The
Nashville Predators play in the Central Division of the Western Conference
of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play their home games at
Sommet Center, formerly known as Gaylord Entertainment Center and
Nashville Arena. The Name: Predators was chosen to
complement the team logo, an image of a saber-toothed tiger. In May
of 1971, excavation began at the downtown Nashville site of what today
is the 28-story First American Center. 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 team colors are orange, gold, silver, and blue.
 Nashville
Fans: 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. At least four catfish were thrown
onto the ice after the first Nashville goal on November 13, 2003.
Section 303 is a section of notoriously fervent fans at the Sommet
Center colloquially known as "The Cellblock". The group
refers to themselves as "the loudest section of the loudest arena
in the NHL". Coach: Barry Trotz is the
Predators’ head coach. Previously, Trotz coached the Portland
Pirates of the American Hockey League to the Calder Cup during the
1994-95 season. That same year he was named AHL coach of the year.
Trotz has a record of 738 regular-season games coached, 324
regular-season games won, 754 regular-season points, a .511 regular-season
winning percentage, 22 playoff games coached, 6 playoff games won,
and a .273 playoff winning percentage with the Nashville Predators. |