Mike Fisher ends retirement, returns to Nashville Predators

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Country music star Carrie Underwood welcomed her husband Mike Fisher back to the NHL Wednesday after he ended his brief retirement.

"This is happening! Fish is back," Underwood tweeted. "So proud of you, baby! We want the cup!!!"

Underwood was replying to an article from the Predators, announcing Fisher's return to the frozen floor. Fisher, 37, took the ice Wednesday morning at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

He helped the franchise into the Stanley Cup finals last season, before the Predators fell short in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Fisher intends to sign a contract before the Feb. 26 trade deadline, according to the Predators. The team captain began his NHL career in 1999 with the Ottawa Senators. He joined Nashville during the 2010 season. Fisher retired in August.

"I'm still a little out of breath from the skate, but it's great to be back," Fisher said at a news conference. "I think about the retirement and then it always kinda bugged me, guys that came out of retirement, but for whatever reason, I don't know, I never really thought it was a possibility. After I retired, I was done and that's what I felt like was the right decision then."

"I really didn't decide until recently, but I just thought about the opportunity, how good this team is. I thought about the run last year and what could be. I had the blessing from my family and my wife and the closer I got toward it, the closer I thought it would be such a great opportunity. It would be a lot of fun. It's going to be some work, but I'm ready for it."

Fisher's un-retirement won't be long-lasting. He said Wednesday that he's only coming back to play this season.

The Predators sit in second place in the Western Conference's Central Division.

Fisher and Underwood were wed in 2010. They have one child, two-year-old son Isaiah Michael Fisher.