Bothered by an upper body injury, Martin Erat is out for Thursday's home opening game.

Who isn’t excited for tomorrow’s season home opener? Well, if you are a fan of Martin Erat, you may have to suck it up for tomorrow’s game because you won’t be seeing him on the ice. Erat is out for tomorrow’s game, and possibly Saturday’s, with an upper body injury. Head Coach Barry Trotz claims that it has nothing to do with Erat’s back, which kept him out of 18 games last season.

Also on the hot seat is Patric Hornqvist, who is suffering from a lower-body injury. He, unlike Erat, is questionable as to wether he will play tomorrow. Trotz says wether Hornqvist will play will be decided before game-time.

And yet another player down for the count is Mike Fisher, who had shoulder surgery during the summer. He and Francis Bouillon have been practicing lately, but Fisher is playing the safe card and bowing out of tomorrow and Saturday’s games. As you know, Bouillon is still hurt due to a concussion suffered back in January against the Blackhawks. He, of course, will not be playing tomorrow and more than likely not Saturday, either.

And (how many ands can I have?), last but not least, there is the uncertainty of Kevin Klein. He did not practice with the team yesterday (neither did Erat) and neither player attended the “Meet the Team” event at the Bridgestone Arena yesterday. Rumors have circulated that Klein was feeling under the weather and we hope that’s all it is. However, Pekka Rinne caught the flu a few days ago and still put on his sweater and played (maybe Peks is just more devoted).

These injuries, however, do not have many fans worried and they shouldn’t be. With Leggy on his game and the new kid, Craig Smith showing up the veterans, the Predators might be okay without Erat, Fisher, Bouillon, and possibly Hornqvist and Kevin Klein. Someone knock on wood.