The Nashville Predators are one of the National Hockey League's success stories in the southern United States. Tennessee is not anyone's idea of a hockey hotbed, but a thriving city and devoted fanbase have kept them in town for over 25 years. The franchise has had some great players and added some more marquee names in free agency this year. Where do Roman Josi, Shea Weber, and Pekka Rinne rank in the Predators' top 10 list?
Greatest Predators player ever: Pekka Rinne
Stability in goal is one of the hardest things to obtain in the NHL. The Predators went over a decade without having to worry about that thanks to Pekka Rinne. He was the key piece to their lone Stanley Cup run, putting up a ridiculous .930 save percentage in 22 starts in the 2017 playoffs.
Rinne won one Vezina Trophy and was a finalist three other times. He is a two-time All-Star and is the lone number retired by the Predators. He also has the only statue outside of Bridgestone Arena.
#2: Roman Josi
Now, a player who will join Rinne in the rafters and on the sidewalk once he retires. Roman Josi has spent his entire 13-year career with the Predators and is under contract through 2028. He is the current captain and has logged over 23:30 per game in ice time in every season since his rookie year.
Josi is a one-time Norris Trophy winner and three-time All-Star selection. He played 25:46 in the 22 games of the Predators' 2017 playoff run and scored six goals, helping the team make their deepest run ever.
#3: David Legwand
David Legwand was the first draft pick made in the history of the Nashville Predators. 26 years later, he is the franchise leader in games played, second in goals, second in assists, and third in points. While great players have come and become franchise legends, Legwand remains the first star player to play in Nashville.
He never won a major award, is not in the Hall-of-Fame, and does not have his number retired by the Predators. He is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. His impact on the franchise goes beyond those accolades, as they had a face-of-the-franchise player right off the bat.
#4: Shea Weber
The final move the Nashville Predators made to solidify their Stanley Cup roster was trading away Shea Weber. The captain of the team went to the Montreal Canadiens for PK Subban, and the team immediately won the Western Conference. That sequence of events has overshadowed how great Weber was while he was with Nashville.
He, along with Josi, chewed up significant minutes on the contending Predators teams and picked up four postseason All-Star awards in the process. He was a playoff beast even later in his career, playing 25 minutes in the playoffs for the 2021 Canadiens.
#5: Filip Forsberg
A fast-moving player up the Predators' top 10 list, Filip Forsberg is already the top goal-scorer in franchise history. He is just 13 goals away from being the first player in franchise history with 300. Forsberg has seven 25-goal seasons in his career with his highest total coming just last year with his 48-goal campaign.
He is another player who will likely get the Pekka Rinne treatment when he retires. Forsberg is a career Predator and is signed through the 2030 season. He likely ends his career as the franchise leader in games played, points, and power-play goals in addition to his leads in goals and playoff goals.
#6: Juuse Saros
Back in net, Juuse Saros stepped into the massive shadow of Pekka Rinne and shined. He has finished in the top six in Vezina voting in each of the past four seasons and just signed a massive extension to stay in Nashville. His continued excellence has forced the front office to shop young prospect Yaroslav Askarov, who was expected to be the goalie of the future.
The Predators are expecting Saros to anchor their team to the playoffs for the foreseeable future. He has led all goalies in games played each of the last two seasons and is among the last of a dying breed. He is a guy who plays every game and can push a mediocre team to a playoff berth.
#7: Barry Trotz
While he is not a player, it is impossible to deny the impact Barry Trotz has had on the Predators organization. He is currently the general manager, making massive moves for Steven Stamkos, Johnathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei in his second free agency. He was also the first coach in franchise history, manning the bench for the first 15 years in Nashville.
The Columbus Blue Jackets came in one year after Nashville and went through five head coaches in the time Trotz was with the Predators. That stability kept the franchise afloat and relevant during its beginning years and helped build the fanbase that still shows up today.
#8: Martin Erat
Forward Martin Erat ranks in the top five in games played, goals, assists, and points in franchise history. He spent his first eleven seasons in Nashville and brought true offensive prowess to the team. While he did not stick around until the Cup run, he made a great impact when he was in Nashville.
Erat's legacy is in a similar position as Legwand's. With no awards, no Hall-of-Fame, and no retired number it would be easy to overlook Erat. Future players will push him off the list, but his impact on the mid-2000s Predators is undeniable.
#9: Ryan Johansen
Ryan Johansen represents the big acquisition that put the Predators over the top ahead of 2016-17. The trade with the Blue Jackets added an offensive star to the fold and gave the fanbase another player to latch onto for a long time. It was an unceremonious end when he was bought out of his contract in 2023, but it was still a great run for Johansen in Nashville.
#10: Craig Smith
The final member of the list is center Craig Smith. He slots sixth in goals and seventh in points in franchise history, both the highest among centers. He was a great depth scorer in the regular season, scoring 20 goals in five of his nine seasons. Smith did not make a huge impact in the playoffs, but they may not have gotten there without him.
The Predators have not had great centers in their history. Smith might get pushed out by Stamkos in his short tenure in Nashville. His impact on the competitive Predators teams was important, but he is a clear number 10 on this list.
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