Nashville Predators facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nashville Predators
Conference	Western
Division	Central
Founded	1998
History	Nashville Predators 1998–present
Home arena	Bridgestone Arena
City	Nashville, Tennessee
Colors	Predators gold, navy blue, white
Media	FanDuel Sports Network South The Game (102.5 FM)
Owner(s)	Predators Holdings LLC
General manager	Barry Trotz
Head coach	Andrew Brunette
Captain	Roman Josi
Minor league affiliates	Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	0
Conference championships	1 (2016–17)
Presidents' Trophies	1 (2017–18)
Division championships	2 (2017–18, 2018–19)

The Nashville Predators, often called the Preds, are a professional ice hockey team located in Nashville, Tennessee. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The team has played its home games at Bridgestone Arena since 1998.

The club started in 1997 when the NHL gave an expansion team to Craig Leipold. The Predators began playing in the 1998–99 season. After five seasons, they made it to their first Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2003–04 season. In 2017, the Predators reached their first Stanley Cup Final, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next season, in 2017–18, they won their first Presidents' Trophy and Central Division title. The Predators are the only professional sports team in Tennessee that has not moved from another city.

History of the Nashville Predators

Bringing the NHL to Nashville

In the mid-1990s, there were talks about an NHL team coming to Nashville. The city had a new arena ready in 1996. After trying to get a basketball team, Nashville focused on bringing hockey to the city.

In August 1997, Barry Trotz became the first head coach of the Nashville Predators.

In January 1997, a group led by businessman Craig Leipold asked the NHL for a new team. When NHL officials visited Nashville, thousands of fans gathered to show their support. In June, the league agreed to give new teams to Nashville, Columbus, Atlanta, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul.

The Nashville team was set to start playing in 1998 if they sold 12,000 season tickets. Nashville was the only city with a completed arena, so they started playing first. On July 9, 1997, Leipold named David Poile as the team's first general manager. A month later, Barry Trotz became the first head coach.

On September 25, 1997, the team showed off its new logo: a saber-toothed cat (Smilodon fatalis). This logo was chosen because a partial saber-toothed cat skeleton was found under downtown Nashville in 1971. Fans then voted on a team name, and "Predators" was chosen.

Early Years (1998–2005)

The Predators played their first game on October 10, 1998, losing 1–0 to the Florida Panthers. Three nights later, they won their first game, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 3–2. Andrew Brunette scored the team's first goal. In their first season, the Predators finished near the bottom of the Western Conference.

In 2000, the Predators played two games in Tokyo, Japan against the Pittsburgh Penguins. These games had the largest crowds ever to see hockey in Japan. The team continued to improve, and in December 2001, they earned their 100th victory. In 2003, Nashville hosted the NHL draft, where future captain Shea Weber was picked by the team.

The Predators made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in the 2003–04 season. They finished eighth in the Western Conference but were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in six games. The next season, 2004–05, was canceled due to a player lockout.

After the Lockout (2005–2014)

In August 2005, the Predators signed Paul Kariya, a big step for the team. In the 2005–06 season, they started strong, winning their first eight games. They also set a team record for wins in a season and earned over 100 points for the first time. Goaltender Chris Mason even scored a goal in one game! However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the San Jose Sharks.

Chris Mason became the ninth goaltender to score a goal in the NHL during the 2005–06 season.

The Predators continued to be a strong team, acquiring players like Jason Arnott and Peter Forsberg. In the 2006–07 season, they set a franchise record with 110 points but were again defeated by the Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. The next season saw new ownership for the team. Goaltender Dan Ellis had a long shutout streak, helping the team reach the playoffs again. They lost to the Presidents' Trophy-winning Red Wings.

New Ownership Group

After a quiet off-season, the Predators missed the playoffs in the 2008–09 season for the first time in five years. The 2009–10 season saw the debut of Colin Wilson and a breakout year for Patric Hornqvist, who scored 30 goals. The Predators made the playoffs and won their first road playoff game against the Chicago Blackhawks, but lost the series.

The 2009–10 season saw the debut of Colin Wilson with the Predators.

In 2010, Shea Weber became the team's fifth captain. In the 2011 playoffs, the Predators advanced to the second round for the first time, beating the Anaheim Ducks. Goaltender Pekka Rinne was nominated for the Vezina Trophy. They then lost to the Vancouver Canucks.

In 2011, the Predators changed their jersey colors to gold, navy, and white, removing orange and silver. They also updated their logo. In November 2011, Pekka Rinne signed a large seven-year contract, making him one of the highest-paid goalies in the NHL at the time. The Predators made it to the second round of the 2012 playoffs again, beating the Red Wings, but then lost to the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Predators signed Shea Weber to a 14-year contract in 2012.

The 2012–13 season was shorter due to a lockout, and the Predators missed the playoffs. After the season, the Predators signed Shea Weber to a huge 14-year contract. In the following season, David Legwand, the first player ever drafted by the Predators, was traded to the Detroit Red Wings. After missing the playoffs for a second straight year, the team hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach.

Peter Laviolette Era (2014–2020)

Regaining Consistency (2014–2016)

In Peter Laviolette's first season, 2014–15, the Predators finished second in their division. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago Blackhawks. In the 2015–16 season, they made the playoffs as a wild-card team. They won their first seven-game series against the Anaheim Ducks but were then eliminated by the San Jose Sharks.

Nashville hosted the 2016 National Hockey League All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena.

P. K. Subban during the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. The Predators traded Shea Weber for Subban in 2016.

In 2016, the Predators made a big trade, sending Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman P. K. Subban. This trade surprised many fans. Mike Fisher became the team's new captain.

First Stanley Cup Final and Presidents' Trophy (2016–2018)

In the 2016–17 season, the Predators finished fourth in their division. They made the playoffs as a wild-card team and faced the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks.

The Predators surprised everyone by sweeping the Blackhawks in four games. This was the first time an eighth-seeded team swept a top-seeded team in NHL history. In the second round, they defeated the St. Louis Blues in six games, reaching the conference finals for the first time. On May 22, 2017, the Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks to win the Western Conference, advancing to their first Stanley Cup Final. In the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, they faced the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nashville tied the series 2-2 after winning games 3 and 4 at home, but ultimately lost the series in six games.

On April 5, 2018, the Predators won their first division title and their first Presidents' Trophy (given to the team with the most points in the regular season). They beat the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

Early Playoff Exits (2018–2020)

The next season, the Predators won their second straight division title but lost to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2019 playoffs.

The Predators played in their first outdoor game at the 2020 Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars. Head coach Laviolette was fired on January 6, 2020, with the team in sixth place in their division.

John Hynes Era (2020–2023)

Continued Playoff Struggles (2020–2023)

On January 7, 2020, John Hynes became the third head coach in Predators history. In his first game, Pekka Rinne became the second Predators goalie to score a goal. The season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Predators made the 2020 playoffs but lost in the qualifying round. They returned to the playoffs in 2021 but were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Predators hosted their second outdoor game, the 2022 Stadium Series, at Nissan Stadium in February 2022, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. They made the 2022 playoffs but were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.

In February 2023, David Poile announced he would retire as general manager. Former head coach Barry Trotz took over as general manager on June 30, 2023.

Andrew Brunette Era (2023–Present)

On May 31, 2023, Barry Trotz announced that former player Andrew Brunette was hired as the fourth head coach. In the 2023–24 season, the Predators made the playoffs as a wild-card team but lost to the Vancouver Canucks in six games in the first round.

Team Information

Facilities

The Predators have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena since 1998.

The Nashville Predators have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena since their first season in 1998. This arena opened in 1996 and is located in downtown Nashville.

Fan Traditions

Predators fans have unique traditions. Sometimes, a fan will throw a catfish onto the ice, similar to the octopus-throwing tradition of the Detroit Red Wings. This started in 2003. During a playoff game in 2017, country music star Keith Urban and Tennessee Titans football players were seen with a large catfish, adding to the excitement.

Section 303 at Bridgestone Arena is known as The Cellblock. Fans there are famous for being very loud and supportive. They call themselves "the loudest section of the loudest arena in the NHL." The team even recognized them with a special banner.

Another tradition is the "standing O" (standing ovation) during the final TV timeout of close games. This started in 2008 when fans stood and cheered for the team as they were about to win a game and make the playoffs.

The Predators' mascot is Gnash, a blue saber-toothed cat. Gnash performs exciting stunts like rappelling and zip-lining. Fans also use their Fang Fingers during power plays, curling their fingers to look like fangs and moving them up and down to horror sounds from the movie Psycho.

Fans also have chants to cheer on their team and sometimes tease the opposing goalie. After each Predators goal, fans often chant the opposing goalie's name and shout "It's all your fault!" These traditions have helped give Nashville the nickname "Smashville."

Jersey and Logo

Nashville's third jersey logo (2001–2007); a more detailed, three-quarters front view of the team's saber-toothed cat logo and used as their 2023 reverse retro jersey logo (2023–present)

The Predators' first uniforms (1998–2007) were navy and white with silver and gold accents. The main logo was a saber-toothed cat. From 2001 to 2007, they also wore "Mustard Cats" third jerseys, which were mustard gold with a front-facing saber-toothed cat logo.

In 2011, the team changed its main colors to bright gold, navy blue, and white. The home jerseys became gold, and the away jerseys were white. The new logo was simplified to these colors. The jerseys also have special details like a guitar pick on the shoulder with the Tennessee state tri-star inside it, lines like guitar strings on the numbers, and piano keys inside the neckline, all honoring Nashville's music history. Since 2016, gold helmets have been a regular part of their home uniform.

The Predators have also worn special uniforms for events like the 2020 NHL Winter Classic, inspired by old hockey teams from Nashville. They have also released "Reverse Retro" jerseys, which are new versions of old designs with updated colors.

Mascot

The team's mascot is Gnash, a saber-toothed tiger.

Ownership

The team was first owned by a group led by Craig Leipold. Over the years, there were talks about selling the team and even moving it to other cities like Kansas City. However, a group of local business owners called Our Team Nashville worked hard to keep the team in Nashville. They encouraged fans to buy season tickets and eventually reached an agreement to buy the team. The NHL approved the sale in November 2007.

In 2022, it was announced that former Governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam would buy shares in the club and become the main owner over several years.

Broadcasters

Local TV broadcasts of Predators games are shown on FanDuel Sports Network South. Radio coverage is on the Nashville Predators Radio Network, with WPRT-FM as the main station.

Season-by-Season Record

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Predators. For the full history, see List of Nashville Predators seasons.

GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Personnel

Team Captains

Retired Numbers

• The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its teams in 2000.

Hall of Famers

Players

• Peter Forsberg
• Paul Kariya
• Shea Weber

Builders

• David Poile

Awards and Trophies

League Awards

All-Star Honors

Franchise Records

Top Scorers in Team History

David Legwand is third all-time in franchise points. He was also the final member of the inaugural team to retire or move.

These are the top-ten point-scorers in the team's history. Numbers are updated after each NHL regular season.

 *  – current Predators player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Individual Records

See also

In Spanish: Nashville Predators para niños