Nashville Predators: Ranking Their Biggest Rivals in Franchise History

5. Detroit Red Wings

Head-to-head record: 117 games, 36-49-(4)-10

Point percentage: .434%

Goal differential: -60

This series was an uphill battle early on the history of the Predators, and understandably so. The friendly expansion rules you see today weren’t the same for the Predators in 1998.

As for this particular rivalry, I wouldn’t call it a rivalry right away. The Red Wings were becoming a dynasty as they were back-to-back Stanley Cup champs and had a roster full of future Hall of Fame players.

Saying this was a David vs. Goliath matchup at the start is an understatement. The first time these two teams met was October 1998 in Detroit, and the Red Wings predictably made easy work of the Predators, winning 5-2.

However, the Predators didn’t back down despite being completely outmatched. They won the second meeting back in Nashville 5-3, despite there being more Red Wings fans than Predators fans. Or at least pretty close to that.

The Red Wings won that season series very easily, and they owned the series in the first few seasons.

But the rivalry started really taking off as the Predators kept getting better and eventually clashed with the Red Wings in their first playoff appearance in 2004.

They took the Red Wings to six games and battled really hard. They didn’t just roll over and be satisfied with making it in. I’m sure most diehard Red Wings fans weren’t considering the Predators rivals at that point, but it was a different as a Predators fan.

We wanted to slay the dragon.

This rivalry has fizzled out since the Red Wings moved to the Eastern Conference. I still include it in the top-five because those early days as the Predators were infants and the Red Wings were giants built a foundation.