History of Nashville Predators in Timeline

The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee, competing in the NHL's Central Division of the Western Conference. Since 1998, they have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators are affiliated with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) minor league teams.

1971: Discovery of Smilodon skeleton

In 1971, a partial Smilodon (saber-toothed cat) skeleton was found beneath downtown Nashville during the construction of the First American National Bank building, now the UBS Tower.

1995: Relocation rumors

In late 1995, rumors circulated about the New Jersey Devils potentially relocating to Nashville after winning the Stanley Cup, with Nashville offering a $20 million relocation bonus. The Devils ultimately restructured their lease and remained in New Jersey.

January 1997: NHL expansion franchise request

In January 1997, a group led by Craig Leipold formally requested an expansion franchise from the NHL. League officials visited Nashville and were greeted by thousands, and in June, Nashville was granted a conditional franchise along with Columbus, Atlanta, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

July 9, 1997: David Poile named general manager

On July 9, 1997, Craig Leipold appointed David Poile, former Washington Capitals general manager, as the franchise's first general manager.

September 25, 1997: Logo unveiled

On September 25, 1997, Craig Leipold and team president Jack Diller unveiled the franchise's new logo, a saber-toothed cat, referencing a skeleton found in Nashville in 1971. Fans voted for the team name.

1997: Predators First Team in 20 Years to Achieve 10 Straight Wins at Home in Postseason Since the Detroit Red Wings

On May 16, 2017, the Predators became the first team in 20 years (since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997) to achieve 10 straight wins at home in the postseason.

March 31, 1998: Season ticket sales deadline

On March 31, 1998, Nashville had to sell 12,000 season tickets, in order to begin play in 1998. Nashville was the only one of four cities with a completed arena and began play first.

October 10, 1998: First game

On October 10, 1998, the Nashville Predators took to the ice for the first time, losing 1-0 at home to the Florida Panthers.

1998: Original Predators Uniforms Introduced

In 1998, the Nashville Predators introduced their original uniforms, featuring a silver yoke on the shoulder, navy and white as base colors, and gold as an accent. The white uniforms had the primary logo outside a navy triangle, while the navy uniforms used the same logo without the triangle.

1998: "Reverse Retro" Uniform

In the 2020–21 season, the Nashville Predators released a special "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, using the design they wore from 1998 to 2007, but with gold as the base color and navy as trim.

1998: Home games at Bridgestone Arena

Since 1998, the Nashville Predators have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena.

2001: "Mustard Cats" Third Jerseys Introduced

From 2001 to 2007, the Nashville Predators wore mustard gold third jerseys featuring the front-facing saber-toothed cat logo, nicknamed "Mustard Cats."

2001: Original alternate uniform design

In 2001, the Nashville Predators introduced an alternate uniform, which served as the base for the "Reverse Retro" uniform released in 2022.

October 30, 2003: First Documented Catfish Thrown on Ice

According to The Tennessean newspaper of Nashville, the first documented instance of a fan throwing a catfish onto the ice at a Nashville Predators game occurred on October 30, 2003.

2004: Secondary Logo Changes

From 1998 to 2004, the secondary logo featuring the Gaylord Entertainment Center (now Bridgestone Arena) tower adorned the shoulders of the Nashville Predators' original uniforms.

2005: Saber-Toothed Cat Logo Replaces Tower Alternate Logo

In 2005, the saber-toothed cat logo replaced the tower alternate logo on the shoulders of the Nashville Predators' primary uniforms.

2007: "Mustard Cats" Third Jerseys Retired

From 2001 to 2007, the Nashville Predators wore mustard gold third jerseys featuring the front-facing saber-toothed cat logo, nicknamed "Mustard Cats."

2007: Predators Uniforms Tweaked with Reebok's Edge Template

In 2007, the Nashville Predators made minor tweaks to their uniforms when switching to Reebok's Edge template, including removing the contrasting nameplate color from the white uniforms and adding the city name above the Predators logo.

2007: Continuation of the original alternate uniform design

In 2007, the Nashville Predators were still using the alternate uniform design originally introduced in 2001. This design was later used as the base for the "Reverse Retro" uniform released in 2022.

2007: "Reverse Retro" Uniform

In the 2020–21 season, the Nashville Predators released a special "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, using the design they wore from 1998 to 2007, but with gold as the base color and navy as trim.

2007: Original Predators Uniforms Retired

The original Nashville Predators uniforms, which were introduced in 1998, were worn until 2007.

July 10, 2008: NHL, IIHF, and KHL agree to respect global contracts

On July 10, 2008, the NHL, IIHF, and KHL agreed to respect global contracts which led to the suspension of Alexander Radulov from the Nashville Predators for playing in Russia while under contract with the Predators.

September 2, 2008: Alexander Radulov suspended

On September 2, 2008, Alexander Radulov was suspended without pay from the Nashville Predators after signing with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL despite having a valid contract with the Predators.

2009: Navy Third Jerseys Introduced

From 2009 to 2011, the Nashville Predators wore navy third jerseys with black replacing gold as a trim color.

March 1, 2010: Freeman steps down as chairman

On March 1, 2010, during the 2009–10 season, Freeman stepped down as chairman of the Nashville Predators in favor of Thomas Cigarran.

July 9, 2010: Shea Weber named captain

On July 9, 2010, the Nashville Predators announced that defenseman Shea Weber would become the club's fifth captain.

2011: Jersey Design and Color Scheme Changed

For the 2011–12 season, the Nashville Predators changed their jersey design and color scheme, with bright gold home jerseys and white away jerseys. The team also updated their logo and added design elements reflecting Nashville's music heritage.

2011: Navy Third Jerseys Retired

From 2009 to 2011, the Nashville Predators wore navy third jerseys with black replacing gold as a trim color.

February 27, 2012: Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad acquired

On February 27, 2012, the Nashville Predators acquired Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad from the Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres, respectively.

2012: Predators Reacquire Chris Mason and Sign Shea Weber

In 2012, the Nashville Predators reacquired goaltender Chris Mason. Additionally, after Ryan Suter signed with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent, the Predators signed Shea Weber to a front-loaded $110 million, 14-year offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers, which included a $68 million signing bonus.

May 6, 2014: Peter Laviolette Hired as Head Coach

On May 6, 2014, the Nashville Predators announced Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, following the non-renewal of Barry Trotz's contract after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

2014: Predators Trade for James Neal and Draft New Players

In 2014, the Nashville Predators traded Patric Hörnqvist and Nick Spaling for James Neal. The team also drafted Kevin Fiala and Viktor Arvidsson in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

2015: Sean Henry Named CEO

During the 2015-16 season, the Predators named Sean Henry CEO.

June 23, 2016: Freeman Files $250 Million Lawsuit Against Predators and Cigarran

On June 23, 2016, Freeman filed a $250 million lawsuit against the Nashville Predators and Cigarran, alleging improper dilution of his ownership stake and unpaid loan guaranty fees.

July 29, 2016: Freeman Dispute Sent to Arbitration

On July 29, 2016, the ownership dispute between Freeman, the Nashville Predators, and Cigarran was sent to court-ordered arbitration under NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's supervision.

September 7, 2016: Mike Fisher Named Captain

On September 7, 2016, the Nashville Predators announced that Mike Fisher would replace Shea Weber as the sixth captain of the club.

2016: Gold Helmets Became Permanent Part of Home Uniform

From the 2016–17 season gold helmets became a permanent part of the Nashville Predators' home uniform, after they first used them on Saturday home games the prior season.

2016: Predators Beat the Ducks and Eliminated by Sharks in Playoffs

In the 2016 playoffs, the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks in seven games, but were eliminated in seven games by the San Jose Sharks in the second round.

2016: Predators Earn Wild Card Spot

In the 2016–17 season, the Predators finished fourth in the Central Division with 94 points, earning them the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

May 16, 2017: Keith Urban Hoists Catfish at Playoff Game

On May 16, 2017, during game three of the conference finals at Bridgestone Arena, Keith Urban was seen on the Jumbotron hoisting a massive catfish that Tennessee Titans left tackle, Taylor Lewan had with him at the game.

August 3, 2017: Fisher Announces Retirement, Josi Replaces Him as Captain

On August 3, 2017, Mike Fisher announced his retirement, and Roman Josi replaced him as captain of the Nashville Predators.

2017: Predators Advance to Stanley Cup Final

In 2017, the Nashville Predators swept the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs, defeated the St. Louis Blues in the second round, and the Anaheim Ducks in the conference finals, advancing to their first Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2017: Uniform Style Changed to Fit Adidas Template

In the 2017–18 season, the Nashville Predators changed their uniform style to fit with the new Adidas template. The gold home uniforms received minimal alterations, while the away white uniforms featured more gold accents.

January 25, 2018: Arbitration Continues in Unresolved Dispute

As of January 25, 2018, the arbitration regarding the unresolved dispute between Freeman and the Nashville Predators continued, with the outcome remaining undisclosed due to the private nature of the arbitration.

April 5, 2018: Predators Clinch First Division Title and Presidents' Trophy

On April 5, 2018, the Nashville Predators clinched their first division title in team history while also claiming their first Presidents' Trophy.

2018: Predators Trade Kevin Fiala for Mikael Granlund

During the 2018–19 season, the Nashville Predators traded Kevin Fiala for Mikael Granlund.

2019: Predators Clinch Second Consecutive Division Title

In 2019, the Nashville Predators clinched their second consecutive division title but lost to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs. The team also had the worst power play percentage in the league that season.

2019: Predators Trade Subban and Pick up Duchene

In the 2019–20 offseason, the Nashville Predators traded P. K. Subban to the New Jersey Devils and picked up Matt Duchene in free agency.

January 6, 2020: Predators Fire Head Coach Laviolette

On January 6, 2020, the Nashville Predators fired head coach Peter Laviolette, with the team sitting at sixth place in the division with a record of 19–15–7.

January 7, 2020: John Hynes Hired as Head Coach

On January 7, 2020, John Hynes was hired as the third head coach in the Nashville Predators' franchise history.

2020: "Reverse Retro" Alternate Uniform Released

In the 2020–21 season, the Nashville Predators released a special "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, using the design they wore from 1998 to 2007, but with gold as the base color and navy as trim.

2020: Special Edition Uniform Unveiled for Winter Classic

The Nashville Predators unveiled a special edition uniform for the 2020 Winter Classic, featuring a design inspired by the uniforms of the defunct EHL team Nashville Dixie Flyers.

2021: Predators Eliminated in First Round, Rinne Retires

In 2021, the Nashville Predators returned to the playoffs but were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Following the playoffs, Pekka Rinne announced his retirement.

February 26, 2022: Predators Lose Outdoor Game at Stadium Series

On February 26, 2022, the Nashville Predators hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium in their second outdoor game, the 2022 Stadium Series, losing 3–2.

June 17, 2022: Bill Haslam Begins Purchasing Shares in the Club

On June 17, 2022, Bill Haslam, the former Governor of Tennessee, began purchasing shares in the Nashville Predators to become the majority owner.

2022: Release of second "Reverse Retro" uniform

During the 2022-23 season, the Nashville Predators released a second "Reverse Retro" uniform, which was based on the 2001-2007 alternate uniform, but used current athletic gold instead of mustard gold.

2022: Predators release navy uniform for 2022 Stadium Series

In 2022, the Nashville Predators released a navy uniform for the Stadium Series, featuring a thick gold stripe with "Smashville" and the guitar pick logo. The uniform also had enlarged numbers for better visibility.

2022: Predators Became Sellers

In February 2023, the team became sellers at the trade deadline shipping out Tanner Jeannot, Mikael Granlund, and Mattias Ekholm for multiple draft picks. Prior to that the team clinched the 2022 playoffs, but were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round.

February 2023: David Poile Announces Retirement as General Manager

In February 2023, David Poile announced that he would retire as general manager of the Nashville Predators at the end of the 2022-23 season, with Barry Trotz succeeding him.

May 31, 2023: Andrew Brunette Hired as Head Coach

On May 31, 2023, the Nashville Predators hired former player Andrew Brunette as the fourth head coach in franchise history.

June 30, 2023: Barry Trotz Succeeds David Poile as General Manager

Effective June 30, 2023, Barry Trotz succeeded David Poile as the general manager of the Nashville Predators.

2024: Predators Lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the Playoffs

In the 2023–24 season, the Nashville Predators finished as the first wildcard, but lost to the Vancouver Canucks in six games in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.