Brian McGrattan is one of the most intimidating players in the NHL. He’s a tough guy who never hesitates to drop his gloves. But when it comes to the holiday season, the Nashville Predators forward has a huge soft spot.

“I love Christmas,” said McGrattan, 30, who grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. “It has to be everybody’s favorite time of the year. I like everything about it, the music, the decorations. There’s not too much snow down here, and I’m not a big fan of snow, but I like it when it snows on Christmas. It makes it more special.”

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound McGrattan is a holiday movie aficionado. We sat down with him recently to discuss his favorites.


Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
“That has to be my No. 1 favorite. We were watching this just the other night. That Yukon Cornelius character, he’s a funny guy. He’s licking his ice pick all the time. It’s just really funny.”


Frosty the Snowman (1969)
“This is a very good No. 2. It’s a classic and was my favorite one growing up. It never gets old. I hadn’t seen it in a long time, but my girlfriend was in town last week and we went to the store and grabbed this one. It took me back when I watched it.”


How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
“The original, the cartoon, is the best one. You only get to watch some of these every year or every couple of years, but you get to enjoy them all over again. I just always liked the Grinch and the way he changed throughout the movie. All of those names are funny, too, like the town’s name of Whoville. And I like all those little Whos. They crack me up. They’re awesome.”