Nashville Predators Wiki (2024)

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Why are Nashville Predators? ›

The Origin of the Predators Logo

Construction workers drilled through 20 feet of solid rock before coming to a soft muddy area. Further digging revealed a cave containing the nine-inch fang and a foreleg bone of a saber-toothed tiger, extinct for at least 10,000 years.

The Predators began play in 1998 as one of the four expansion teams (along with the Atlanta Thrashers, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Minnesota Wild) that joined the NHL between 1998 and 2000.

The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and have played their home games at Bridgestone Arena since 1998.

The timeline hasn't changed for Bill Haslam to take over as Nashville Predators majority owner. Haslam, 64, joined the Predators' ownership group in 2022, and the former Tennessee governor is scheduled to buy Herb Fritch's majority stake by July 1, 2025.

The Predators have had several high-profile celebrities and athletes show support for the team in the past, including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, George Kittle, Nick Saban, and husband/wife duo Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.

Decades later, the archeological find also inspired the name of the city's NHL team — the Nashville Predators. For nearly 35 years, the bones of the saber-toothed cat have been displayed inside the 28-story skyscraper built on the site.

The Nashville Predators have no series wins in the Stanley Cup Finals all-time.

The Montreal Canadiens have had the most Stanley Cup success, notching 24 titles throughout franchise history. We recently covered which NHL teams have never won the Stanley Cup. Check out the other NHL teams with the most championships below.

(WTVF) — The Nashville Predators hockey team is named for saber-toothed cats, which lived for millions of years, including in Tennessee. "I've always been fascinated by these animals," Larisa DeSantis said, while holding the skull of the extinct animal.

However, the state has seen an increase in the number of players with Tennessee falling in the middle third in the nation with just under 5,000 residents registered with USA Hockey in 2022.

Why is Nashville called Smashville? ›

Some radio host or news columnist nicknamed it Music City at some point, now commonly called Music City, U.S.A. Nashville got the Smashville moniker because the home town hockey team, Nashville Predators. Hard hits and harder slap slaps from the blue line and they Smashville was born.

Most people are familiar with the Nashville Predators' Mascot, the Saber-tooth Tiger called Gnash. It represents the Prehistoric era and what the King Carnivore may have looked like with its long canine teeth.

The average Nashville Predators salary ranges from approximately $25,086 per year for Account Executive to $72,000 per year for Director.

The value of the Nashville Predators franchise of the National Hockey League increased by 20 percent in 2023 over the previous year. In 2023, the franchise had an estimated value of 975 million U.S. dollars.

Nashville Predators' revenue 2005-2023

The annual National Hockey League revenue of the Nashville Predators increased by over six percent in 2022/23 compared to the previous season. In the 2022/23 season, the Nashville Predators generated 180 million U.S. dollars in revenue.

By embracing gold, Predators ownership is piggybacking on a tradition started by University of Tennessee sports fans, who wear another bold, atypical hue — orange — every Saturday in support of their Volunteers.

This season, the Predators have seen a steady improvement in almost every aspect of the game. Their offensive output jumped from 2.72 goals per game last season to 3.20. They are getting more shots on net, preventing more shots in their own end, and have improved their power play.

Smilodon floridius is the species of saber-toothed tiger that inhabited North America until the Early Holocene era — and is the specific type of cat the Predators use as their logo. The history of how they used the animal is rooted in recent Nashville history.