Saad ready, excited to soak up first All-Star experience

Brandon Saad knows a few things about Nashville.

The Predators. Country music. The city’s “Music City” moniker.

One thing he’s never heard of: traditional Nashville hot chicken, that pepper paste-infused fried poultry deliciousness always served with a trademark toothpick of pickles.

“That’s a thing? It sounds awesome,” Saad said. “I’ll see if I can find some.”

Good call.

But that’s not the real reason the Blue Jackets’ 23-year-old budding star is heading to Tennessee to spend a few days in the state’s second-largest city.

Memphis is No. 1, in case you’re wondering.

Saad, acquired by the Blue Jackets from Chicago only weeks after he won his second Stanley Cup title with the Blackhawks this spring,…