Nashville Predators

Lore & Background

The club was founded in 1997, when the NHL granted an expansion franchise to Craig Leipold, with the team beginning play in the 1998–99 season. After five seasons, the Predators qualified for their first Stanley Cup playoffs during the 2003–04 season. In 2008, ownership of the team was transferred from Leipold to a locally based ownership group. The Predators advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final in 2017, but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. In the following season, the Predators won their first Presidents' Trophy and Central Division title. As of 2026, the Predators, along with Nashville SC, are one of two professional sports teams in the state of Tennessee to have not relocated from another location as the Titans and the Grizzlies moved to Tennessee from Houston and Vancouver respectively.

In Their Own Story

The ice at the American Airlines Center was slick and cold, reflecting the harsh glare of the overhead lights. The crowd roared as the Dallas Stars lined up against the Nashville Predators for face-off in overtime. It wasn't just another game; it felt like a territorial dispute. A heavy check along the boards shook the glass, sending vibrations through the arena floor. Players exchanged heated words, sticks raised high, eyes locked with pure competitive fire. The referee's whistle blew, but the tension remained thick in the air, a palpable reminder that in this division, respect is earned only by surviving the fight.

Reader's Guide

The Predators began play during the 1998–99 season, taking to the ice for the first time on October 10, 1998, where they lost 1–0 at home to the Florida Panthers. Three nights later, on October 13, they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3–2 for their first win. The Predators finished second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 28–47–7 record. In the 1999–2000 season, the Predators finished with a similar record to the previous season, and finished last in the Western Conference. To begin the 2000–01 season, the Predators played two games at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo against the Pittsburgh Penguins. During the 2001–02 season, the Predators recorded their 100th victory on December 6, 2001. In the 2003–04 season, the Predators finished eighth in the Western Conference, qualifying for their first postseason berth. The Predators were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in six games in the first round of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs. Prior to the 2005–06 season, the Predators signed free agent Paul Kariya. During the season, the Predators became only the fourth NHL franchise to start the season 8–0. By the end of the season, the Predators had accumulated 106 points and clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in team history. They finished the season with an NHL-best 32–8–1 record at home. However, the Predators would be eliminated by the San Jose Sharks in five games in the first round of the 2006 playoffs. During the offseason, the Predators acquired veteran center Jason Arnott from free agency on July 2, 2006. Late in the 2006–07 season, the Predators traded Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent, plus their first and third-round pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft, to the Philadelphia Flyers for five-time NHL All-Star Peter Forsberg. The Predators finished the third best record in the league with 110 points. They were defeated by the Sharks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs for the second year in a row, losing the series 4–1. Following the 2006–07 season, owner Craig Leipold announced his intention to sell the team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie. On August 1, 2007, a local group headed by David Freeman reached an agreement with Mayor of Nashville Karl Dean, and the NHL Board of Governors approved the sale on November 29, 2007. In November 2011, it was announced that Calgary businessman W. Brett Wilson had

Did You Know?

• The Predators' logo, a saber-toothed cat, references a partial Smilodon skeleton found beneath downtown Nashville in 1971.
• The franchise name 'Predators' was submitted by owner Craig Leipold and won a fan vote over 'Ice Tigers,' 'Fury,' and 'Attack.'
• Nashville was the only one of four expansion cities in 1997 with a completed arena, so it began play first in 1998.