Ryan McDonagh is one of the NHL's true good guys.
The Predators defenseman took a separate flight to Boston on Monday ahead of his team's game Tuesday night against the Bruins. He had stayed behind in Nashville after news of The Covenant School shooting trickled out. His daughter's school — which is located nearby — was on lockdown.
McDonagh eventually made it to Beantown, flying commercial. The flight gave him a chance to interact with Nashville-area residents. One of them, a teenager named Caleb, was headed to Boston to watch his beloved Preds take on the NHL-leading Bruins for his 17th birthday.
MORE: Predators, Bruins honor victims with helmet decal, moment of silence
The duo hit it off, so much so that McDonagh got him in contact with team officials. Soon, Caleb was reading out Nashville's starting lineup before the team's clash with the B's.
At the airport, Ryan McDonagh met Brentwood native Caleb, who was heading to Boston to celebrate his 17th birthday by watching the Preds take on the Bruins. McDonagh and Coach Hynes invited him down to the locker room and surprised him with a very special honor. pic.twitter.com/1ZB3hlXFc3
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 29, 2023
It seemed Caleb's words helped. The Predators walked out 2-1 winners, bringing them just three points short of the Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
