This Month in Preds Franchise History: November

The month of November in 2020 has looked a bit different than any previous installment of the timespan in Predators franchise history, but this isn't the first time the 11th month of the year has included the reveal of a new jersey for the club.
Come for the fresh threads, stay for Pekka Rinne signing contracts and recording shutouts on his birthday, plus much more, in this look back at the month of November with the Preds.

November 13, 1997: Nashville's first owner, Craig Leipold, and the team's first president, Jack Diller, unveiled "Predators" as Nashville's name (as selected by fans) at the Wildhorse Saloon in front of inaugural season-ticket holders and fans.

November 21, 2001:The Predators unveiled an alternate jersey for the first time. Often nicknamed "The Mustards" for their golden hue, the sweater featured an animated saber-toothed tiger logo on the crest and a pair of tiger skulls on the shoulders, and was worn through the 2006-07 season.

November 3, 2011: On his 29th birthday, goaltender Pekka Rinne signed a seven-year, $49 million contract, then proceeded to shut out the Phoenix Coyotes that night, stopping 35 shots in a 3-0 victory. Jonathon Blum, Matt Halischuk and Patric Hornqvist all found the back of the net for the Preds that night. At the time, Rinne's contract was the largest in franchise history.

November 12, 2011: The franchise plays its 1,000th regular-season game as the Montreal Canadiens visited Bridgestone Arena. David Poile became the first general manager in NHL history to record 1,000 games with two separate franchises (Washington from 1982-97) while Barry Trotz became just the fourth coach to spend 1,000 games behind the bench of a single franchise. Nashville fell, 2-1, in overtime to the Habs that night, with Shea Weber scoring the lone goal for the Preds.

November 3, 2018: On his 36th birthday, Pekka Rinne signed a two-year, $10 million contract and then stopped all 26 shots he faced to post a 1-0 shutout over the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena.

"It was a pretty cool day," Rinne said following the game. "I came in this morning and signed a two-year extension, it's my birthday and we got a huge win. I'm very happy, and so proud that I can stay with this organization. They gave me a chance a long time ago, and I'm very fortunate to still be able to chase my dreams."
Roman Josi scored the lone goal on the evening when he tallied in the latter portion of the opening period on a slick drive to the net. The goal was Josi's 300th career point and his second marker in as many games.

From there, elite goaltending was on display at both ends of the ice with Rinne and Jaroslav Halak turning aside every other chance that came their way. But in the end, Josi's strike held up to give Rinne the win on his 36th birthday, just about as good as it gets.
"It was a big day for him," defenseman Ryan Ellis said of Rinne. "That was one of our better games this year. We didn't give too much up, and when we did, he made the big saves."
"He was great once again - same as last game," Josi said of Rinne. "Unbelievable. It's been a couple good days for him."

November 10, 2018: The Predators won their eighth consecutive road game, establishing the third-longest such streak in NHL history to start the season. Mattias Ekholm scored in overtime to help the Predators remain undefeated away from home with a 5-4 win against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.

The eight-game road winning streak was the third longest to begin a season in NHL history; the Buffalo Sabres won their first 10 games away from home in 2006-07, and the New Jersey Devils won their first nine in 2009-10. Ryan Hartman, Ryan Johansen, Yannick Weber and Roman Josi scored, and Juuse Saros made 20 saves for the Preds, who trailed 3-1 in the second period.
November 2, 2019: In conjunction with adidas and the NHL, the Predators revealed their jerseys for the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, a classic custom look that is unlike anything ever worn by the franchise.

From adidas: "The new jersey was created with a heritage aesthetic, featuring designs inspired by Nashville's rich hockey history and its passionate hockey fanbase. The script crest, felt block lettering and classic striping create a nostalgic look suitable for the NHL Winter Classic's celebration of the game's origins outdoors. The retro look will make its on-ice debut on Jan. 1, when the Predators take on the Dallas Stars at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas."
The Predators wore the jersey twice more following the Winter Classic during a pair of home games at Bridgestone Arena in early 2020.
November 16, 2020: adidas and the National Hockey League unveiled the adidas Reverse Retro ADIZERO Authentic jerseys for all 31 NHL teams to be worn next season - marking the first time in League history that all 31 teams have participated in a League-wide alternate jersey program. The Predators worked closely with adidas and the NHL to design their version of the Reverse Retro jersey, which represents unique and historical moments in Predators history, while refreshing the color and design combination for an all-new presentation.

The overarching design theme during adidas' two-year-long process was to mine each team's jersey archive and team colors, remixing them to create something new and never seen before. For the Nashville Predators, the Reverse Retro design revisits the team's first season in the NHL - 1998. The speed nicks in the numbers, striping pattern, silver touches and remastered crest all pay homage to the original Preds jersey, while the bold, GOLD body offers a new interpretation of the design.
The jerseys are currently available for preorder at
NashvilleLockerRoom.com
. Receive 30% off a jersey if you order by Nov. 30.