Nashville Predators History.

Nashville Predators, professional ice hockey team and one of five teams that play in the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The name Predators was chosen to complement the team logo, an image of a saber-toothed tiger. The remains of a saber-toothed tiger, an extinct catlike animal, were once unearthed in Nashville, Tennessee. The team colors are orange, gold, silver, and blue. The Predators’ rink is the Gaylord Entertainment Center.

On June 25, 1997, the Predators joined the NHL when the league announced that four cities had been awarded expansion franchises: Nashville; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Businessman Craig Leipold is the majority owner of the Predators and serves as the team’s chairman and chief executive officer. Davie Poile, former general manager of the Washington Capitals, is the team’s general manager.

Barry Trotz is the Predators’ head coach. Trotz coached the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL) to the Calder Cup during the 1994-95 season. That same year he was named AHL coach of the year. The Predators played their first season in 1998-99. Trotz led the team to a 28-47-7 win-loss-tie record.