Brent Peterson Brent Peterson ( born February 15 , 1958 in Calgary , Alberta ) is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent 11 seasons in the National Hockey League with four clubs , primarily as a low - scoring checker with a reputation as a strong defensive forward . Currently he serves as associate coach for the Nashville Predators . Playing career . After a sterling junior career with the Portland Winter Hawks , Peterson was selected in the first round , 12th overall , of the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft by the Detroit Red Wings . He made Detroit ' s NHL squad in his first training camp , but unfortunately saw his season end after only 5 games due to a broken leg . Recovering from his injury , he spent most of the 1979 – 80 season in the minors , although he saw 18 games in a Detroit uniform and scored his first NHL goal . In 1980 – 81 , he established himself as an NHL regular , registering 6 goals and 24 points in 53 games . Early in the 1981 – 82 season , Peterson was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres in a monster six - player trade centered around Mike Foligno and Danny Gare . In Buffalo , he would hit his stride as an NHL player as a key component of one of the best checking lines in the league alongside Craig Ramsay and Ric Seiling . In 1982 – 83 , he set career highs of 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points , while establishing himself as a top - notch penalty killer . After four years with the Sabres , Peterson was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1985 NHL Waiver Draft . In 1985 – 86 , he registered 9 goals and 22 assists for 31 points with the Canucks , including a career - high 3 shorthanded goals . His acquisition would be a key factor in a 68 - goal reduction in the team ' s goals against from the previous year . In 1986 – 87 , Peterson recorded 7 goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 69 games for the Canucks . Peterson was claimed by the Hartford Whalers in the waiver draft on the eve of the 1987 – 88 season , and would suffer through the worst year of his career with just 2 goals and 9 points in 52 games . He would rebound to have an improved year in 1988 – 89 , registering 4 goals and 17 points in 66 games for the Whalers while anchoring the top penalty - kill unit alongside Dave Tippett . However , at the conclusion of the season he announced his retirement to accept a coaching position with the Whalers . Peterson finished his NHL career with totals of 72 goals and 141 assists for 213 points in 620 games , along with 484 penalty minutes . He added 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 31 playoff games . Coaching career . Following his retirement , Peterson spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Whalers under head coach Rick Ley . Following Ley ' s firing in 1991 , Peterson returned to the Portland Winter Hawks , his former junior team , to accept a head coaching position there . In Portland , he would establish himself as one of the top coaches in Canadian junior hockey , winning three division titles in 7 years . His tenure with the Winter Hawks culminated with a dominating 1997 – 98 season , in which the team posted a 53 – 14 – 5 record and ultimately won the WHL Championship and then the Memorial Cup as the top team in Canadian junior . Following his Memorial Cup championship in 1998 , Peterson moved back to the NHL to accept a job as the associate coach to Barry Trotz with the expansion Nashville Predators . He has remained in this position since , although his name frequently comes up as a possible candidate when an NHL head coaching position becomes available .