Revisiting the biggest offseason acquisitions in Nashville Predators History
By Chad Minton
Paul Kariya is first major free agency signing in Preds History
The Predators missed the playoffs for the first five years of their existence as they went through the difficult growing pains of an NHL expansion team. However, with Trotz at the helm behind the bench, this franchise gradually starting becoming a worthy playoff contending team.
Fresh off their first playoff appearance and 91 points in the 2003-04 season, it was time to go "big game hunting" for the Predators and did they ever. It can be argue to this day that Paul Kariya is the biggest free agency signing in Predators history. Well at least you could've said that before Stamkos was signed three weeks ago.
Kariya, now an NHL Hall of Famer, signed for a pretty lucrative short-term contract for those times in 2005. He joined the Predators, despite being courted by several suitors, for a total of $9 million over two years.
For comparison sake, the same salary that Ryan O'Reilly makes now from the Predators nearly two decades later.
Kariya wouldn't disappoint and certainly wasn't a flop for the franchise. He would easily lead the team in points in his first year shattering franchise single season record with 85 points, which still to this day stands as the fourth-most in franchise history. That record stood tall until the 2021-22 campaign when Matt Duchene and Roman Josi passed him.
That 2005 Predators team would blaze through the regular season with 106 points and another playoff appearance. In 2006-07, the Predators would increase their regular season output to 110 points but lose in the first round again to the same team as 2006, the San Jose Sharks.
Equally impressive, Kariya played in all 82 games in both seasons with the Predators. In his early 30's, his career was heading into the unavoidable decline, Kariya and the Predators parted ways.
Kariya played just three more seasons after leaving Nashville, and even though his time with the Predators was brief, he's still an all-time great to ever throw on the Predators sweater.