Chris Mason begins retired life after NHL in radio booth

You’ll have to forgive Chris Mason for getting lost.

During an 11-year NHL career, the former Predators goaltender acquainted himself with the maze-like corridors that lead to the locker rooms within the bowels of every arena.

He takes the elevator to work now, up to the unfamiliar upper levels of those same arenas. Searching for the press box Saturday, Mason and a reporter nearly walked the entire length of Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre twice before locating it, needing to stop to ask for directions.

Mason eventually found the radio booth, his new office after retiring from hockey this summer. He made his debut as an analyst on Nashville’s radio broadcast during the team's three-game road trip last week.

"I think the first week went pretty good," Mason said. "I definitely know that I have a lot to learn and areas to improve on, just getting the timing down, thinking of things to say on the spot, putting my thoughts into quick sentences. ... It was awesome to see a different side of entertainment that I've never seen before."

Mason’s last NHL action came during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, a forgettable campaign in which he compiled a 1-7-1 record, 3.73 goals-against average and .873 save percentage in his second stint with the Predators.

"All those lockout seasons have ended a lot of guys’ careers," Mason said. "Statistically, I had an awful season, so with my age and everything too, I knew it was a possibility that that could have been my last."

It was, but it gave Mason an opportunity to share an experience with his family. There had always been interest in playing overseas, so Mason signed with an Italian club and moved his wife and two young daughters to the small mountain town of Ritten Renon, located in the northernmost region of the country where German is actually the predominant language.

The plan was to play in Europe for one season with the possibility of another if all went well. Happy with their eight months in Italy, Mason and his family left for Augsburg, Germany, in what was the final year of his professional career.

“We knew," said Mason, 39. "My daughters are getting older and it’s that time when we wanted to lay down some roots."

Even before his playing career ended, Mason had kept in touch with Bob Kohl, the Predators' senior director of broadcast and entertainment, about what might come next. With radio analyst Brent Peterson wanting to lighten his schedule, Kohl asked Mason if he'd like to join the broadcast team on a part-time basis. In all, Mason will work roughly one-third of Nashville's games this season.

With no previous broadcasting experience, Mason recently estimated that he's asked play-by-play partner Pete Weber and television analyst Stu Grimson "a million questions" about the nuances of the job. His longtime vantage point from the crease has helped him in providing a unique perspective.

“It’s amazing when you look around at the network shows how many employ goaltenders to do the job because they see the whole darn thing unfold in front of them," Weber said. "...His evaluation, from the goaltender's perspective, is not exclusively taken that way. He looks at overall plays, because I think every goaltender always wanted, as they say, to play out."

Expectedly, Mason misses the routine and camaraderie that surrounded him as a player.

"There’s nothing better after a win and celebrating with your guys in the room and just accomplishing goals as a team, the hard work and all that stuff is so much fun," he said.

Mason's still part of a team, though, even if it's a slightly different one. He's ready to embrace the next step.

“He’s been nervous," Weber said, "but I don’t know why because just being his natural self he’s been pretty darn good."

Reach Adam Vingan at avingan@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamVingan.

CHRIS MASON'S NHL CAREER

Games: 317

Teams: Three (Predators, Blues, Thrashers/Jets)

Overall record: 137-113-32, 2.66 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, 23 shutouts

Record with Predators (1998-2008, 2012-13): 59-50-13, 2.68 GAA, .910 save percentage, 12 shutouts

INJURY UPDATES

Defenseman Barret Jackman, who sat out of Tuesday's 5-4 shootout win against the Lightning, said that he will return to the lineup Thursday against the Ducks. Defenseman Ryan Ellis practiced Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury suffered Saturday when he blocked a shot with his right knee. He'll likely be a game-time decision.

NEXT GAME

DUCKS at PREDATORS

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5 FM