After a bus ride from Marathon, Ont., to Thunder Bay, a flight to Toronto and a car ride to Port Hope, the Predators’ new acquisition arrived yesterday.

Travis Savard had literally been whisked to the arena and laced up his skates for practice with his new squad. The 19-year-old native of Marathon spent parts of last season with the Flin Flon Bombers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and Blind River of the Northern Ontario Junior A Hockey League before being traded to Port Hope last weekend.

“I’m excited to be here and to have a new start,” the centreman said. “I was kind of surprised getting traded to this league; I thought I’d go to a team back where I’m from.”

Marathon previously had a junior team, but does not have a team in the Thunder Bay region league (Superior International Junior Hockey League), which has recently merged to Thunder Bay based teams to downsize the league even more.

“But, I was told to get on a bus to Thunder Bay, and then on a plane, and here I am,” Savard said.

After playing AAA in Marathon where he was rated one of the top 10 skaters, Savard had a tryout with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League; however, he has never played a game with the Wolves and retained his eligibility for a scholarship to an NCAA school south of the border.

Savard spent the summer skating with his AAA team and waiting for the call, telling him where his next team would be.

“I’ve been waiting for a trade for a while, and I never went to Blind River yet this year, so I’m excited and relieved.”

While he admitted he hadn’t heard too much about the Predators before he came here, he said he did recognize Tyler Miller’s name on the roster.

“I played against Miller before, back home in tournaments and stuff.”

Miller hails from Fort Frances, west of Thunder Bay.

After his first practice with the team, Savard said he was feeling tired.

“I feel like I’ve got bus legs,” he said.

With Danny Greiner still suspended for tonight’s game in Peterborough, Savard filled the hole on the Louis-Alex Nadeau and Dave Harris line. Savard said the combination worked well.

Savard will be in the lineup tonight as the Preds start the first half of a home-and-home against the Stars.

He hasn’t played since last season but said, “It’ll come back as soon as I get on the ice.”

Savard noted “it’ll take a little while to get used to everything. My billets, they’ll have their own do’s and don’ts, stuff like that.”

At the time the trade was made, Preds director of hockey operations Tim Clayden said the team would be able to fit Savard into their top nine forwards.

“I’m going to work as hard as I can and see where that takes me,” Savard said.

He said the most valuable asset he brings to the Predators organization is his playmaking and draw-taking.

“And I can put the puck in the back of the net,” he added emphatically.

The NHL player he said he is most like is Alex Kovalev.

“Everyone here seems really good so far. It’s a little different coming in as a vet. You don’t have to pick up pucks or do stuff that rookies do. It’s a bit of a different experience. I’m older, I played junior before and I know how it goes.”

Playing in a huge league with nearly 40 teams centred around the country’s largest city will provide Savard with a lot more exposure than he would’ve had in the Northern League or Manitoba.

“It gives you more of a chance to go somewhere, the more exposure you get,” he said.

That being said, Savard doesn’t plan on packing his bags too soon.

“I’d like to stick around a while. This is my third team in two years, so it would be nice to stay.”

His future goals include getting a scholarship or a professional contract.

Savard will be in the lineup Sunday at 7 p.m. as the Preds are back at home at the Jack Burger Sports Complex, closing out the Peterborough series.