"Brent Peterson doesn't want sympathy or a pity party.

Yes, it sometimes takes him an hour to shave in the morning. And it took him 30 minutes to put on his belt after going through airport security this summer.

"I don't tell these stories to make them feel sorry," said Peterson, 53, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago. "People don't realize what (people with Parkinson's) go through."

The Peterson Foundation for Parkinson's annual silent auction and fundraiser is tonight, and the charity's golf tournament will be played Friday.

This year, however, the sold-out event has a different feel to it. The upcoming NHL season will be the first since 1998 that Peterson won't be in his customary spot behind the Predators' bench.

Instead, he will be in a loosely defined role as Hockey Operations Advisor — General Manager David Poile refers to him as "the hockey guy," Peterson said. It's a situation Peterson has tried to prepare for since 2003, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, but is still getting used to."