Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville , Tennessee . They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) Franchise history . The team was named after the fossil skull of a saber - toothed cat — a species extinct for at least 10 , 000 years — that was found in August 1971 , in a cave during the excavation for the AmSouth Center in downtown Nashville . The fossil is only the fifth of its kind found in North America . When awarded a franchise , the Predators got a very lucrative deal . The city of Nashville paid 31 . 50 % of the $ 80 - million fee to join the league . The city also absorbs operating losses from the arena , despite the fact that the Sommet Center is operated by a subsidiary of the team . The Predators first took the ice on October 10 , 1998 , where they lost 1 - 0 at home to the Florida Panthers . Three nights later , on October 13 , they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3 - 2 for their first win . Forward Andrew Brunette scored the first goal on a play that was reviewed by the video goal judge . 1998 - 99 season . The 1998 - 99 NHL season was the last year that two points were awarded for a win , and one point for a tie , regardless of how the game ended in regulation . The Predators , in their first year of existence , finished second - last in the Western Conference with a 28 - 47 - 7 record , ahead of the Vancouver Canucks . 1999 - 00 season . The Predators finished the 1999 - 00 NHL season with an almost identical record to the previous season ( 28 - 47 - 7 - 7 ) , and finished last in the West behind the Calgary Flames . During a game versus the New York Islanders on February 20 , 2000 the Predators scored four goals in 3 minutes and 38 seconds . 2000 - 01 season . The Predators opened the 2000 - 01 NHL season with two games in Japan against the Pittsburgh Penguins . Each team won a game in front of the largest crowds ever to see a hockey game in Japan . Backed by the goaltending duo of Mike Dunham and Tomas Vokoun , Nashville finished the season in tenth place in the West , 10 points out of a playoff spot with a 34 - 36 - 9 - 3 record , good for 80 total points . 2001 - 02 season . A highlight of the 2001 - 02 NHL season for the Predators was recording their 100th victory as a franchise on December 6 , 2001 . With that win , Nashville became the second - fastest expansion team of the 1990s to reach the 100 - win plateau . The team was especially unlucky in overtime , finishing with a 28 - 41 - 13 - 0 record - good for 69 points , and 15th spot in the West . 2002 - 03 season . The 2002 - 03 NHL season saw another record broken by the Predators , as coach Barry Trotz broke the record for most games coached by the original coach of an expansion team ( 392 games ) . Nashville finished the season with a 27 - 35 - 13 - 7 record for 74 points , putting them well out of contention in he Western Conference in 14 place . 2003 - 04 season . In the 2003 - 04 NHL season , the Predators , under coach Barry Trotz , finished eighth in the Western Conference and made their first trip to the playoffs . The rival Red Wings beat them in six games in the quarterfinal . 2004 - 05 season . This season did not occur due to a labour dispute between the owners and players . 2005 - 06 season . In 2005 - 06 , the Predators set an NHL record by winning their first four games by one goal each ( although two of those were shootout victories , which would have been tie games in previous seasons ) . They also became only the fourth NHL franchise to start the season 8 - 0 ; the last time a team did so was the Toronto Maple Leafs , who set the mark with a 10 - 0 start in 1993 . The Buffalo Sabres tied the Leafs ' record in 2006 . The Predators set the franchise mark for wins in a season with a 2 - 0 shutout of the Phoenix Coyotes on March 16 , 2006 . In that match , Chris Mason became the ninth goaltender to score a goal . By the end of the season , the Predators had accumulated 106 points — their first 100 - point season — and clinched home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in team history . They finished the season with an NHL - best 32 - 8 - 1 record at home . In the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs , the Predators faced the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals . The Sharks beat them in five games . 2006 - 07 season . The Predators acquired veteran center Jason Arnott from free agency on July 2 , 2006 . Arnott and David Legwand led the team in goals with 27 each . Late in the season the Predators traded two former first round draft picks Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent , plus their first - round pick and a third - round pick in the 2007 draft , to the Philadelphia Flyers for five - time NHL all - star Peter Forsberg . The Predators finished the season in fourth place in the Western Conference with 110 points , a franchise record . They were defeated by the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western conference quarter - finals for the second year in a row , losing the series 4 games to 1 , for the second straight season . Tentative sale agreement and possible relocation . On May 23 , 2007 , Craig Leipold was reported to have reached a tentative agreement to sell the team to the Chairman and Co - CEO of Research In Motion , Jim Balsillie . According to Leipold , the team will play the 2007 - 08 season in Nashville , but the future of the team after that is not clear . Balsillie had long been rumored to be interested in placing another team in Southern Ontario . The deal is expected to be finalized in late - June and must be finished by June 30 , 2007 . The proposed re - location site is Hamilton , Ontario , with Balsillie ' s new company , Golden Horseshoe Sports & Entertainment ( named after the portion of Southern Ontario centred around the west - end of Lake Ontario , which is known as the Golden Horseshoe ) , securing exclusive rights to bring an NHL team to Copps Coliseum , as well as the rights to operate Hamilton Place , the Hamilton Convention Centre , and the associated parking facilities for the next 20 years . Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger has stated that Balsillie ' s intention is to bring an NHL team to Copps in Hamilton , and it is reported that Basillie will invest $ 140 million into the arena to bring it to modern NHL standards . Relocating to Hamilton , however , may require compensation to be offered to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres , since they have territorial rights to the region . Despite rumors to the contrary , it has been reported that Kitchener - Waterloo is not being considered as a possible location for the team . On June 13 , it was announced that season ticket deposits for the " Hamilton Predators " will begin to go on sale through Ticketmaster the next day . A source said Balsillie ' s objective is to show the league ' s governors there is a large base of ticket buyers in Southern Ontario . Since the drive started , over 13 , 000 season ticket deposits have been sold , including all of the 70 available corporate box deposits , costing $ 5000 each . In Nashville , there are just under 9 , 000 season ticket holders . Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has stated the provincial government is willing to consider offering financial support if the team relocates to Hamilton . Hockey great Wayne Gretzky , himself a member of the NHL Board of Governors through his ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes , has openly supported the team ' s move to Hamilton , stating that an NHL team in Hamilton would be tremendously successful . On June 23 , false information was leaked by a number of sources indicating that Leipold was pulling the plug on the pending sale and no longer wanted to sell the Predators to Basillie . Leipold was quick to distance himself from the rumours , and advised that a deal with Basillie was still in the works . Mr . Basillie ' s lawyer , Richard Rodier , was quoted as saying Craig Leipold ' s letter to the NHL " changed little if anything " in regards to the pending sale , and was a mere formality as part of the sale process . Canadian insiders believe that the false information and delay tactics may be due to the league not wanting a team to move to Canada , something the NHL denies . The campaign to land the team in Kansas City , Missouri reportedly received a boost in late June 2007 . The " National Post " of Canada , citing anonymous sources , reported that Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold plans to sell the team to San Jose venture capitalist William “ Boots ” Del Biaggio , who wants to relocate the club to Kansas City ’ s new Sprint Center for the 2008 - 09 season . Del Biaggio , who has an a contract with Anschutz Entertainment Group to own an NHL club in Sprint Center , had made an offer reported to be for about $ 190 million for the Predators . In 2005 , he had an agreement to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins , but the club backed out of the deal after it won the NHL draft lottery and took Sidney Crosby with the first overall pick . Balsillie ’ s brazen move of taking season - ticket deposits in Hamilton while the Predators still have a lease to play in Nashville upset NHL owners and commissioner Gary Bettman and reportedly caused Leipold to have second thoughts about selling to Balsillie . Although a ticket drive in selling corporate suites is underway in Kansas City , it does not include season tickets like Balsille ' s move . Later that day , Leipold denied rumours that he was dealing exclusively with Del Biaggio , stating that he is open to all bids and that a deal with Basillie is still possible . The Globe and Mail reported on July 4 , 2007 , a group of 30 investors became the third party to make a bid to purchase the franchise and keep the team in Nashville Should the team relocate to Kansas City , it will be the second time the NHL has ventured to the market . The Kansas City Scouts debuted in the 1974 - 1975 season as an expansion franchise , but relocated after a short two season run . The Scouts suffered poor attendence in both years , only securing 2000 of 8000 season ticket sales for the 1975 - 1976 season . Hamilton is also a former NHL market , being the home of the Hamilton Tigers from 1920 through 1925 . On August 1 , 2007 the group who has intentions to keep the team in Nashville received a letter of intent from Craig Leipold . Team Information . Jerseys . For the 2007 - 08 season , the Predators updated their jerseys with new striping . The logo was left unchanged , and the colors were left unchanged . Nashville was added to the road ' away ' jerseys above the logo . Fan Traditions . Catfish throwing . Fans of the Nashville Predators have modified a tradition of the Detroit Red Wings to show their support : on occasion , a fan will throw a catfish onto the ice . The " Tennessean " newspaper in Nashville cites the first instance of this on October 30 , 2003 . At least four catfish were thrown onto the ice after the first Nashville goal on November 13 , 2003 . Mascot . Gnash is a blue saber - toothed cat . The character was introduced in 1998 quickly set new standards in the NHL for entertainment . His trademark is incredible stunts : very fast rappels , zip lines and a pendulum swing that takes him under the scoreboard and just inches off the ice . In the 1st and 2nd intermission he picks kids to skate on the ice with him . Season - by - season record . " This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Predators . For the full season - by - season history , see Nashville Predators seasons " " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , OTL = Overtime Losses , Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against , PIM = Penalties in minutes " Notable players . Honored Members . " Hall of Famers " : The Predators do not have a Hockey Hall of Fame member from their team . " Retired numbers " : The Predators have not retired any numbers . However , Wayne Gretzky ' s number 99 was retired league - wide February 6 , 2000 . Franchise scoring leaders . These are the top - ten point - scorers in franchise history ( as of 18 Nov . 2007 ) . Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season . " Note : Pos = Position ; GP = Games Played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; P / G = Points per game ; * = current Predators player " NHL awards and trophies . Lester Patrick Trophy