Juices should be flowing when Hartman faces former team on Saturday

Family reunions normally aren't scheduled two weeks apart, but that's exactly what is happening in Ryan Hartman's case.

Hartman's first reunion came when Vinnie Hinostroza - his childhood buddy and former Blackhawks teammate - waited outside the Nashville Predators' dressing room with Jordan Oesterle after the Coyotes' morning skate in Arizona on Nov. 15.

There was some small talk and, of course, a couple of hugs.

An entirely different gathering will take place Saturday in Nashville when Hartman faces the franchise that drafted him with the 30th overall pick in 2013 - the Chicago Blackhawks. Hartman is an intense, feisty competitor, but the forward's compete level may be off the charts as he skates against Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and the rest of the Hawks for the first time in an enemy uniform.

"Any time you're in those situations, you kind of have a little extra gear," Hartman said after Friday's practice. "You play every game the same way, but maybe there's a little extra added adrenaline."

Hartman was dealt to Nashville at the trade deadline last season in exchange for forward Victor Ejdsell and a first-round pick, which the Hawks used to select D-man Nicolas Beaudin. The West Dundee native scored 3 goals in 21 regular-season contests, then appeared in nine of the Preds' 13 playoff games.

Hartman signed a one-year, $875,000 deal in the off-season, eschewing longer-term offers from other teams.

"I'm betting on myself," Hartman said in early November. "I know what kind of player I am. I know what I can bring to teams and what I can produce. We have a great team, which definitely helps. …

"But for now, doing that one-year deal is showing my confidence in my abilities."

Hartman, who will be a restricted free agent after the season, has scored seven times in 26 games. That's good for third on the team behind only Filip Forsberg (14) and Viktor Arvidsson (8 in 13 games).

It was just two seasons ago that Hartman racked up 19 goals for the Hawks, who claimed the No. 1 playoff seed in the Western Conference. But then Hartman and Co. ran into a buzzsaw in Nashville and saw their Stanley Cup dreams end in stunning fashion.

Asked if the Predators' sweep had an effect on what has happened to the Hawks since, Hartman said: "I don't know. … They've let go of some key guys. They've made some changes throughout the organization. It's a completely different team than what was in those playoffs.

"The core remains the same, but overall it's a completely different team."

Meanwhile, Nashville rolls on. And Hartman is thrilled to be a part of it.

"They compete, they work hard," he said. "There's 100 percent effort every night. We got a good team here. I'm glad to be on this side."

• Nashville Tennessean reporter Paul Skrbina contributed.