The Nashville Predators are being put under the microscope for the all-access training camp docuseries Behind the Glassproduced by the NHL Network in association with NHL Original Productions.
Beginning Wednesday, players will be mic’d up for the four-part series that premieres at 7 pm PT on Friday, Sept. 30. Viewers will get an inside look at workouts and life away from the rink, all building towards an Oct. 3 exhibition game in Bern, Switzerland and then the Oct. 7 season-opener against the San Jose Sharks in Prague.
The Predators, who have reached the playoffs in eight consecutive years but have never won the Stanley Cup, have put together an exciting blend of players this season, including high-scoring Swiss defenseman Roman Josi, countryman and winger Nino Niederreiter, Swedish center Filip Forsberg. , Finish goaltender Juuse Saros and two-time Cup champion Ryan McDonagh, an American.
Behind the Glass will shadow respected Nashville GM David Poile and coach John Hynes for insight into their evaluations on the 50-plus players competing for 23 roster spots. Exclusive access to Josi as he returns to his hometown of Bern will be featured as well.
The New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers were the focus of the series in its first two incarnations, in 2018 and ’19, before the COVID-19 pandemic got in the way.
“The stakes are raised and expectations are high for the Nashville Predators, and that makes this team the perfect candidate for Behind the Glass,” NHL chief content officer and senior executive vp Steve Mayer, also the executive producer of the docuseries, said in a statement.
“Behind the Glass will help answer your questions and maybe confirm or dispel your theories on the inner workings of building a competitive NHL team. And it’s nice to be back producing this show after two years of protocol restrictions.”
“We’re thrilled to bring back Behind the Glass and provide fans an unprecedented look at how an NHL team prepares for the gauntlet of a new season,” added NHL Network vp production Josh Bernstein. “The Predators have so many compelling storylines and fascinating players that we’re excited to unpack. Our production team is ready to film unfiltered, honest and compelling content that our fans constantly crave.”
“Not only will this give the fans of Smashville the peek behind the curtain they crave, it will also prove to be a valuable way to chronicle our first trip to play games in Europe,” Predators president and CEO Sean Henry said.
Behind the Glass concludes with Tuesday-night installments on Oct. 4, 11 and 18.