Light those fireworks and grill those hotdogs! It's the 4th of July, and it's a special one, as it marks the United States of America's 250th birthday. To celebrate the nation's holiday, let's take a throwback and look at some of the best Americans to have every played for the Nashville Predators.
David Legwand
David Legwand is a Predators legend. Not only is he the best American to play for them, but he is also arguably one of their best of all-time. The first player drafted by the organization, going No. 2 overall in 1998, Legwand played 956 games with the franchise. In his 15-season tenure with Nashville, he scored 566 points, consisting of 210 goals and 356 assists. They were team records for the longest time before they were ultimately broken by Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg in later years.
Craig Smith
A more recent name in the mix. Craig Smith played 661 games with the club, scoring 330 points (162 goals and 168 assists). He was drafted No. 98 overall in 2009 and proved to be a vital part to the early Preds system. He was a reliable middle six forward who could play crucial minutes when needed. Smith helped Nashville go on several deep runs in the playoffs, including the 2016-17, even playing with an injury in some rounds. He retired in December last year after a 14-year-long run in the NHL.
Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter was one of the top defensemen of his time. Drafted 7th overall in 2003, Suter was a strong two-way defender. In seven seasons with the mustard cat, he tallied 238 points. When he wasn't on the puck, he laid the body big time, racking up 309 hits and 480 blocks while averaging 22:37 of ice time per game. He later got the bag in Minnesota, but his time in Nashville will not be forgotten.
Colin Wilson
Playing 502 games for the Predators, Colin Wilson was a solid middle six piece. The center scored a career-high 20 goals and 42 points in the 2014-15 campaign, going even further with a five-goal outing in six playoff games that same season. After dipping into 20-point territory the following season, he stepped up big time, being a huge reason for the Predators playoff success that year after he scored five goals and 13 points in 14 games. Unfortunately for Wilson, his NHL career was cut short due to lingering injuries, causing him to only play 11 seasons, but what a career he had.
Mike Dunham
I could not end this list without mentioning Predators goalie legend Mike Dunham. He served as the team's primary netminder in its expansion years. Dunham played 217 games with Nashville, racking up 81 wins with a .910-save percentage, 2.72-goals-against average and eight shutouts. While these stats aren't the craziest in today's standards, he maintained these healthy numbers on a Predators team that struggled to do anything. He set the bar for future Preds goalies in the years to come.
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