2018–19 Nashville Predators season

The 2018–19 Nashville Predators season was the 21st season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 25, 1997. They entered the season as the defending Presidents' Trophy winners, which was won by the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 18, 2019. The Predators clinched a playoff spot on March 25, after a 1–0 win over the Minnesota Wild. They were upset in the first round by the Dallas Stars, losing in six games.

Standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on June 12, 2018. 2018 preseason game log: 3–3–0 (home: 0–2–0; road: 3–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 17 Nashville 5–0 Florida Saros 5,806 1–0–0 2 September 17 Nashville 5–3 Florida Grosenick 7,671 2–0–0 3 September 21 Tampa Bay 5–1 Nashville Rinne 17,342 2–1–0 4 September 22 Nashville 2–5 Tampa Bay Saros 14,457 2–2–0 5 September 25 Carolina 4–1 Nashville Rinne 17,188 2–3–0 6 September 30 Nashville 5–4 Carolina OT Saros 18,640 3–3–0

Regular season The regular season schedule was released on June 21, 2018. 2018–19 game logOctober: 9–3–0 (home: 4–3–0; road: 5–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 4 Nashville 3–2 NY Rangers Rinne 17,117 1–0–0 2 2 October 6 Nashville 4–3 NY Islanders Saros 12,163 2–0–0 4 3 October 9 Calgary 3–0 Nashville Rinne 17,209 2–1–0 4 4 October 11 Winnipeg 0–3 Nashville Rinne 17,228 3–1–0 6 5 October 13 NY Islanders 2–5 Nashville Saros 17,208 4–1–0 8 6 October 15 Minnesota 2–4 Nashville Rinne 17,165 5–1–0 10 7 October 19 Nashville 5–3 Calgary Saros 18,725 6–1–0 12 8 October 20 Nashville 3–0 Edmonton Saros 18,347 7–1–0 14 9 October 23 San Jose 5–4 Nashville Saros 17,159 7–2–0 14 10 October 25 Nashville 4–3 New Jersey OT Saros 15,164 8–2–0 16 11 October 27 Edmonton 5–3 Nashville Saros 17,248 8–3–0 16 12 October 30 Vegas 1–4 Nashville Saros 17,367 9–3–0 18 November: 8–5–1 (home: 5–2–0; road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 13 November 1 Nashville 4–1 Tampa Bay Rinne 19,092 10–3–0 20 14 November 3 Boston 0–1 Nashville Rinne 17,535 11–3–0 22 15 November 7 Nashville 4–1 Colorado Rinne 16,923 12–3–0 24 16 November 10 Nashville 5–4 Dallas OT Saros 18,532 13–3–0 26 17 November 12 Nashville 1–2 Anaheim SO Rinne 16,629 13–3–1 27 18 November 13 Nashville 4–5 San Jose Saros 16,654 13–4–1 27 19 November 15 Nashville 1–2 Arizona Rinne 13,315 13–5–1 27 20 November 17 Los Angeles 3–5 Nashville Rinne 17,627 14–5–1 29 21 November 19 Tampa Bay 2–3 Nashville Rinne 17,419 15–5–1 31 22 November 21 St. Louis 1–4 Nashville Rinne 17,558 16–5–1 33 23 November 23 Nashville 2–6 St. Louis Saros 16,192 16–6–1 33 24 November 25 Anaheim 2–5 Nashville Rinne 17,167 17–6–1 35 25 November 27 Colorado 3–2 Nashville Rinne 17,163 17–7–1 35 26 November 29 Arizona 3–0 Nashville Rinne 17,165 17–8–1 35 December: 6–7–1 (home: 5–2–0; road: 1–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 27 December 1 Chicago 2–5 Nashville Rinne 17,548 18–8–1 37 28 December 3 Buffalo 1–2 Nashville Rinne 17,311 19–8–1 39 29 December 6 Nashville 3–5 Vancouver Rinne 16,894 19–9–1 39 30 December 8 Nashville 2–5 Calgary Saros 17,717 19–10–1 39 31 December 11 Ottawa 1–3 Nashville Rinne 17,162 20–10–1 41 32 December 13 Vancouver 3–4 Nashville OT Rinne 17,206 21–10–1 43 33 December 15 New Jersey 1–2 Nashville SO Saros 17,446 22–10–1 45 34 December 17 Nashville 3–4 Ottawa OT Saros 14,492 22–10–2 46 35 December 18 Nashville 1–2 Chicago Rinne 21,223 22–11–2 46 36 December 20 Nashville 1–2 Philadelphia Rinne 19,142 22–12–2 46 37 December 22 Nashville 2–5 Boston Rinne 17,565 22–13–2 46 38 December 27 Dallas 2–0 Nashville Rinne 17,676 22–14–2 46 39 December 29 NY Rangers 4–3 Nashville Rinne 17,673 22–15–2 46 40 December 31 Nashville 6–3 Washington Rinne 18,506 23–15–2 48 January: 7–3–2 (home: 2–2–0; road: 5–1–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 41 January 1 Philadelphia 0–4 Nashville Saros 17,481 24–15–2 50 42 January 4 Nashville 3–4 Detroit OT Rinne 19,515 24–15–3 51 43 January 5 Nashville 4–1 Montreal Saros 21,302 25–15–3 53 44 January 7 Nashville 4–0 Toronto Rinne 19,059 26–15–3 55 45 January 9 Nashville 4–3 Chicago OT Rinne 21,255 27–15–3 57 46 January 10 Nashville 3–4 Columbus OT Rinne 17,065 27–15–4 58 47 January 13 Nashville 3–6 Carolina Rinne 16,347 27–16–4 58 48 January 15 Washington 2–7 Nashville Saros 17,336 28–16–4 60 49 January 17 Winnipeg 5–1 Nashville Rinne 17,507 28–17–4 60 50 January 19 Florida 4–2 Nashville Saros 17,716 28–18–4 60 51 January 21 Nashville 4–1 Colorado Rinne 18,018 29–18–4 62 52 January 23 Nashville 2–1 Vegas Saros 18,477 30–18–4 64 February: 7–6–1 (home: 5–3–1; road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 53 February 1 Nashville 4–1 Florida Saros 13,158 31–18–4 66 54 February 2 Dallas 3–1 Nashville Rinne 17,722 31–19–4 66 55 February 5 Arizona 2–5 Nashville Rinne 17,295 32–19–4 68 56 February 7 Dallas 2–3 Nashville OT Saros 17,174 33–19–4 70 57 February 9 Nashville 2–3 St. Louis Rinne 18,166 33–20–4 70 58 February 10 St. Louis 5–4 Nashville OT Saros 17,622 33–20–5 71 59 February 12 Detroit 3–2 Nashville Rinne 17,260 33–21–5 71 60 February 14 Montreal 1–3 Nashville Rinne 17,417 34–21–5 73 61 February 16 Nashville 1–5 Vegas Saros 18,430 34–22–5 73 62 February 19 Nashville 5–3 Dallas Rinne 17,985 35–22–5 75 63 February 21 Los Angeles 1–2 Nashville Rinne 17,510 36–22–5 77 64 February 23 Colorado 5–0 Nashville Rinne 17,760 36–23–5 77 65 February 25 Edmonton 2–3 Nashville SO Rinne 17,481 37–23–5 79 66 February 26 Nashville 0–2 St. Louis Saros 16,645 37–24–5 79 March: 7–5–1 (home: 2–2–1; road: 5–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 67 March 1 Nashville 3–5 Winnipeg Rinne 15,321 37–25–5 79 68 March 3 Nashville 3–2 Minnesota SO Saros 18,885 38–25–5 81 69 March 5 Minnesota 4–5 Nashville SO Rinne 17,668 39–25–5 83 70 March 9 Carolina 5–3 Nashville Saros 17,724 39–26–5 83 71 March 12 Nashville 2–3 Anaheim Rinne 16,811 39–27–5 83 72 March 14 Nashville 3–1 Los Angeles Rinne 17,730 40–27–5 85 73 March 16 Nashville 4–2 San Jose Saros 17,562 41–27–5 87 74 March 19 Toronto 0–3 Nashville Rinne 17,499 42–27–5 89 75 March 21 Pittsburgh 2–1 Nashville SO Rinne 17,729 42–27–6 90 76 March 23 Nashville 0–5 Winnipeg Rinne 15,321 42–28–6 90 77 March 25 Nashville 1–0 Minnesota Saros 18,833 43–28–6 92 78 March 29 Nashville 3–1 Pittsburgh Rinne 18,632 44–28–6 94 79 March 30 Columbus 5–2 Nashville Saros 17,751 44–29–6 94 April: 3–0–0 (home: 2–0–0; road: 1–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 80 April 2 Nashville 3–2 Buffalo Rinne 16,569 45–29–6 96 81 April 4 Vancouver 2–3 Nashville Rinne 17,669 46–29–6 98 82 April 6 Chicago 2–5 Nashville Rinne 17,694 47–29–6 100 Legend:

Playoffs

The Predators faced the Dallas Stars in the First Round of the playoffs, and were defeated in six games. 2019 Stanley Cup playoffsWestern Conference first round vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars: Dallas won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 April 10 Dallas 3–2 Nashville Rinne 17,458 0–1 2 April 13 Dallas 1–2 Nashville OT Rinne 17,611 1–1 3 April 15 Nashville 3–2 Dallas Rinne 18,532 2–1 4 April 17 Nashville 1–5 Dallas Rinne 18,532 2–2 5 April 20 Dallas 5–3 Nashville Rinne 17,633 2–3 6 April 22 Nashville 1–2 Dallas OT Rinne 19,025 2–4 Legend:

Player statistics As of April 22, 2019

Skaters

Regular season Player 80 14 50 64 7 42 82 15 41 56 9 42 64 28 22 50 8 26 58 34 14 48 12 26 80 8 36 44 27 47 82 7 34 41 21 20 76 21 17 38 11 20 81 17 18 35 27 18 ‡ 64 10 22 32 −11 26 63 9 22 31 5 60 75 15 15 30 20 23 79 10 16 26 13 12 55 7 16 23 −6 33 ‡ 64 10 10 20 7 44 37 7 9 16 11 39 53 5 8 13 −2 10 62 2 6 8 7 18 37 3 4 7 5 8 44 1 6 7 5 38 † 26 5 0 5 −1 16 † 16 1 4 5 −6 4 57 0 5 5 −2 28 55 3 1 4 1 2 † 17 1 2 3 4 9 23 1 2 3 1 20 ‡ 18 0 3 3 1 8 4 1 1 2 2 0 4 1 0 1 −1 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 † 7 0 0 0 −3 7 1 0 0 0 −1 0 3 0 0 0 −1 0 6 0 0 0 −1 2 1 0 0 0 0 2

Playoffs Player 6 2 2 4 −1 4 5 3 0 3 1 0 6 1 2 3 −3 0 6 0 3 3 −2 0 6 1 1 2 −2 2 6 1 1 2 −2 6 6 1 1 2 2 2 6 1 1 2 −2 6 6 1 1 2 1 2 6 0 2 2 −3 2 6 0 2 2 1 2 3 0 2 2 4 2 6 0 2 2 −2 12 6 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 6 0 1 1 2 0 6 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 −2 2 6 0 0 0 −5 6 2 0 0 0 1 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 56 55 3,219:44 30 19 4 130 2.42 1,581 .918 4 0 0 4 31 27 1,696:13 17 10 2 74 2.62 870 .915 3 0 0 0

Playoffs Player 6 6 329:38 2 4 17 3.09 179 .905 0 0 0 0 1 0 45:29 0 0 1 1.32 21 .952 0 0 0 2

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Predators. Stats reflect time with the Predators only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Predators only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Transactions The Predators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2018–19 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Florida Panthers3rd-round pick in 2018To Nashville Predators3rd-round pick in 2019 To Buffalo SabresJack DoughertyTo Nashville PredatorsNicholas Baptiste To New York RangersConnor BrickleyTo Nashville PredatorsCole Schneider To New Jersey Devils2nd-round pick in 2019To Nashville PredatorsBrian Boyle To New York Rangers7th-round pick in 2020To Nashville PredatorsCody McLeod To Arizona CoyotesEmil PetterssonTo Nashville PredatorsLaurent DauphinAdam Helewka To Toronto Maple LeafsNicholas BaptisteTo Nashville PredatorsFuture considerations To Minnesota WildKevin FialaTo Nashville PredatorsMikael Granlund To Philadelphia FlyersRyan HartmanConditional 4th-round pick in 2020To Nashville PredatorsWayne Simmonds To Tampa Bay Lightning7th-round pick in 2021To Nashville PredatorsConnor Ingram

Free agents Date Player Team Contract term Ref Connor Brickley from Florida Panthers 1-year Rocco Grimaldi from Colorado Avalanche 1-year Mark McNeill to Boston Bruins 1-year John Ramage to New Jersey Devils 1-year Jarred Tinordi from Pittsburgh Penguins 1-year Zac Rinaldo from Arizona Coyotes 1-year Colin Blackwell from Rochester Americans (AHL) 2-year Zachary Magwood from Barrie Colts (OHL) 3-year Harry Zolnierczyk to Springfield Falcons (AHL) Unknown Dan Hamhuis from Dallas Stars 2-year Trevor Smith to San Antonio Rampage (AHL) Unknown Alexei Emelin to Avangard Omsk (KHL) 3-year Anders Lindback to Davos (NL) 1-year Matt Donovan from Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) 2-year Tom McCollum from Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) 1-year Lukas Craggs from Bowling Green Falcons (WCHA) 2-year Brandon Fortunato from Quinnipiac Bobcats (ECAC Hockey) 2-year Josh Wilkins from Providence Friars (Hockey East) 2-year Mathieu Olivier from Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) 2-year

Waivers Date Player Team Ref Phillip Di Giuseppe from Carolina Hurricanes Anthony Bitetto to Minnesota Wild

Contract terminations Date Player Via Ref Tyler Moy Mutual termination Carl Persson Mutual termination Joonas Lyytinen Mutual termination Miroslav Svoboda Mutual termination Filip Pyrochta Mutual termination

Retirement Date Player Ref Mike Fisher Scott Hartnell

Signings Date Player Contract term Ref Ryan Hartman 1-year Juuse Saros 3-year Miikka Salomaki 1-year Ryan Ellis 8-year Pekka Rinne 2-year Laurent Dauphin 1-year Adam Helewka 1-year Troy Grosenick 1-year Rem Pitlick 2-year Dante Fabbro 3-year

Draft picks

Below are the Nashville Predators' selections at the 2018 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 22 and 23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)41111 Jachym Kondelik C Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)51312 Spencer Stastney D U.S. NTDP (USHL)5151 Vladislav Yeryomenko D Calgary Hitmen (WHL)7213 Milan Kloucek G Dynamo Pardubice (ELH)

Notes The Columbus Blue Jackets' fourth-round pick went to the Nashville Predators as the result of a trade on February 25, 2018, that sent Mark Letestu to Columbus in exchange for this pick.