries’ best lines yet:
“He’s going to be one of those teammates where we look back at our careers and just go, ‘That was so cool to play with him.'”
Mr. Bern
Much like Nashville’s Global Series trip to Switzerland, episode three of Behind the Glass was all about the captain.
From the plane ride overseas to the thunderous reception for Bern’s favorite son at the episode’s conclusion, we are treated throughout its 22-minute runtime to a unique look at Nashville’s captain during one of the most significant weeks of his career.
“My grandma’s funny, I talked to her today and she said she’s not sleeping because she’s so nervous,” Josi says on the team plane.
“Do you think you’ll be nervous?” Johansen asks.
“I think so,” Josi replied. “I think I’ll be a little nervous, for sure.”
If Josi was indeed nervous, it certainly didn’t affect his game, as Nashville’s captain tallied two goals and an assist against his former Swiss National League club in front of over 17,000 of the loudest sports fans on the planet.
Add in a jovial postgame salute to his hometown and a teary-eyed, heartfelt thank you speech to his teammates, and you simply couldn’t ask for a better story.
You can catch the Behind the Glass finale on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 8 pm CT on the NHL Network and Sportsnet before it drops to the NHL’s official Youtube page – Episodes one and two are available to watch now.
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