Preds Top 20, No. 17: Return of the Mustard Cat

The Nashville Predators 2022-23 season has officially come to an end, and what a season it has been. From momentous firsts to bittersweet farewells, this year was full of memorable moments both on and off the ice.

We've already taken a look back at theTop 10 goals scored by the Predators this season. Now, we're counting down the Top 20 moments and milestones that highlighted a special season of hockey in SMASHVILLE.

We'll take our trip down memory lane in chronological order, so let's go back to October as we continue our countdown at No. 17.

• … October 2001, that is.

The Predators famous 'Mustard Cat' logo, which first debuted the 2001-02 season, returned to the Bridgestone Arena ice more than a decade later as part of the NHL-wide adidas Reverse Retro 2022 launch.

"The first iteration of Reverse Retro was one of the most popular uniform launches of all time. Fans couldn't get enough of not only their team's jersey, but the nostalgia and storytelling league wide," said Dan Near, Senior Director at adidas Hockey. "In 2022, we're doubling down on the design formula - Your Colors, Your Retros, Remixed - and once again seeking to bring the magic of the sport to Gen Z and fans around the world."

In SMASHVILLE, the 2022 Reverse Retro launch brought the vintage Pred Head crest back to life in nine different colors and swapped out the jersey's original mustard color for modern Preds gold, accented with navy and silver.

The Predators debuted their 2022 Reverse Retro threads on Nov. 12 when they hosted the New York Rangers at Bridgestone Arena, and they wore the jerseys a total of seven times during the 2022-23 season.

Predators alum Steve Sullivan, who visited Nashville just days after the 2022 Reverse Retros made their debut, couldn't help but smile when he first saw the logo from his playing days reimagined in a modern way. While he didn't exactly have fond memories of wearing the jerseys - he chuckled while he reminisced about how heavy they were - he admitted that he preferred the new rendition.

"It's awesome, it really is," Sullivan said. "Having the logo and the scheme of it looking the same with the new color that's so vibrant is great. They did a great job with the jersey."

The Mustard Cat also featured prominently in the custom Pride jerseys designed by local artist Landon Matney and worn by the Predators during warmups ahead of their April 4 home game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Matney opted to use the Mustard Cat logo over the modern Pred Head as a way to incorporate historical undertones of both the team and gay rights activism in the United States.

While the Mustard Cat has been retired for the season, fans can still purchase Nashville's jerseys and more Reverse Retro gear exclusively at adidas.com, adidas.ca, NHLShop.com, NHLShop.ca and the Nashville Locker Room team store.

Worth a click:

No. 20: Cody Glass Makes the Team
No. 19: Roman Josi's Homecoming
No. 18: Perfect in Prague