Somewhere in my parents’ dusty attic is a white, long-sleeved T-shirt from the Nashville Predators’ inaugural game on Oct. 10, 1998.

Obviously, the shirt doesn’t fit me anymore. I’ve grown a bit since then.

But the memory of watching that first NHL game in person?

I’ll never grow out of that.

Being hired as the new Nashville Predators beat writer for The Tennessean is a tremendous honor, and it sparks powerful memories of my first hockey experience.

I remember making my way toward Bridgestone Arena (then called Nashville Arena), feeling chilled air on the concourse, hearing the sound of the Zamboni crawling across the ice and seeing the players emerging for their warmups.

When the game started, I was captivated. The speed and intensity of the game. The sound of sticks clacking, blades scratching. The roar of the crowd punctuating every moment. The rhythms of the sport unveiled in front of me.

I remember nothing about the game itself, only that I loved every minute of it.

Nashville Predators fueled my interest in sports

Growing up in Nashville in the 1990s, my hunger for local professional sports was initially fulfilled with the arrival of the Tennessee Oilers/Titans in 1997. That was the appetizer. It wasn’t until the Nashville Predators arrived in 1998 that I feasted.

I watched every televised game. When they weren’t televised, I listened to Pete Weber and Terry Crisp describe the games on the radio. When the team was in town, I spent what little money I had on tickets.

Once, I even skipped out early on my shift at a local grocery store to go downtown and see the Predators lose a stinker to the Flames. It wasn’t my proudest moment — when my boss found out why I’d left, he was as confused as he was angry.

“You left early to go see a hockey game?”

Alex Daugherty's path to The Tennessean

Two college graduations and two careers later, I formally began writing about the Predators in 2014 when I answered a help wanted ad for SB Nation’s On The Forecheck. Two years later, I was named co-managing editor, guiding a team of writers through that magical 2016-17 season that ended 100 minutes short of a Stanley Cup parade.

It was an exhilarating experience. Engaging with an online community about the Predators scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. Publishing original writing, analyzing game performances, crafting unique stories about players and coaches.

Eventually I joined A to Z Sports — a prolific sports media company based in Nashville — as its Preds beat writer. In early 2023, I purchased Penalty Box Radio, a staple in the Preds media sphere since 2012.

These stops along the way taught me the value that social media has in growing a brand. Sports media consumption has changed dramatically. Audiences no longer need to seek out news and analysis about their favorite teams; it’s available immediately when they open Instagram, Facebook, or X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bringing content to people where they are is essential in today’s landscape. Be on the lookout for an explosion of Preds-focused social media content under the Tennessean umbrella in the coming weeks.

Along with that, you’ll see consistent visibility, honest reporting, fair analysis, and passionate storytelling. With the team in transition under first-year general manager Barry Trotz, you’ll need someone at practices asking the right questions and filtering out the noise.

I can’t wait to get started.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet Alex Daugherty, new Nashville Predators writer for The Tennessean