Preds Year In Review: Best of 2024

The 26th season in Nashville Predators franchise history is well underway, and while the Preds are hoping for more wins in the new year, another period of time is set to conclude.

When the clock strikes midnight in the early morning hours on Wednesday, the 2024 calendar year will cease to exist, and what a 366-day stretch it was.

From a franchise-record point streak to a July 1 nobody saw coming, plus a pair of Hall-of-Fame inductions, the year that was proved once again hockey is never boring, and there was plenty to celebrate in Smashville from start to finish.

As we turn our attention to what the new year might bring on and off the ice, here’s one more look back at what made 2024 one that won’t soon be forgotten.

And to start, who could forget the regular-season run of a lifetime last spring?

Preds Record 18-Game Point Streak:

Following a 9-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 15, the Preds went on an 18-game point streak - a 16-0-2 stretch - without losing in regulation again until Mar. 28. The final contest of the streak - a 5-4 overtime win over Vegas in Nashville - saw the Preds come back from a 3-0 deficit in one of the most memorable wins of the season.

“Being down 3-0, I think it's easy as a team to go, ‘It's probably not our game, it was bound to happen,’ but we just stuck with it,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said following the game. “And it shows a lot of character that we're like, ‘Hey, we can come back in this game, we're not done, we’ve got to stick to our game.’ Even after we’re down 4-1 going into the third, we knew if we played the way we have been we’d have a chance to come back. And obviously, the ending was pretty good.”

Forsberg Breaks Franchise Record:

With the 2023-24 regular season winding down, Filip Forsberg broke the Predators franchise record for goals scored in a single campaign with his 44th, 45th and 46th tallies for a hat trick in Chicago. Forsberg finished the season with 48 goals and 94 points, the second of which was just two points shy of Josi’s record of 96 points in a season.

“I'm going to try to make it as hard as possible to beat [the record] for myself or for anyone else,” Forsberg said at the time. “It's obviously awesome. The franchise has had a lot of great players and just to be mentioned as one of them is obviously something that's cool. And hopefully I'm not done yet.”

Josi Named Finalist for Norris Trophy:

Although he finished as a runner-up to Vancouver Captain Quinn Hughes, Josi was in the running for his second James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the League’s top defenseman.

Nashville’s captain finished the 2023-24 campaign leading all NHL defensemen in goals (23), power-play goals (9), shots on goal (268) and shot attempts (602), second in even-strength points (51), tied for second in game-winning goals (5), third in points (85) and points per game played (1.04), tied for fourth in power-play points (33) and fifth in assists (62).

“It really is the ultimate team sport,” Josi said. “You need so many guys around you, and it’s not just your teammates, it’s the whole staff, it’s everyone. It really is a team award. We had such an amazing year, and I have an amazing team, and amazing teammates. So, it’s always about the team.”

Brunette Nominated for Jack Adams Award:

In his first season behind the Nashville bench, Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette was in the running for the NHL’s top coach. Although he didn’t come away with the Jack Adams Award - the second time he’s been nominated for the honor - Brunette’s inaugural campaign with the Preds was noteworthy, especially after guiding his club through that 18-game point streak.

“I love this group, and I was very fortunate, very grateful to coach them,” Brunette said following the 2023-24 season. “And that is the reason why I do this. You don't always win, but it's the people you get to do it with. And I'm very grateful that the group that I had this year was a joy for me to come to the rink with every day. It was a joy for me to watch them play. More importantly, it was a joy to see how close they got. And that's kind of my why.”

Preds Foundation Distributes Record Funds:

As the month of May arrived, the Nashville Predators Foundation helped Middle Tennessee organizations and communities more than ever before.

On May 21, the Preds Foundation distributed its largest-ever one-time donation, with Helper Grant distributions totaling $825,995 during a Grant Check Presentation Ceremony at Ford Ice Center Bellevue. Through the 2024 allocation, 183 Nashville and Middle Tennessee nonprofits received a grant.

Additionally, the Foundation distributed over $1 million in donations to nearly 200 nonprofits in Middle Tennessee during the month of May, setting a record for the highest single-month donation in the Foundation’s history.

“The 2023-24 season, our 25th as a franchise, was a special year for us with a lot of success both on and off the ice,” Nashville Predators President and Chair of the Nashville Predators Foundation Michelle Kennedy said. “The Nashville Predators Foundation is thrilled to be able to donate over a million dollars throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee this month to deserving nonprofits that are dedicated to creating positive change in our community. We’d like to thank our Smashville Loyal fans and sponsors whose unwavering dedication and support for our organization enabled us to raise more money this year than ever before. Without them, we would not be able to make this record-breaking contribution, which fuels our passion for making a positive difference in our community.”

Predators Open Free Agency With a Bang:

As free agency officially opened on July 1, Predators General Manager Barry Trotz was anything but timid.

Trotz inked deals with Stanley Cup champions Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, veteran blueliner Brady Skjei and Predators starting goaltender Juuse Saros - among others - to show Nashville was in it to win now and in the future.

And yes, while the start to the 2024-25 season hasn’t been ideal, the Preds - and their pieces - are undoubtedly improving. As Trotz said at the time of the signings, this was just “fantasy hockey” until the Predators proved themselves on the ice.

But regardless, the signings also marked a significant day in team history, once again showing the Predators franchise is committed to doing whatever it takes to build a winner in Nashville.

“Someday we're going to have that parade on Broadway,” Trotz said over the summer. “Once you’ve done it, it's addicting. You start looking at the number of guys we have on our team who have done it, and they pull you along. And hopefully they're able to pull us along and pull all our young guys along until, hopefully, we can have that moment.”

Ford Ice Centers Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries:

As the summer wound down, there was one more celebration to host.

Ford Ice Center Antioch - the first of now three facilities - celebrated its 10th anniversary, while Ford Ice Center Bellevue reached the five-year mark, and Ford Ice Center Clarksville - part of the F&M Bank Arena - hit one year of programing.

Since their openings in 2014 and 2019, Ford Ice Center Antioch and Bellevue have welcomed 1.5 million visitors annually, while Ford Ice Center Clarksville saw 300,000 guests come through the doors in the facility’s first year.

“The reason that the rinks were ultimately created was to give the opportunity for people to try hockey and other ice sports.” Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations & Relations Danny Butler said. “The goal was to grow the love for getting on the ice, and then for the sport, and then to ultimately love the team, but really giving them the opportunity to try it.”

Poile, Weber Inducted Into Hockey Hall of Fame:

One of the most monumental days in franchise history came in November as two legendary members of the Predators franchise took their rightful places among hockey’s legends.

Former Predators Captain Shea Weber, as well as former Preds General Manager David Poile, were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, the greatest individual honor one can receive in the game of hockey.

“From there, I was off to Nashville who helped me launch a 16-year NHL career,” Weber said during his speech. “I’d like to thank David Poile, Barry Trotz and the Predators for giving me a chance to live out my childhood dream in a city I now consider a second home. Trotzy and David, I’m forever grateful for the lessons in life, hockey and leadership you guys shared with me.”

“What has always made our game special and unique is the people on and off the ice,” Poile said. “The game has never been better, and more people and countries are playing. More fans are watching. The game is bigger than all of us individually. My years in the game have brought me lifelong friends as we shared our mutual love of the game. As we go forward, I am reminded of my father's Hall of Fame acceptance speech, where he cautioned it was up to the people in the game to protect it, continue to keep the game's best interest as a priority, build on the foundation laid by those that came before us and always leave the game better than when we started.”

Poile, Weber, Rinne Set to Make Up Inaugural Class of Preds Golden Hall:

Finally, as the focus shifts to 2025, there is already one marquee event to look forward to.

Weber and former Preds goaltender Pekka Rinne will join Poile in the Preds Golden Hall’s Inaugural Class. The Preds Golden Hall, which will induct new members on a yearly basis, showcases and honors the individuals who have positively represented the Predators since the franchise’s inception in 1997.

“When you look at the people who have defined and shaped our organization over the years, it’s hard not to start with David, Shea and Pekka,” Predators CEO Sean Henry said. “It’s so special that we are able to join our fans in celebrating them in this way. As a franchise, we firmly believe in recognizing and honoring those who have dedicated their careers to making SMASHVILLE a better place both on and off the ice, and I’m so excited for us to be able to induct more members into the Preds Golden Hall moving forward.”

Poile, who was initially tabbed to the Preds Golden Hall on Aug. 26, 2024, spent 41 consecutive seasons as an NHL general manager with Nashville and Washington – more than anyone else in the game’s history – and guided the Predators to 15 playoff trips, including an appearance in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. He was named the NHL’s General Manager of the Year in 2017; is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame; and won 1,533 career games, the most of any GM in League history. Poile will also serve as the Preds Golden Hall’s chairman and the leader of its selection committee.

Weber was selected by the Preds in the second round (49th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft and went on to spend the first 11 seasons of his career with the Predators, recording 443 points (166g-277a) in 763 games. The recipient of the 2016 Mark Messier Leadership Award, Weber served as captain of the Predators for six campaigns and is third in franchise history in games played, fourth in goals and fifth in points.

Rinne retired in July 2021 after spending his entire 683-game NHL career with the Predators. He is etched in Nashville's record books as the franchise leader in nearly every goaltending category, including games played, wins (369), goals-against average (2.43), total TOI (39,413:29), shutouts (60) and saves (17,627). The 2018 Vezina Trophy winner, he finished his career with a record of 369-213-75. Rinne’s No. 35 was retired by the Predators on Feb. 24, 2022; he is the only player in franchise history to have his jersey retired.

Off the ice, Weber and Rinne collaborated as teammates to launch the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily during the 2012-13 season. The fund works with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. Since its establishment, millions of dollars have been raised in funding for pediatric cancer research. Rinne won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2021 as a result of a career spent dedicated to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities.