If any Nashville Predators players are looking to calm their nerves ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs, coach Andrew Brunette has some advice.

After Wednesday's practice held at Centennial Sportsplex − the Predators' first practice ahead of their first round series against either the Vancouver Canucks or Dallas Stars − Brunette was asked how he calmed his nerves ahead of playoff games.

Brunette said while every player is excited about the playoffs, sometimes you need to take the edge off. His prescription would be a little bit of America's pastime.

"That's why God created baseball," Brunette said. "So you can go watch baseball at night and settle down."

Brunette knows a thing or two about preparing for playoff hockey. He played in 49 playoff games during his 16-year career, scoring 17 goals and 18 assists along the way. His longest postseason run as a player came in 2002-03 with the Minnesota Wild, eventually losing to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (now called the Anaheim Ducks) in the Western Conference Final.

"For me, it was fun. It's the time of year you work so hard to get an opportunity at the dance, the tournament," Brunette said. "You're just so excited."

Baseball enthusiasts might not take kindly to Brunette's advice, but there's some truth here. For one, it's good to calm your mind ahead of the biggest moment of your athletic career. Two, regular season baseball might be the only relaxing sport to watch right now while the Predators wait to find out their first-round opponent.

To recap, if the Dallas Stars gain one point against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night, the Predators will play the Canucks in the first round. If the Stars lose in regulation, and the Canucks beat the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, the Predators will play the Stars.

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Taking Brunette's advice, if watching the Stars and Blues is too exciting for playoff-ready players and fans, there's plenty of baseball on television to help get an early bedtime.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Andrew Brunette's hilarious playoff prep tip for Nashville Predators