2008–09 Nashville Predators season

2008–09 Nashville Predators
Division	5th Central
Conference	10th Western
2008–09 record	40–34–8
Home record	24–13–2
Road record	16–21–4
Goals for	213
Goals against	233
Team information
General manager	David Poile
Coach	Barry Trotz
Captain	Jason Arnott
Alternate captains	Jean-Pierre Dumont Shea Weber
Arena	Sommet Center
Average attendance	15,011 (87.7%) Total: 615,439

The 2008–09 Nashville Predators season began on October 10, 2008. It was the Nashville Predators' 11th season in the National Hockey League. The Predators ended up missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002-03 season

Pre-season

2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0; Road: 1–2–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 25	Atlanta	4–2	Nashville		Rinne	10,558	0–1–0	[1]
2	September 26	Nashville	3–4	Columbus		MacIntyre	11,964	0–2–0	[2]
3	September 27	Columbus	1–3	Nashville		Ellis	12,078	1–2–0	[3]
4	October 2	Carolina	4–2	Nashville		Ellis	12,903	1–3–0	[4]
5	October 3	Nashville	6–4	Atlanta		Rinne	6,753	2–3–0	[5]
6	October 5	Nashville	0–2	Carolina		Ellis	11,313	2–4–0	[6]

Regular season

Divisional standings

Central Division

		GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	y – Detroit Red Wings	82	51	21	10	295	244	112
2	Chicago Blackhawks	82	46	24	12	264	216	104
3	St. Louis Blues	82	41	31	10	233	233	92
4	Columbus Blue Jackets	82	41	31	10	226	230	92
5	Nashville Predators	82	40	34	8	213	233	88

Conference standings

Western Conference

R		Div	GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – San Jose Sharks	PA	82	53	18	11	257	204	117
2	y – Detroit Red Wings	CE	82	51	21	10	295	244	112
3	y – Vancouver Canucks	NW	82	45	27	10	246	220	100
4	Chicago Blackhawks	CE	82	46	24	12	264	216	104
5	Calgary Flames	NW	82	46	30	6	254	248	98
6	St. Louis Blues	CE	82	41	31	10	233	233	92
7	Columbus Blue Jackets	CE	82	41	31	10	226	230	92
8	Anaheim Ducks	PA	82	42	33	7	245	238	91
8.5
9	Minnesota Wild	NW	82	40	33	9	219	200	89
10	Nashville Predators	CE	82	40	34	8	213	233	88
11	Edmonton Oilers	NW	82	38	35	9	234	248	85
12	Dallas Stars	PA	82	36	35	11	230	257	83
13	Phoenix Coyotes	PA	82	36	39	7	208	252	79
14	Los Angeles Kings	PA	82	34	37	11	207	234	79
15	Colorado Avalanche	NW	82	32	45	5	199	257	69

bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, p – Presidents' Trophy winner
CE – Central Division, NW – Northwest Division, PA – Pacific Division

Game log

2008–09 Game Log
October: 5–4–1 (Home: 4–1–0; Road: 1–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 10 Nashville 2–5 St. Louis Ellis 19,150 0–1–0 0 [7] 2 October 11 Dallas 1–3 Nashville Ellis 17,113 1–1–0 2 [8] 3 October 13 Nashville 3–2 Chicago SO Ellis 21,712 2–1–0 4 [9] 4 October 15 Nashville 4–6 Dallas Ellis 16,899 2–2–0 4 [10] 5 October 17 Nashville 3–5 Columbus Ellis 17,930 2–3–0 4 [11] 6 October 18 Columbus 3–6 Nashville Ellis 13,259 3–3–0 6 [12] 7 October 23 Calgary 5–3 Nashville Ellis 12,042 3–4–0 6 [13] 8 October 25 Los Angeles 4–5 Nashville Ellis 14,704 4–4–0 8 [14] 9 October 28 Nashville 3–4 Washington SO Ellis 17,011 4–4–1 9 [15] 10 October 30 Edmonton 1–3 Nashville Rinne 11,294 5–4–1 11 [16]
November: 6–6–1 (Home: 1–2–1; Road: 5–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 1 Florida 2–3 Nashville SO Rinne 14,909 6–4–1 13 [17] 12 November 4 Nashville 0–4 Vancouver Ellis 18,630 6–5–1 13 [18] 13 November 6 Nashville 6–7 Calgary Ellis 19,289 6–6–1 13 [19] 14 November 8 Nashville 0–1 Colorado Ellis 18,007 6–7–1 13 [20] 15 November 11 Nashville 4–3 San Jose OT Ellis 17,496 7–7–1 15 [21] 16 November 14 Nashville 4–3 Anaheim OT Ellis 16,485 8–7–1 17 [22] 17 November 15 Nashville 3–1 Los Angeles Ellis 14,135 9–7–1 19 [23] 18 November 17 San Jose 4–1 Nashville Ellis 13,312 9–8–1 19 [24] 19 November 21 Nashville 1–4 Tampa Bay Ellis 16,444 9–9–1 19 [25] 20 November 23 Nashville 5–2 Carolina Ellis 13,042 10–9–1 21 [26] 21 November 25 St. Louis 1–0 Nashville SO Ellis 13,825 10–9–2 22 [27] 22 November 28 Nashville 4–3 Atlanta OT Rinne 15,022 11–9–2 24 [28] 23 November 29 Minnesota 6–2 Nashville Ellis 13,990 11–10–2 24 [29]
December: 6–6–1 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 1–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Nashville 2–0 Buffalo Rinne 18,690 12–10–2 26 [30] 25 December 4 Colorado 2–3 Nashville Rinne 12,717 13–10–2 28 [31] 26 December 6 Minnesota 0–1 Nashville Rinne 14,408 14–10–2 30 [32] 27 December 8 Nashville 3–6 St. Louis Rinne 14,537 14–11–2 30 [33] 28 December 9 Vancouver 3–1 Nashville Ellis 12,441 14–12–2 30 [34] 29 December 11 Nashville 1–2 Columbus SO Ellis 13,484 14–12–3 31 [35] 30 December 13 Dallas 0–3 Nashville Ellis 15,426 15–12–3 33 [36] 31 December 18 Nashville 1–2 Phoenix Ellis 14,193 15–13–3 33 [37] 32 December 20 NY Islanders 0–1 Nashville Rinne 16,457 16–13–3 35 [38] 33 December 23 Nashville 0–3 Florida Rinne 14,703 16–14–3 35 [39] 34 December 26 Detroit 2–3 Nashville Ellis 17,113 17–14–3 37 [40] 35 December 28 Nashville 2–5 Edmonton Ellis 16,839 17–15–3 37 [41] 36 December 29 Nashville 1–5 Colorado Rinne 15,643 17–16–3 37 [42]
January: 4–8–0 (Home: 2–5–0; Road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 37 January 1 Vancouver 2–1 Nashville Rinne 16,502 17–17–3 37 [43] 38 January 3 Calgary 3–2 Nashville Ellis 14,321 17–18–3 37 [44] 39 January 6 Colorado 2–1 Nashville Rinne 13,598 17–19–3 37 [45] 40 January 8 Pittsburgh 3–5 Nashville Rinne 14,297 18–19–3 39 [46] 41 January 10 Chicago 1–4 Nashville Rinne 16,802 19–19–3 41 [47] 42 January 11 Nashville 1–3 Chicago Ellis 21,666 19–20–3 41 [48] 43 January 13 Nashville 2–0 Toronto Rinne 19,223 20–20–3 43 [49] 44 January 15 Nashville 2–3 Montreal Rinne 21,273 20–21–3 43 [50] 45 January 17 Atlanta 7–2 Nashville Ellis 17,113 20–22–3 43 [51] 46 January 19 New Jersey 3–1 Nashville Rinne 14,848 20–23–3 43 [52] 47 January 28 Nashville 5–3 Vancouver Rinne 18,630 21–23–3 45 [53] 48 January 30 Nashville 1–3 Calgary Rinne 19,289 21–24–3 45 [54]
February: 10–4–1 (Home: 7–2–1; Road: 3–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 February 1 Nashville 2–1 Edmonton Rinne 16,839 22–24–3 47 [55] 50 February 3 Phoenix 1–2 Nashville Rinne 13,195 23–24–3 49 [56] 51 February 5 Anaheim 2–4 Nashville Rinne 14,877 24–24–3 51 [57] 52 February 6 Nashville 2–0 Minnesota Ellis 18,568 25–24–3 53 [58] 53 February 8 Nashville 1–4 Dallas Ellis 17,689 25–25–3 53 [59] 54 February 10 Detroit 5–3 Nashville Rinne 15,077 25–26–3 53 [60] 55 February 12 St. Louis 3–4 Nashville SO Rinne 14,307 26–26–3 55 [61] 56 February 14 Boston 2–3 Nashville SO Rinne 17,113 27–26–3 57 [62] 57 February 16 Ottawa 2–0 Nashville Rinne 14,681 27–27–3 57 [63] 58 February 18 Nashville 2–6 Detroit Ellis 20,066 27–28–3 57 [64] 59 February 19 St. Louis 2–1 Nashville OT Rinne 15,037 27–28–4 58 [65] 60 February 21 Nashville 1–0 St. Louis OT Rinne 19,250 28–28–4 60 [66] 61 February 24 Chicago 3–5 Nashville Rinne 15,075 29–28–4 62 [67] 62 February 26 Phoenix 1–4 Nashville Rinne 14,954 30–28–4 64 [68] 63 February 28 Detroit 0–8 Nashville Rinne 17,113 31–28–4 66 [69]
March: 7–3–4 (Home: 4–1–2; Road: 3–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 64 March 3 Edmonton 5–6 Nashville OT Rinne 14,194 32–28–4 68 [70] 65 March 5 Columbus 2–4 Nashville Rinne 13,064 33–28–4 70 [71] 66 March 7 Nashville 1–4 Philadelphia Rinne 19,611 33–29–4 70 [72] 67 March 10 Washington 2–1 Nashville OT Ellis 16,064 33–29–5 71 [73] 68 March 12 NY Rangers 4–2 Nashville Ellis 16,241 33–30–5 71 [74] 69 March 14 Nashville 2–0 Phoenix Rinne 13,197 34–30–5 73 [75] 70 March 16 Nashville 4–3 Los Angeles Rinne 17,810 35–30–5 75 [76] 71 March 18 Nashville 3–4 Anaheim OT Rinne 16,181 35–30–6 76 [77] 72 March 19 Nashville 2–3 San Jose SO Rinne 17,496 35–30–7 77 [78] 73 March 24 Anaheim 2–1 Nashville SO Rinne 16,418 35–30–8 78 [79] 74 March 26 San Jose 2–3 Nashville Rinne 16,562 36–30–8 80 [80] 75 March 28 Los Angeles 3–4 Nashville OT Rinne 17,113 37–30–8 82 [81] 76 March 29 Nashville 4–3 Detroit Rinne 20,066 38–30–8 84 [82] 77 March 31 Nashville 1–2 Columbus Rinne 14,495 38–31–8 84 [83]
April: 2–3–0 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 3 Nashville 1–3 Chicago Rinne 21,628 38–32–8 84 [84] 79 April 4 Columbus 4–5 Nashville SO Rinne 16,750 39–32–8 86 [85] 80 April 7 Chicago 4–2 Nashville Rinne 17,113 39–33–8 86 [86] 81 April 9 Nashville 4–3 Detroit SO Rinne 20,066 40–33–8 88 [87] 82 April 10 Nashville 4–8 Minnesota Rinne 18,568 40–34–8 88 [88]
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Playoffs

The Nashville Predators failed to qualify for the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, making it the first time that the Predators missed the playoffs since 2003.

Player stats

Skaters

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals 

Regular season Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM Jean-Pierre Dumont 82 16 49 65 +1 20 Jason Arnott 65 33 24 57 +2 49 Shea Weber 81 23 30 53 +1 80 Martin Erat 71 17 33 50 -7 48 Ryan Suter 82 7 38 45 -16 73 David Legwand 73 20 22 42 -3 32 Joel Ward 79 17 18 35 +1 29 Steve Sullivan 41 11 21 32 +2 30 Dan Hamhuis 82 3 23 26 -4 67 Radek Bonk 66 9 16 25 -12 34 Vernon Fiddler 78 11 6 17 -13 24 Ryan Jones 46 7 10 17 +1 22 Jordin Tootoo 72 4 12 16 -15 124 Jerred Smithson 82 4 9 13 -6 49 Kevin Klein 63 4 8 12 -2 19 Greg Zanon 82 4 7 11 +8 38 Ville Koistinen 38 3 8 11 0 14 Scott Nichol 43 4 6 10 0 41 Rich Peverley^‡ 27 2 7 9 -3 15 Patric Hornqvist 28 2 5 7 -3 16 Antti Pihlstrom 53 2 5 7 -1 10 Greg de Vries 71 1 4 5 -15 65 Cal O'Reilly 11 3 2 5 +2 2 Wade Belak^† 38 0 2 2 -1 54 Nick Tarnasky^‡ 11 0 1 1 +1 17 Jed Ortmeyer 2 0 0 0 0 0 Mike Santorelli 7 0 0 0 -5 2

Goaltenders

Note:  Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Regular season
Player GP Min W L OT GA GAA SA SV Sv% SO Pekka Rinne 52 2999 29 15 4 119 2.38 1435 1316 .917 7 Dan Ellis 35 1964 11 19 4 96 2.93 963 867 .900 3

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

Awards and records

Records

Milestones

Regular Season
Player	Milestone	Reached
Patric Hornqvist	1st NHL Game	October 10, 2008
Ryan Jones	1st NHL Game	October 10, 2008
Joel Ward	1st NHL Goal	October 10, 2008
Jean-Pierre Dumont	600th NHL Game	October 15, 2008
Patric Hornqvist	1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Point	October 15, 2008
Ryan Jones	1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Assist 1st NHL Point	October 15, 2008
Jean-Pierre Dumont	400th NHL Point	October 18, 2008
Patric Hornqvist	1st NHL Assist	October 25, 2008
Jason Arnott	Franchise Single Season Goal Record (33)	April 10, 2009

Transactions

Trades

June 20, 2008	To Nashville Predators 4th-round pick in 2008 – Dale Weise	To St. Louis Blues Chris Mason
June 20, 2008	To Nashville Predators 1st-round pick (7th overall) in 2008 – Colin Wilson	To New York Islanders 1st-round pick (9th overall) in 2008 – Josh Bailey 2nd-round pick in 2008 – Aaron Ness
June 20, 2008	To Nashville Predators 1st-round pick (18th overall) in 2008 – Chet Pickard 3rd-round pick in 2009 – Taylor Beck	To Ottawa Senators 1st-round pick (15th overall) in 2008 – Erik Karlsson
September 29, 2008	To Nashville Predators Nick Tarnasky	To Tampa Bay Lightning Conditional 6th-round pick in 2009 – Jaroslav Janus
October 30, 2008	To Nashville Predators Hugh Jessiman	To New York Rangers Future Considerations
October 30, 2008	To Nashville Predators Tim Ramholt	To Philadelphia Flyers Josh Gratton
November 27, 2008	To Nashville Predators Wade Belak	To Florida Panthers Nick Tarnasky

Free agents

Player Former team Contract Terms

Player New team Alex Henry Montreal Canadiens Darcy Hordichuk Vancouver Canucks

Claimed via waivers

Player Former team Date claimed off waivers

Draft picks

Nashville's picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	7 (from Toronto via NY Islanders)	Colin Wilson	(C)	United States	Boston University (Hockey East)
1	18 (from Ottawa)	Chet Pickard	(G)	Canada	Tri-City Americans (WHL)
2	38 (from Toronto via Phoenix)	Roman Josi	(D)	Switzerland	SC Bern (NLA)
5	136	Taylor Stefishen	(LW)	Canada	Langley Chiefs (BCHL)
6	166	Jeff Foss	(D)	United States	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC)
7	201 (from NY Rangers)	Jani Lajunen	(C)	Finland	Espoo Blues (Finland Jr.)
7	207 (from San Jose)	Anders Lindback	(G)	Sweden	Brynäs IF (Elitserien)

See also

• 2008–09 NHL season

Farm teams

References