In his successful return to the Pepsi Center the day after his trade from the Avalanche to Nashville, Cody McLeod — who had a goal and successfully requested a fight from former teammate Jarome Iginla — mostly skated on the Predators’ fourth line, with Derek Grant and Harry Zolnierczyk.
But Nashville coach Peter Laviolette, who played for the International Hockey League’s Colorado/Denver Rangers in the late 1980s, put McLeod out in the starting lineup with Mike Fisher and Austin Watson. So McLeod was on the blue line for the national anthem and at the opening faceoff.