Kariya Returns to Nashville Fond of Days Spent with Preds

Paul Kariya just had a hunch.
A free agent in the summer of 2005, the NHL All-Star had no lack of suitors for his services coming out of a year-long lockout. But when Kariya made his decision that August and the news came across the wire, some in the hockey world were left perplexed.
Nashville?

After all, a player of Kariya's caliber had never made the decision on his own to join the organization. The talented players the Predators possessed had all been drafted or traded for- choices that were out of their control.
So, when Kariya put pen to paper and accepted General Manager David Poile's offer of a two-year deal, it was a monumental day in club history, not just because the Predators were bringing in a player that had the capability to change the direction of the franchise, but also the fact an elite hockey player had chosen Nashville as his destination of choice.
That's far from an issue nowadays with the organization's success in the 12-plus years since Kariya made the call, and as the Hockey Hall of Famer made his first trip back to Nashville on Tuesday since departing as a player years ago, he couldn't help but remark on what the franchise has become.

"[One of the reasons] why I came here, [I knew they] draft well and develop their players really well," Kariya said Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena. "They've never pushed a player, and I think that's really been paramount for the success of the team and how the team has developed. You look now at all these players they've acquired either through trades or picks, they're set up now to be an incredible team for many years to come, and that's a testament to the organization."
Count Kariya as one of the millions who was tuned in when Nashville made their first run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring, marveling at what was happening inside and outside of the building. The British Columbia native stated he regretted that the Predators teams he was a member of couldn't find the same success, but witnessing what happened on Broadway and beyond brought a sense of pride.
"Even when I came here as a visitor early in my career, [it was never comfortable] playing in Nashville," Kariya said. "The atmosphere in the arena, the fans, you almost feel like the fans are right on top of you, and the run took that to another level. It was just electric in the city and it was great to watch."
Kariya still owns two Predators franchise records, assists (54) and points (85) in a single season, both set during the 2005-06 campaign with a team that posted 106 points in the standings, second in club history. The Preds' record for points in a single season? That would be 110, set in 2006-07, Kariya's other season in Nashville.

"They should be broken," Kariya laughed when asked about still holding the records. "I'm surprised they're still here with the group of guys [in the lineup now] … But I think those records will be gone in the next few years."
Just the second former Pred to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame - Peter Forsberg was the first - Kariya certainly made his mark in franchise history. While he believes the foundation for success was already set back when he signed in 2005, it's easy to see how he took the franchise to a new level and added a belief as to what was possible for an expansion club in the South.
And even though he was busy taking the Preds to new heights in the mid-2000s, he still found plenty of time for shenanigans, too, one involving current forward Scott Hartnell.

A younger player at the time, Hartnell, as Kariya explained, had no issue "tooting his horn" in regard to his ability to play ping pong, a common practice around the NHL during downtime. So one day, Kariya, who never participated in the ping pong matches himself, decided to test Hartnell on his word.
"I'm like, 'if I beat you, you are banned from playing ping pong the rest of the year,'" Kariya said of his challenge to Hartnell. "And he's like, 'oh yeah, for sure, P.K., let's go.'"
Not only did Kariya step up to the table, literally, but he invited the entire Preds roster, coaches, hockey operations staff - anyone he could find in an attempt to shake Hartnell's nerves.
"And sure enough… it was a close game, he got nervous at the end, I beat him and he was banned from playing the rest of the year," Kariya laughed. "So, I asked him today if he's still banned from playing ping pong and he's like, 'oh no, you're not here anymore.'"
Just like Kariya's records on the ice from his time in Music City, his ping pong ledger is just as impressive.
"1 and 0, yeah," he said with a grin.