This Month in Smashville History: February

Throughout the 2023-24 season, the Nashville Predators will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary in Smashville.

As we inch closer to the end of the 2023-24 campaign, let’s take a look at how the Predators got here with a look at some of the top moments in each month of Smashville's 25-year history.

How many of these February events do you remember?

1999

Feb. 1

The Predators open their practice facility at Centennial Sportsplex.

2004

Feb. 8

For the first time since the team's inaugural season, Nashville sends players to the NHL All-Star Game. Kimmo Timonen (who was named to the game in 1999, but did not participate due to injury) and Tomas Vokoun both play for the Western Conference at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

2007

Feb. 15

The Predators acquire Hall-of-Fame center Peter Forsberg from the Philadelphia Flyers for the 2007 stretch run.

2010

Feb. 23

The Predators and Bridgestone Americas, Inc. announce a multi-year naming rights and marketing partnership for the team's venue, naming it Bridgestone Arena.

Feb. 28

Nashville defensemen Shea Weber (Canada) and Ryan Suter (United States) clash in the Gold Medal Game of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Weber's Canadian squad claims gold with a 3-2 overtime victory, with Suter earning silver while logging a game-high 31:31 of ice time. Weber is named to the Olympic All-Tournament Team.

2011

Feb. 10

The Predators acquire center Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators for two draft picks. Fisher posts eight points in the club's final seven regular-season contests to help secure a playoff berth, then leads the team with six points in six games during their first playoff series victory in franchise history.

Feb. 26

Brentwood, Tennessee, native and Predators' 2006 second-round pick Blake Geoffrion makes his NHL debut, becoming the first Tennessee native, and first fourth-generation NHLer to appear in the League. He scores his first goal two games later at Edmonton, and becomes the youngest player in franchise history to notch a hat trick in his 11th career game on March 20 at Buffalo.

2015

Feb. 21

Bridgestone Arena is named the 2014 Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine, an industry-leader in concert industry and sports and entertainment news. This marks the first time that Bridgestone Arena has taken home the top venue honor after being nominated 11 times, including in each of the past eight years, and the first time a building not in California or New York has won the award since its inception in 1989.

2018

Feb. 9

Bridgestone Arena is named Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine for the second time in building history.

Feb. 22

Pekka Rinne records his 300th career victory, becoming the 34th goalie in NHL history to reach the mark.

Feb. 27

Roman Josi ties the franchise record for assists (5) and points (5) in a single game in Nashville's 6-5 victory over Winnipeg, a game in which newly acquired Ryan Hartman scores the game-winning goal in his Predators' debut.

2019

Feb. 23

The Predators establish an all-time single-game attendance record of 17,760.

2021

Feb. 8

The Predators debut their Reverse Retro jerseys at Bridgestone Arena in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2022

Feb. 24

Rinne becomes the first player to have his number retired by the Nashville Predators. The ceremonies included speeches from Josi, David Poile, Pete Weber, and Rinne himself, concluding with a reveal of the team's plans to place a bronze statue of the beloved netminder in the Bridgestone Arena plaza the following year.

Feb. 26

Nashville hosts its first ever NHL outdoor game, with the Predators taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Nissan Stadium before a crowd of 68,619 in the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. Preceded by Bridgestone Winter Park festivities and featuring intermission performances from country music icons Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley, the event was a spectacle intended as a tribute to the Music City. The Predators fell 3-2 in regulation to the Lightning, with Tanner Jeannot and Filip Forsberg scoring the two Nashville goals.

2023

Feb. 2-3

Saros represents the Nashville Predators at the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend in Sunrise, Florida.

Feb. 13

Smashville welcomes back former Preds defenseman P.K. Subban to celebrate his accomplishments on and off the ice during the three seasons he spent with the team.

Feb. 23

Bridgestone Arena is named the 2023 Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine - the third time the venue has received the award.

Feb. 26

After 25 years at 501 Broadway, Poile announces his plans to retire from the sport at the conclusion of the 2023 NHL Draft in July. Nashville's first head coach Barry Trotz is announced as Poile's replacement.

Feb. 28

The Predators acquire Tyson Barrie and Reid Schaefer as well as two draft picks from the Oilers in exchange for Mattias Ekholm and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.

Feb. 28

Rookie forward Luke Evangelista makes his NHL debut at Bridgestone Arena against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2024

Feb. 1-3

Forsberg represents the Predators at the NHL All-Star Weekend for the second time of his career and registers three goals and two assists en route to a 2024 NHL All-Star Game championship with Team Matthews. 

Feb. 10

Forsberg records his 300th career assist and becomes the fourth player in Predators history to reach the milestone, joining Roman Josi (478), David Legwand (356) and Martin Erat (318). Forsberg (668 GP) is the second-fastest skater among that group to reach the milestone, behind only Josi (627 GP); Erat and Legwand required 680 and 821 contests, respectively.

Feb. 17

Josi records an assist and reaches the 50-point mark for the eighth time in his career, becoming the only player in Predators history to accomplish the feat.

Feb. 24

Earning his 567th career point (266g-301a) in 674 career games, Filip Forsberg passes Predators legend David Legwand (566 points in 956 GP) to move into second place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list behind teammate Roman Josi (654 points in 885 GP).

Feb. 25

With a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, the Predators complete a perfect back-to-back set and a perfect five-game road trip. It is the first time in franchise history the Predators go undefeated during a road trip of at least five games.