Nashville Predators: The Top-10 Franchise Players Over Last Decade

#10: Matt Duchene

I wouldn’t have even though twice about putting Matt Duhene on this list if you asked me this question this time last year. But I can’t deny the special season he had offensively, and how he’s now the franchise’s all-time single season goal scorer with 43 goals.

If Duchene follows up last season with another 40-plus goal outing in 2022-23, then we’ll starting having serious discussion about moving him up much higher than No.10. But I need more before that happens. One season isn’t enough.

Duchene took his game, and leadership, to another level last season. He was focused, consistent every game, and provided a huge spark playing alongside Filip Forsberg. It was arguably the best one-two punch of a season from two forwards that the Nashville Predators had ever seen in their existence.

I do think this can be repeated in 2022-23, but I’m also aware that Duchene can be streaky at times. It’s plagued him his entire career. He’s No.10 for now because he’s going into just his fourth season here, and one of those seasons he appeared in just 34 regular season games putting up a pedestrian 13 points.

#9: Craig Smith

I really wanted to put Smith higher on this list, but objectively speaking this is a good spot for him. He was the essential role player you need for any contending team.

Smith was a model of consistency for much of his time with the Nashville Predators appearing in 661 games (7th on the franchise list) and scoring 162 goals (5th on the franchise list). Just five goals shy of being third in franchise history in that department.

Since Smith was lost to the Boston Bruins in 2020, the Predators have had trouble replacing him for depth scoring. Perhaps they’ve done that this offseason with adding Nino Niederreiter, but looking back on it they should’ve kept Smith to begin with.

Now there are rumors swirling that perhaps Boston is shopping Smith, and it begs the question of should their be a reunion with the Predators? If the deal makes sense, then the Predators front office should pursue it.

Either way, Smith will always be in class with some of the best Predators in history. He was originally drafted by the franchise and instantly made his presence known with 36 points in his rookie year.

If Smith ever comes back to the Predators, he can pass such legends as Shea Weber and Martin Erat, and heck maybe even come close to David Legwand, on the all-time goals list.

#8 Mike Fisher

These next few selections on the list were difficult to choose from. However, Mike Fisher lands at No.8 as he never managed a full season with the Predators and was starting to get past his prime at age 30.

With that said, Fisher was obviously a highly impactful player and leader to this team as they moved up the Western Conference ranks and eventually a Stanley Cup Final berth in 2017.

Fisher’s prime years with the Predators were during the build-up period to the special 2016-17 season. He put up 51 points in his first full season with the Predators after playing for the Ottawa Senators in his first 11 years in the league.

Although he was never that elite offensive producer, Fisher was a leader on and off the ice. He impacted the game in all facets. Was formidable in the faceoff circle, and a high quality defensive foward. He did it all.

Fisher’s last season was 2018 when the Predators won the Presidents Trophy. He wasn’t much of an impact at age 37, but that he retired as a member of the Nashville Predators was pretty cool.

#7 Viktor Arvidsson

It was really hard to see Arvidsson lost, but it also made sense. The team was shifting to a younger roster, and Arvidsson was an easy piece to move because the team appeared to not be using his affectively anymore.

Unfortunately it was a little bit of a messy breakup as the Predators acquired two draft picks in return for Arvidsson going to the Kings.

Arvidsson was a key piece to the core of the Nashville Predators team that ascended into one of the top teams in the Western Conference, including the Presidents Trophy season when he put up 61 points which is still a career high for him.

Up until last season Arvidsson held the single season goal record for the franchise at 34 goals in 2018-19, but the following two seasons saw his point efficiency drop. You can be the judge on whether that was a systematic problem or if Arvidsson truly was done.

To Arvidsson’s credit, he bounced back nicely in his first season with the Kings putting up 20 goals and 49 points.

Arvidsson was an easy player to root for as he’s undersized, but has that tenacity that you love to watch. The JoFA Line of Arvidsson, Forsberg and Johansen was dominant when they first came together.

When you think about the success of the Nashville Predators over the last decade, it’s impossible to leave out “Arvy”.

#6: Mattias Ekholm

There’s no way I was leaving Ekholm off of this list. We’re talking about a franchise that has built itself off of great defensemen and sturdy goaltending, and Ekholm has played a huge role in that foundation.

Ekholm’s importance to the Nashville Predators can be considered vastly underrated among casual fans. That’s perfectly understandable because he’s not the flashy, superstar type of player like Roman Josi and Shea Weber. A little teaser there.

However, Ekholm is that steady and consistent performer that every team’s blueline needs.

The Predators brass has been wise over the years to work out new contracts for Ekholm, including what turned out to be a massive bargain in 2015 for six years and just $3.75M AAV. That worked out beautifully for the front office.

Ekholm just signed another contract less than a year ago, and now he’s going into the first season of that deal in 2022-23 that rides until 2026. A lot of confidence from the organiation for Ekholm, and rightfully so.

Ekholm is a true two-way defenseman. He provides positive output on both ends of the ice, and has the intangibles as well. He usually can be counted on to make the smart decision in critical moments, and although it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, he’s without a doubt been a excellent defenseman and among some of the best for this franchise who has had a lot of them.

If Ekholm plays through his current contract to 2026, then he can become 2nd in team history in games played. He’s already sits in sixth place with 662 career games and will pass Pekka Rinne and Martin Erat if he stays mostly healhty this season. He even has an outside chance to pass David Legwand eventually, and only trail Josi on the all-time list.

#5: Juuse Saros

Yes, I already have the young Saros at No.5 on best players for the Nashville Predators over the last decade. Without him picking up where Pekka Rinne left off, then this team would be in full rebuild mode.

Insteady, the Predators know they have a franchise goaltender that’s in that top tier of NHL goalies, and so that allows them to build a team around him.

Time really does fly by when you think that Saros has already been in the NHL for six years, and he’s entering those prime years at age 27. It’s hard to fathom Saros not eventually winning a Vezina Trophy just like his predecessor.

Saros is already third all-time on the Predators franchise list in wins, saves and shutous. He has a good chance of passing Tomas Vokoun this season in shutouts if he gets four, and will eventually only trail Rinne in all of the major categories.

The Predators are a very forunate franchise to go from Rinne to Saros. There are many teams who have been floundering for years to find a reliable starting goaltender. It hampers your team greatly, and luckily the Predators have never had that problem since Rinne first came in the league, and now Saros.

It’s still unknown what the long-term future for Saros holds in Nashville. He has three seasons left on his current team-friendly deal, and if everything goes smoothly, he’ll be up for a big raise when this contrat is up. That will be right when Yaroslav Askarov is ready to make the full-time NHL jump and possibly be a starting caliber franchise goalie in his own right.

The Predators will have a huge decision to make when that time comes, but until then, let’s enjoy “Juice” and all of his greatness he brings. He’s a goaltender with the caliber to carry a team to a Stanley Cup.

#4: Filip Forsberg

Where would the Nashville Predators be, and would they have ever made that magical run in 2017, if the trade robbery of the last decade doesn’t happen with the Washington Capitals to acquire Forsberg?

The Predators sent off an aging Martin Erat to get the hightly talented, but raw Forsberg. It worked out better than anyone could’ve imagined at the time.

It can be argued that Forsberg is the most talented and elite forward the Predators have ever had, and I wouldn’t push back against that take at all. Last season was his coming out party of sorts, but he has a lot of pressure in 2022-23 to not fall back to ordinary status.

Forsberg is a walking, or skating, highlight reel. The Predators have always had superstar talent with defensemen and goaltenders, but dynamic forwards like Forsberg have been few and far between.

Last season Forsberg reached the pinnacle in Predators franchise history by becoming their all-time leading goal scorer with 220 goals, passing Legwand’s 210. He’ll keep padding that record for a long time coming, and it’s a record that will stand for many, many years to come.

Forsberg will also pass Erat, ironically, for all-time points this season and will eventually only trail Josi on that list.

Additionally, Forsberg is fifth in assists on the franchise list and needs just one more game-winning goal to pass Legwand for the franchise lead in that category. Simply put, he’s No.4 for now, but has the strong probability to move up to top-three if you ask me about this list next offseason.

#3: Shea Weber

Weber comes in at No.3 on this list despite only playing in four seasons with the Nashville Predators over the past decade. That monumental offseason trade that sent Weber to the Montreal Canadiens for P.K. Subban is still one I don’t have a clear feeling on way or the other on who won it.

Those fours seasons were still incredible for Weber as he racked up All-Star appearances and top-5 Norris Trophy voting. Sadly, Weber hasn’t won a Norris Trophy and it’s kind of highway robbery.

Weber was the first homegrown true superstar this franchise ever had. It tooks time, but when Weber begain his ascent to elite status in the NHL, the Predators were also starting to become a viable postseason team.

Fittingly enough, Weber won the Mark Messier Award for Best Leadership in his last season for the Nashville Predators.

There was a scare way before that year that Weber would be lost, but the front office put on the fullcourt press at the time to retain Weber to an extremely lucrative contract. There’s been rumblings about whether or not that was the right decision looking back on it, and it absolutely was.

The Predators can’t lose Weber at the junction of their franchise history and remain a playoff team. The franchise was even in trouble of relocating at the time. Weber was a big reason the team stayed, and the rest is history as hockey in Nashville is must-see around the league.

Weber remains second in franchise history in games played, third in goals, fourth in assists, fifth in points, and the franchise leader in power play goals with 80. That blasting one-timer was impossible for a goalie to stop unless they got lucky.

#2: Roman Josi

Last season’s historical individual run for Josi cemented his place on my list ahead of Weber. Before that, Josi still had more to prove before moving him ahead.

Josi accomplished offensive numbers that the NHL hadn’t seen from a defenseman in 40 years, and yet somehow there were voters who didn’t even put Josi in the top-three of the Norris Trophy voting. That will always baffle me.

Either way, Josi is the biggest superstar this franchise has ever had that doesn’t wear goalie pads. And his book isn’t close to being fully written, yet. Many more chapters to go.

When it’s all said and done Josi will own every major record in the Predators records books with the exception of goals. Josi will more than likely pass Legwnd for franchise leader in points this season. He needs just 25 points to pass.

Josi has been captain of the Nashville Predators since 2017, taking over from Mike Fisher. Since 2017 Josi has quickly ascended into one of, if not the best, defenseman in the NHL.

Without Josi, the Predators would not only be a non-playoff team, but possibly even a last place team. They go as Josi goes, and it will be that way for a long time. He’s a true MVP, and some analysts even argued last season that his case was stronger for the Hart Trophy than the Norris Trophy.

Josi came up just short of 100 points last season, and he may never have quite a season like that ever again. But he’ll still continue to be near the top point getters among defensemen for several years to come, and might even pass up my current No.1 player over the last decade.

#1: Pekka Rinne

Josi’s enourmous season actually made me think twice about who to put at No.1, but in the end it had to be Pekka Rinne. He changed the franchise in so many ways, and an elusive Stanley Cup was all that was missing.

Rinne played for the Nashville Predators for almost the entire past decade, with last season being his first in retirement. It was definitely strange not having Rinne between the pipes, and it becoming Saros’ full-time show.

Simply speaking, the Predators don’t go to the playoffs for all of those years and Nashville turn into a hockey town without Rinne. His impact far expands past what he did on the ice, which is Hall of Fame type numbers, minus the Stanley Cup.

There was a slim chance before Rinne announced his retirement that he would go to another team to chase a Stanley Cup. I certainly wouldn’t have blamed him for that, but instead he decided that he was satisfied with what he accomplished, and the Predators gave him a really cool number retiement ceremony.

There’s also a Pekka Rinne statue in the works for right outside Bridgestone Arena in the plaza. No one knows exactly what it will look like, but it will be unveiled sometime in 2023.

Rinne had 369 career wins and 60 career shutouts, both good for 19th all time in NHL history. His Predators records might stand forever. Unless Josi claims a Stanley Cup and MVP, then Rinne is here to stay at the top of franchise players for a long time.