But the Predators grabbed the hockey world's attention in a hurry, stunning the Blackhawks by shutting them out in back-to-back games at the United Center. By the time the Preds polished off Chicago in a four-game sweep, the hype machine was well underway.
On the ice, the Predators seemed to find a new hero almost every night, as 10 different players scored game-winning goals in the team's first 12 postseason victories. Goalie Pekka Rinne was the Preds' backbone, of course, as he allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of his 16 starts.
A Predators team that hadn't won five straight games during the entire regular season captured five victories in a row - and won seven of eight games -- to start the playoffs. The Preds are yet to lose two-straight games in the playoffs, yet to trail in any of their three playoff series, and yet to suffer a regulation loss at home in the postseason.
"You have to peak at the right time," Poile said. "Ladies and gentlemen, this year we have peaked - for the first time - at the right time. That's it in a nutshell. All of the components have come together after three rounds to this point, and we're getting fantastic contributions from everybody."
Away from the ice, the public can't seem to get enough of the underdog Predators, who've overcome injuries to four of their top-nine forwards - Kevin Fiala (season-ending), Craig Smith, Mike Fisher and Ryan Johansen (season-ending) - along the way.
The Preds have smashed their own local TV ratings records in one game after another, starting with a 9.4 mark for a second-round win over St. Louis. They topped that figure in five of the six games against Anaheim, culminating in a 16.5 for the Game Six clincher over the Ducks. Those kinds of local numbers are comparable to a University of Tennessee football game against Alabama or Florida.