A long time in the making, rookie forward Ozzy Wiesblatt made his NHL debut for the Nashville Predators on Friday night, partaking in a 3-0 shutout win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
Wiesblatt, 22, is the second-youngest of four hockey player brothers (Oasiz, Orca, and Ocean), born to two deaf parents. Wiesblatt’s mother, Kim White, worked multiple jobs to support her boys as a single mother and used sports as a way to help them socialize, interact, and stay active.
And, although all the brothers play hockey to this day, Ozzy is the first to reach the NHL, the pinnacle of hockey.
In 2019, Kim White and her sons Ocean, Orca, Ozzy, and Oasiz Wiesblatt were featured on Home Team Heroes. Kim, a deaf single mother of 5, made incredible sacrifices so her boys could play hockey. Tonight, Ozzy Wiesblatt made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators. pic.twitter.com/x8i0ngasxY
— sophie (@sophiemg2018) January 4, 2025
Drafted 31st overall by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2020 draft, Wiesblatt spent most of last season with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL before being loaned to the Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
After producing a goal, five assists, and six points in 16 games, the Predators organization was impressed with Wiesblatt enough to make a move to bring him in on a permanent basis.
So, on June 23, 2024, Wiesblatt joined the Predators in a trade that sent Egor Afanasyev to San Jose.
Less than 200 days later, Wiesblatt made his NHL debut, fulfilling a dream for a family that has been through so much together.
So, how did Ozzy do in his first action with the Predators?
Grading Ozzy Wiesblatt’s NHL debut
Truthfully, it was tough to get a read on Wiesblatt’s overall game in a contest where the Canucks held a 44-30 shot attempts advantage over the final 40 minutes. That being said, there were multiple moments when you could see the 22-year-old’s potential as an NHLer.
For instance, in the first period, Wiesblatt made a nice defensive play in the first period, sealing off a Canucks player on the left wall at his defensive blue line, winning puck possession back, and starting the Predators back in transition going the other way.
After that, the Calgary, Ab., native raced down the ice, supported the puck low near the net, and eventually ended up battling with the significantly larger Tyler Myers in front of the net for what seemed like hours until the Predators ceded possession.
Midway through the second period,…