Predators' Kyle Turris settling in after 'whirlwind' trade experience

On the evening of Nov. 5, Kyle Turris had settled in to watch television with 3-year-old son Beckett when he received a phone call.

"We’ve got 25 to 30 minutes to make this happen," his agent relayed on the other end.

Two nights earlier, Turris heard rumblings that a three-team trade involving the Predators, Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche would place him in Nashville. Negotiations stalled that night but quickly regained steam.

The Predators, who eyed Turris as a trade target as far back as July, wouldn't entertain the trade unless the pending free-agent center agreed to a long-term contract.

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As wife Julie fed 1-and-a-half-year-old daughter Teddie nearby inside their Ottawa home, Turris had to make a life-altering decision in a matter of moments.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind," said Turris, who signed a six-year contract worth $36 million.

Turris' acclimation process isn't as simple as popping on a Predators sweater and scoring a goal in his first game Saturday, the fifth time in franchise history that a player has achieved a multi-point debut.

Now comes the challenging part.

The 28-year-old is living in an extended-stay hotel on West End Avenue, where he'll probably be for another month. Julie is visiting next weekend, her mother traveling from Minnesota to Ottawa to help watch the kids.

The plan is for the entire family — Beckett, Teddie and 2-and-a-half-month-old son Cooper — to move to Nashville permanently sometime in December.

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With the assistance of team-affiliated real estate agent Carrie Zeier, Turris has spent much of his downtime touring neighborhoods in Davidson and Williamson counties. Julie has provided input from afar, having her husband view homes that she researched online.

Turris' children are too young to comprehend the situation, though Beckett is catching on.

"Can I come to Nashville, Dada?" Beckett will ask during FaceTime chats. "Why aren’t you here?"

“He’s just on the edge of starting to clue in," Turris said. "I told him that Dada has to go away for work for a little bit, but I can’t wait to bring him with me and he’ll be coming really soon.”

Although his family is more than 1,000 miles away, Turris isn't alone here.

New teammates double as concierges, offering any and all recommendations. On Turris' first night in Nashville last week, Predators captain Roman Josi and center Ryan Johansen treated him to dinner. Josi invited Turris to his home Sunday.

“Everyone on this team is really helpful," Josi said. "We’re all going to help him if he has any questions or needs some help off the ice as well. We’re all definitely there for him to help him out. We’re really, really excited to have him."

The Predators foster a familial environment, and they consider Turris and his family an extension of their own.

"We want to make him part of it as quick as possible," Josi said.

“They’ve been awesome," Turris said. "They’ve made this transition very easy for me. … They’ve made me feel real welcome.”

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

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