Nashville Predators

About the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators were awarded an NHL expansion franchise in 1997 and officially became the league's 27th franchise in 1998. The team began play during the 1998-99 season.

Nashville was the NHL's first new team since the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Florida Panthers entered the league in 1993. The Predators struggled to reach the postseason during their early years but gradually developed into a consistent playoff contender.

The franchise's first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance came during the 2003-04 season, and Nashville later reached its first Stanley Cup Final in 2017.

Division History

The Predators joined the NHL as members of the Central Division in the Western Conference.

Unlike many NHL franchises, Nashville has remained in the Central Division throughout its history, although the makeup of the division has changed as the league has expanded and realigned.

The shortened 2020-21 season featured a temporary league-wide realignment because of travel restrictions, but Nashville again competed in a division called the Central.

Championship History

Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2004, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round.

The franchise recorded its first playoff series victory in 2011, when the Predators defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games before losing to the Vancouver Canucks in the second round.

Nashville's breakthrough postseason came in 2017.

The Predators entered the playoffs as the final wild-card team in the Western Conference and opened their run by sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks. Nashville then defeated the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

The Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Final and won Games 3 and 4 at home to tie the series. Pittsburgh eventually won the championship in six games.

Nashville followed that run with the best regular season in franchise history in 2017-18. The Predators finished 53-18-11 with 117 points, winning their first Central Division championship and the first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history.

The Predators won the Central Division again in 2018-19, giving the franchise consecutive division championships.

The 2017 Stanley Cup Final remains Nashville's deepest postseason run, while the 2017-18 Presidents' Trophy remains the franchise's top regular-season team achievement.

Home of the Predators

The Predators have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville since their inaugural season.

The arena opened in 1996 as Nashville Arena, two years before the Predators began NHL play. It has carried several names over the years, including Gaylord Entertainment Center and Sommet Center, before becoming Bridgestone Arena in 2010.

The venue sits in the heart of downtown Nashville near Broadway and has become closely associated with the city's hockey culture and the “Smashville” identity surrounding the Predators.

Bridgestone Arena has a hockey capacity of 17,159 and has hosted major NHL events in addition to Predators games.

Notable Predators

Pekka Rinne became one of the defining players in Predators history after Nashville selected the Finnish goaltender in the eighth round of the 2004 NHL Draft.

Rinne spent his entire NHL career with the Predators and established franchise goaltending records in categories including games played, wins and shutouts. He finished with 369 regular-season victories and 60 shutouts in 683 games.

Rinne won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender in 2018 after helping Nashville capture the Presidents' Trophy. He was also instrumental in the Predators' run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

After retiring in 2021, Rinne became the first player in franchise history to have his number retired when Nashville raised his No. 35 to the Bridgestone Arena rafters in 2022.

Roman Josi developed into the most productive skater in Predators history after Nashville selected him in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft.

The Swiss defenseman became team captain in 2017 and later surpassed the franchise records for games played, assists and points. He also became the first Predators player to win the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman, receiving the award following the 2019-20 season.

Josi produced a franchise-record 96 points during the 2021-22 season, one of the highest-scoring seasons by a defenseman in modern NHL history.

Filip Forsberg became the leading goal scorer in franchise history after joining Nashville in a 2013 trade with the Washington Capitals.

Forsberg developed into one of the Predators' most consistent offensive players and played a major role in the team's run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

During the 2023-24 season, he scored a franchise-record 48 goals. Forsberg also holds Nashville records in several other offensive categories, including career playoff goals and career hat tricks.

David Legwand holds a special place in franchise history as the first player ever selected by the Predators in the NHL Draft.

Nashville selected Legwand with the second overall pick in 1998, and he spent parts of 15 seasons with the organization. By the time he left the Predators in 2014, he held franchise records for games played, goals, assists and points, marks that were later surpassed by players including Josi and Forsberg.

Shea Weber became one of the NHL's premier defensemen during his 11 seasons in Nashville.

Selected by the Predators in the second round of the 2003 NHL Draft, Weber recorded 443 points for Nashville and served as team captain for six seasons. Known for his powerful shot and physical play, he became one of the most recognizable players of the franchise's first two decades.

Weber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024, becoming the first player drafted by the Predators to enter the Hall as a player.

Other prominent players in Predators history include Tomas Vokoun, Kimmo Timonen, Martin Erat, Ryan Suter, Mike Fisher, Mattias Ekholm, Viktor Arvidsson and Juuse Saros.