Preds Rookie Wiesblatt Honors Late Brother Following First NHL Goal

Ozzy Wiesblatt wasn’t expecting it to take this long.

Neither were his teammates.

“To be honest, probably should have about 10 [goals already] the way he's played this year,” Wiesblatt’s teammate Steven Stamkos said.

But on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena, as linemate Michael Bunting threw the puck to the net with Wiesblatt crashing the crease at 15:32 of the second period, the rookie’s first NHL goal finally came.

First, there was a sigh of relief. And then, as Wiesblatt skated toward a jubilant Nashville bench, he pointed skyward with no question as to why.

In September, with Ozzy in Nashville preparing for Predators training camp, and younger brother, Oasiz, in Tampa with the Preds prospects at the NHL Prospect Tournament, an older Wiesblatt brother, Orca, tragically passed away in a car accident.

Just days later, after the Wiesblatts traveled home to Canada for the unimaginable task of saying goodbye to their brother, Ozzy returned to training camp and scored a preseason goal in Tampa - an emotional moment, to be certain.

But preseason goals don’t technically count.

So, on Tuesday, in his 23rd game of the season after making the Nashville roster out of camp - and 28th career NHL game - Wiesblatt found the ledger, and he knew exactly what to do next.

“Just thinking, ‘It's about time,’” Wiesblatt smiled in the locker room moments after snapping a photo with the puck from his first NHL goal. “I feel like I've been all over it lately, and I've had so many chances this year to score, I've been robbed a ton. So, it's just a relief for me. I've thought about pointing to the sky for my brother for a while now, and just a cool feeling. And obviously, that one's for him, so it's just a huge relief for me.”

As Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette stated postgame, the celebration from the rookie’s teammates, certainly well aware of what the Wiesblatts have been through, was much greater than the average goal elicits on a Tuesday night in December.

“With Ozzy, everything he's gone through, to see him score, I think the bench erupted,” Brunette said. “It was probably the biggest eruption we've had all year.”

Rightfully so, and as Stamkos - who recorded his 1,200th NHL point in Nashville’s 5-1 win over Calgary - looked on and awaited Wiesblatt’s arrival for the customary fist-bump line, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Obviously, a touching moment for him and his family, and what they've had to endure this year has been difficult for them,” Stamkos said of Wiesblatt. “You can't even describe the feeling I'm sure that they've had. I think that was a very special moment in a trying year for their family, and we felt the energy on the bench. I'm sure, if you had a video camera on the bench, it was probably the biggest celebration of the year… It's a testament to him. He just continues to go to the tough areas on the ice to utilize that speed and tenacity and the skill that he has. It was great to see him finally get rewarded.”

Wiesblatt was in awe earlier in that second stanza as Stamkos reached his milestone - just the 53rd player in NHL history to eclipse the 1,200 point mark. And for as much energy as players like Wiesblatt provide to veterans like Stamkos on nights like that, the rookie was equally inspired by No. 91’s feat.

“It's ridiculous,” Wiesblatt said of Stamkos’ point total. “They’re video game numbers. It's so cool to be playing on his team. I remember not even too far back, I'm playing NHL [video games], and I'm Steven Stamkos. [It's] so cool to be on his team and around him and be here for him to hit a milestone like that. It's super special and really cool.”

One period before Wiesblatt potted his first, his fellow rookie winger, Reid Schaefer, did the same. And just seconds after Wiesblatt joined the club, Schaefer then recorded his first NHL fight.

In the third period, Wiesblatt got into a scrap of his own, not necessarily seeking it out, but joking he had to do so because typical linemate Michael McCarron, who has about nine extra inches of height on him, wasn’t there on this occasion due to injury.

“Honestly, I got hit, and just wanted to defend myself. And, too bad ‘Big Mac’ wasn't there to save me for the 100th time,” Wiesblatt smirked. “But yeah, I just want to defend myself, and just one of those things felt like I had to do.”

And following Schaefer in the goal and fight department? Well, Wiesblatt just wanted in on the fun, too.

“You can't one-up me,” Wiesblatt laughed when asked about doing the same as Schaefer. “No, super happy for him. Really proud of Reid. Obviously I've spent a lot of time with him in Milwaukee, and I know how hard he works, and just a huge competitor. For him to get his first [goal] and fight tonight too, it's just awesome. Everybody feeds off of it. It’s contagious and I'm really proud of him.”

The feeling is mutual throughout the Nashville organization and beyond for Ozzy, a kid from Calgary who has been through more in the last three months than anyone should have to endure.

But now, he’s scored a goal in the best hockey league in the world, and no one can ever take that away.

“I know they're proud of me,” Wiesblatt - whose brother, Oasiz, plays for Nashville’s AHL affiliate in Milwaukee - said of his family. “They don't [have] to tell me that, and it's really cool. Hopefully making my family proud every day, and I do the best I can. And my little brother's playing awesome hockey in Milwaukee right now, too. So, super proud of him and how he's developing. It's just super cool, honestly.

“Back home, my mom's always watching, so that's all I care about. I always have had so many people help me get here. Said it a million times, but so many people, so many families, have helped me get here. I know they're back home watching all the time, and it means the world, and it's probably pretty cool for them to see that tonight, too.”