Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lighting game cancelled due to safety concerns
The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning had to cancel their preseason game due to severe weather conditions in Florida, with no makeup date planned.
On Sunday afternoon, the Nashville Predators shared on X (formerly Twitter) that their preseason game against the Lightning was called off because of the impending bad weather:
This was supposed to be the last preseason matchup for both teams before they begin their regular seasons-Nashville on October 10th against Dallas and Tampa Bay against Carolina. It's unclear if the NHL will reschedule the game but with a few days left before the season starts there's a small chance it could be made up.
While disappointing for fans who were excited to see former Lightning star Steven Stamkos return to Tampa Bay, canceling the game was the safest decision for both teams and the NHL. With safety being the priority it made sense to cancel the game rather than risk the well being of players & fans.
The NHL has a history of canceling games due to weather, including a 1995 game between the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings, which was postponed because of flooding. In 2016, three games were canceled due to severe cold weather in the Eastern U.S., and in 1924, a game between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators was postponed due to a blizzard, marking the first of 72 weather-related cancellations in the league's history.
Although it's unfortunate that the teams couldn't play, safety always comes first. If you or anyone you know is in the Tampa Bay area, please stay safe, follow evacuation instructions, and check on your neighbors if possible.
Stay tuned for more.
