During the Predators preseason contest against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 22 the team recognized participants from the Ace’s Got Skills Nationals. These youth hockey players represented the Nashville Predators as the top players in the South as they competed against kids from other NHL cities to determine who’s “Got Skills!”

This past June, 12 peewee- and squirt-aged hockey players traveled to the 2007 Ace’s Got Skills Nationals at the Aviator Sports and Recreation Ice Rink in Brooklyn, NY. These finalists qualified to compete in the Nationals by winning their skills categories at the local Ace’s Got Skills events held in January 2007 at their respective ice rinks: Centennial Sportsplex (Nashville, Tenn.), Southern Ice Arena (Franklin, Tenn.) and Wilcoxon Municipal Ice Complex (Huntsville, Ala.).

The Predators contingent at Ace's Got Skills Nationals.

Launched in September 2005 and growing with the involvement of several NHL teams – including the Nashville Predators – Ace's Got Skills is modeled after the NHL's popular All-Star Super Skills Competition and gives boys and girls ages 9-12 the opportunity to come out and test their skill level in the following key ice hockey categories: fastest skater, hardest shot, accuracy shooting, breakaway shootout and best goalie.  The event promotes fundamental ice hockey skills with a powerful grassroots, youth-oriented community outreach program.  Supported by the NHL, Ace's Got Skills has been created to showcase the glory of the human spirit both on the ice and through the league's charitable partnership with the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation. For more information on Ace’s Got Skills, please visit www.acesgotskills.com.

The Nashville Predators would like to congratulate participants in the local and National competitions.  Below are the Nashville Predators representatives at the 2007 Ace’s Got Skills Nationals:

Jacob Carr – National Champion Squirt House Hardest Shot
Matthew Glines - Regional Qualifier Squirt House Goaltender
Jesse Hyde – Regional Qualifier Peewee House Shootout
James Mainland – Regional Qualifier Squirt Travel Goaltender
Jake Malezis – National Runner-up Squirt Travel Shootout
Chris Marti – National Champion Peewee House Hardest Shot
Drew Mashburn – Regional Qualifier Peewee House Goaltender
Braden Pichel – Regional Qualifier Peewee Travel Accuracy
Devin Pierce – National Champion Squirt House Shot Accuracy & Shootout Finalist
Hunter Wilhoite – National Finalist Peewee Travel Hardest Shot
Clayton Williams – National Finalist Peewee House Fastest Skater
Brandon Wombough – Regional Qualifier Goaltender