Mike Fisher settling in to life after retirement, Predators
Adam Vingan
Mike Fisher's post-retirement life hasn't been sedentary.
It's actually been busier than he expected. Fisher no longer serves as Predators captain, but he's taken on many different roles — avid churchgoer, full-time father to 2-year-old son Isaiah, business partner with younger brother Bud on their "Catchin' Deers" hunting-oriented lifestyle brand.
"There’s lots of things I’ve been able to be a part of that I couldn’t do playing," said Fisher, who earlier this week spent Canadian Thanksgiving with his family in Peterborough, Ontario, for the first time in roughly 20 years. "But it’s definitely an adjustment."
More:Now-retired Mike Fisher returns to raise Western Conference banner
Fisher, who announced the end of his 17-season NHL career Aug. 3, attended his former team's home-opening victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. He stood by his ex-teammates and watched the Western Conference championship banner they earned together ascend toward the Bridgestone Arena rafters.
At that moment, Fisher relived what he called "the best year I've ever had." The itch to play briefly resurfaced.
But when Fisher shared that he watched the Predators' shutout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, he referred to it as "their" game.
His life is elsewhere now.
"I definitely missed that, the guys and stuff, for sure," Fisher said of participating in the pregame ceremony. "I was definitely expecting that."
Fisher, 37, contemplated retirement two summers ago before deciding to return for what was his final NHL season. He didn't want to drag out his decision during the offseason, but he patiently weighed his future before settling on retirement.
“In my head, I knew there was probably a pretty good chance that it was my last year the whole time, but I needed time," Fisher said. "I wanted to step away because of the emotion of the playoffs and the excitement. It’s like the time of your life.
"But I needed to separate myself from that for a little bit and just take some time to think about it and pray about it, see where I was at just (weeks removed) from that.”
Fisher eventually could return to hockey in some capacity, though he doesn't know when or exactly what he would do.
“I want to take some time away to figure out what it’s like not to play, just figure out what daily life’s going to be like," Fisher said.
That means fully dedicating himself to his faith and family, which in June he listed before hockey as his top priorities.
"Sometimes I think about missing the game, and (then) I look at (Isaiah)," Fisher said. "That's really a big part of the reason, for sure, is being around and being in his life constantly. ... I've enjoyed it, and hopefully he has, too."
Reach Adam Vingan at avingan@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamVingan.
NEXT GAME
PREDATORS vs. STARS
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM