Nashville Predators: Revisiting the Iconic History of their Uniforms

How it all started

That first uniform was critical to maximizing as much buzz as possible for the expansion hockey team that was coming to the South. Many thought hockey wouldn’t ‘survive in a non-tradition market like Nashville, but at least the team had a very cool and creative logo and uniform to launch off with.

Gold wasn’t a big part of the early jersey like it is today. It focused more on the blue and silver look, while also showing off the spire that remains iconic today shooting into the sky above Bridgestone Arena.

But that sabertooth head logo we all love was there from the start, and even fans of other teams were lying to you if they said that wasn’t a cool logo.

If you see a worn out jersey like this one being rocked at a game today in 2020, you know that’s a diehard fan that’s probably been there supporting since Day 1.

When looking back on the team history I’d say this is one of the top jerseys the Predators wore. I think most fans would agree, but other fans are calling it the worst one to start, and I somewhat understand that.

They could’ve done better with the design, but it was only the beginning. These jerseys didn’t stick around all that long, and were pushed out in 2004. Just in time for when the Predators were finally joining the table with the big boys in the playoffs.

Would you like some mustard with that?

These mustard jerseys have a lot of history behind them, but it doesn’t stand a chance when you put them up against other Predators sweaters in the last two decades. That mustard color takes some getting used to, but certainly have their niche fans.

When we look at the history of the team most fans are probably grateful for only having these jerseys for about two seasons, and I can understand why.

It’s the primary color of the jerseys that make them stand out, and every game the Predators would step out on the ice it would look ridiculous to everyone besides our fanbase.

One thing that is pretty cool about this uniform is the change in the logo at the center. The sabertooth head was looking more at a forward angle as opposed to the side.

The team ran with these until the NHL switched to the Reebok Edge uniforms, which first premiered at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game. Doesn’t seem that long ago really.

Reebok Age.

This was a league-wide change to a more modern style uniform at the time. As the Predators were starting to become a more nationally-known team, their uniforms got an upgrade as well.

The Predators and the other 29 teams around the NHL updated their jerseys with the Reebok style, and these were up there on the list of the best jerseys in team history.

These kept around the dark blue and silver concepts for the home jersey, which don’t stick out nearly as much as the predominant gold uniforms that the Predators are synonymous for today.

Every now and then you’ll see fans break out these old school uniforms supporting a classic Predators player like Steve Sullivan, David Legwand or Martin Erat. These were solid uniforms, but often forgotten by today’s fans that are maybe new to being a fan of the team.

But there are more to be listed as we continue to talk about the team’s uniform history, and next we jump forward to 2009 for a very intimidating and sleek concept.

Black and Blue looks good on you….

Team history continues to get better and better and I would say this would top the jerseys for the team in the 2000’s era. These looked clean and looked even better seeing them in person for a live game.

This concept broke away from the mustard color and went back to the roots of the team in 1998. More blue, black and silver were put through with these, and they were intimidating to look at.

Sadly these jerseys didn’t last as long as most fans would have wanted. Many of us would love to see these sweaters make a few appearances in games dedicated to teams suiting up in their retro uniforms.

A marketing campaign featuring these jerseys, which have way more blue, black and silver showcased, would send jersey sales through the roof. Everyone would want to have their 2009 alternate jersey for a return of these for a live game next season.

They need to bring these back and watch the jersey sales skyrocket.

A flashy new style for a new decade

The Predators have always been progressive with their uniform designs and brought plenty of creativity. The organization introduced new uniforms before the 2011-12 season they paid a lot of tribute to the music industry and Nashville’s universally known nickname of “Music City”.

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This jersey change kept the feature of the dominant gold home jersey. They are the first team to wear gold as their dark jerseys since the 1966-67 Boston Bruins.

At the time of this change the Predators were also starting to get a lot of league notoriety and becoming a perennial playoff team.

Other teams, including the Kings, Seals, and Penguins, have worn gold jerseys, but they wore them as their light-colored jerseys and not their primary ones like the Predators did, and still do currently.

This change also showed a change in direction from the predominance of dark blue on the uniform. There’s still some traces of blue, but not on the same level as the early years that the home uniform had.

Also very little silver in the uniform as compared to the first Predators uniforms as an expansion team in 1998.

Adidas takes over a new era

Just in time for the 2017-18 season, another new uniform concept was introduced for the Nashville Predators. These are the ones they’re wearing currently, and many fans quickly made the switch.

The Predators simplified their home uniforms and carries over their emphasis of gold. This one really sticks out and gives that Predators that pop on the television screen.

Their road set with the Adidas Adizero uniform system takes hold and shines things up with more white introduced. You also have the Tri-Star on the shoulder that pays homage to the state of Tennessee and its flag.

There’s a more golden standard for the fans when they enter Smashville to watch the Predators, and these current sweaters are very popular among most fans. They definitely stick out and give the Predators a distinct look that sets them apart from other generic uniform concepts.

History in the making

The Nashville Predators got to make history by appearing in the 2020 Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars. The first time we had seen a Winter Classic held in a Southern state.

These uniforms resemble those of the old Nashville Dixie Flyers of the Eastern Hockey League. Many new fans were probably surprised to even see Nashville had a hockey team way back in the 1960’s and early 1970’s.

However, these weren’t an instant love affair for everyone. Even some Predators fans didn’t like them at first, and you can’t please everyone. But they seemed to have grown on fans over time, and you see them worn a lot at Predators home games.

The Predators lost the game 4-2, leaving a sour note for the Winter Classic sweaters. But at the end of the day even with it being a loss on the Predators side it was still history in the making with both teams making first-ever appearances in a Winter Classic game.

And the Winter Classic uniforms would make a surprise return later in the regular season, and the predators would get a couple wins in these to get some retribution in them.

I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of them.

What’s your favorite all-time Predators jersey?

For me it would be the black, blue and silver jerseys starting in 2009, but lived a short lifespan. They have to bring those back for a few games.

Many of you might disagree, but I really liked those jerseys and it would be nice to bring them back for a game or two to represent history, much like the Predators did with the Winter Classic jersey.

It would be a good idea to bring back jerseys from the past for certain rivalry games that the Predators a ton of history with, like the Detroit Red Wings or Chicago Blackhawks.

But we’ll have to see what happens later on in the future. For now, it seems the Predators will have their current jersey concept for the near future before any sweeping changes are made again.

All references to the history of the Predators jerseys were courtesy of NashvillePredators.com