Nashville Predators Quarter-Century Teams unveiled

With 2025 underway, the NHL is celebrating the best of the past 25 years by revealing Quarter-Century Teams for each of the League's 32 franchises and the Arizona Coyotes.

Each club will be represented by a First Team and Second Team of six players -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie -- who played for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2024. The first and second teams were selected by broadcasters, national, local and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.

The six players voted to each First Team will be on the ballot for the NHL All Quarter-Century Team that will be chosen via a fan vote that will start in February.

Today, the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for the Nashville Predators. Players are listed in alphabetical order.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS

First Team

Forwards

Mike Fisher

Filip Forsberg

Paul Kariya

Defensemen

Roman Josi

Shea Weber

Goalie

Pekka Rinne

Forwards: Fisher was captain of the Predators during their only run to the Stanley Cup Final, a six-game loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. He arrived in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 10, 2011, and embedded himself immediately into the community. He won the 2012 NHL Foundation Award that recognizes a player who applies the core values of hockey -- commitment, perseverance and teamwork -- to enrich the lives of people in his community. Fisher retired in 2018 and finished with 241 points (111 goals, 130 assists) in 429 regular-season games. Forsberg arrived in one of the most-celebrated transactions in Predators history when he was acquired by the Washington Capitals for forwards Michael Latta and Martin Erat on April 3, 2013. All he did was score 635 points with a Predators-high 296 goals in the quarter-century. Forsberg had 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 22 games during the run to the 2017 Final. Kariya played two seasons with Nashville after signing as a free agent Aug. 5, 2005, but they were two of the most productive seasons for the Predators at his position. He had 161 points (55 goals, 106 assists) in 164 regular-season games and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Class of 2017.

Defensemen: Nobody played more games (943) or had more points (710; 188 goals, 522 assists) for the Predators in the quarter-century than Josi, the current captain of the team. His plus-61 rating is fourth and his average ice time of 24:52 is first. Josi won the 2020 Norris Trophy voted as the best defenseman in the NHL and was a finalist in 2022 and '24. Weber, taken in the second round (No. 19) of the 2003 NHL Draft, became the first player chosen by the Predators to enter the Hall of Fame when he was inducted with the Class of 2024. Nashville's captain from 2010-16 won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2016. He played 763 games, third in the quarter-century, and his 433 points (166 goals, 277 assists) are second to Josi at his position.

Goalie: Rinne is the most-decorated goalie in franchise history after being selected in the eighth round (No. 258) of the 2005 NHL Draft. He played more regular-season games (683) and has more wins (369) than any Predators goalie. Rinne has 60 shutouts, lapping the field in this category. He was the goalie for the run to the 2017 Final and went 45-44 with a 2.49 GAA, .914 save percentage and five shutouts in 89 Stanley Cup Playoff games. No other goalie during this period had more than five postseason wins.

Second Team

Forwards

Ryan Johansen

David Legwand

Steve Sullivan

Defensemen

Mattias Ekholm

Kimmo Timonen

Goalie

Juuse Saros

Forwards: Upon his arrival in a trade that sent Seth Jones to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 6, 2016, Johansen was a focal point until he was sent to the Colorado Avalanche on June 24, 2023. He had at least 50 points in four of his seven full seasons with the Predators and 362 points (110 goals, 252 assists) in 553 regular-season games. In the run to the 2017 Final, Johansen had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 14 games and was plus-12. Legwand was the first pick in Predators history, going No. 2 in the 1998 NHL Draft. He parlayed it into one of the most successful careers in team history with 917 games, joining Josi as of two players with at least 900. He finished with 550 points (202 goals, 348 assists), the third-highest total in the quarter-century, and was second in goals and assists. When Legwand retired, he held Predators records for games played (956), goals (210), assists (356) and points (566). One of Nashville's most consistent scorers, Sullivan had 263 points (100 goals, 163 assists) in 317 regular-season games. He won the 2009 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey after returning from a near two-year absence because of a back injury.

Defensemen: Ekholm played 12 seasons with the Predators. He had 268 points (62 goals, 206 assists) in 719 regular-season games before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 28, 2023. He left Nashville third in team history among defensemen with 206 assists, fourth with 268 points, and third with 719 games played. His plus-104 rating is second behind Ryan Ellis (plus-114). Timonen, who arrived in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on June 26, 1998, had 265 points (69 goals, 196 assists) in 489 games. He played for Finland at the 2006 Turin Olympics and two NHL All-Star Games while with the Predators.

Goalie: Saros came into his own after a long apprenticeship under Rinne, going 190-135-38 in 380 regular-season games with 26 shutouts in the quarter-century. He has won at least 30 games in each of the past three seasons, was a member of the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2018, two seasons after earning the same honor in the American Hockey League, and is a two-time NHL All-Star (2022, 2023). His 26 shutouts were second to Rinne.

Coming Thursday: Edmonton Oilers Quarter-Century Teams