2003-2009: The Predators Began Making Frequent Appearances
In the 2003-04 season, the Predators finally made their first playoff appearance in franchise history. They finished third in their division with a 38-29-11-4 record and took on the Detroit Red Wings in the first round.
After a hard fought six-game series, the Predators eventually fell to Detroit. They had a -3-goal differential with nine goals scored and 12 goals allowed. Despite the result, fans were given many things to be amazed by. One in particular was Vokoun's insane performance, recording a .939 SV% and a 2.02 GAA with one shutout.
The Predators made the postseason for the next three seasons, all of which were first-round exits. They took on the San Jose Sharks after placing second in their division—second best season on record—but lost the series 4-1.
The following year saw a rematch between the Sharks and the Predators with San Jose coming on top once again with another 4-1 series win. We matched up against the Red Wings again the next season where we again fell 4-2.
We didn't manage to clinch a playoff spot in the 2008-09 season after placing 5th in the Central Division. We did see the rise of the promising core in Nashville. Players like Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Pekka Rinne began to take shape and push the Predators to success. The core became a vital reason for their later success down the line.