Setting the Scene
It’s the eve of April 5, 2018 and the beloved local hockey team is facing off against the Washington Capitals. A win will seal the Central Division, the Western Conference, and quite possibly the Presidents’ Trophy. Three franchise firsts for the Nashville Predators.
Do you have chills right now? You should. This moment has only been 20 years in the making.
But the game is only just beginning, so let’s take a look back. How did we get here?
The Recap
The last time we met, we were a few days into 2018. The Preds were ping ponging around the top of the central, the west, and the league after they traded for Kyle Turris.
Just when it seemed like Poile was all out of moves he convinced Mike Fisher to return from his extended hunting journey through the wilderness…uh…retirement, he convinced him to come out of retirement.
Yuuuppppp @mikefisher1212 is back in the mix baby!! ☝🏿 pic.twitter.com/qdDWmWNtkN
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) January 31, 2018
This is happening! Fish is back! So proud of you, baby! We want the cup!!! https://t.co/ohP7zPtT1s
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) January 31, 2018
…and Poile had jokes…
GM Poile: “Deer season has officially ended… Mike Fisher has some unfinished business and intends to make a comeback.” #Preds
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) January 31, 2018
But the High Wizard-ing GM of Nashville still. wasn’t. done. As the trade deadline closed in, Poile started conjuring…
Trade: #Preds acquire winger Ryan Hartman from #Blackhawks. https://t.co/hYQiR1DGcg
— x-Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) February 26, 2018
Naturally people had questions. It’s not every day the Preds make trades with their mortal enemies. In the end…Hartman fit right in…
Statement win does not begin to describe it. #Preds win 6-5 on a GWG from Ryan Hartman to extend their division lead over the #NHLJets. #NSHvsWPG pic.twitter.com/tdsihisapr
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) February 28, 2018
And just when you thought this team couldn’t get anymore dangerous…
It is no longer #TolvanenWatch, y’all.
It’s #TolvanenWarning
— Kristopher Martel (@kmartel_sports) March 24, 2018
Eeli Tolvanen made his way to the NHL.
#TolvanenWatch at peak hype pic.twitter.com/1EII7bIwVH
— Bobby Misey (@Bmisey) March 21, 2018
Somewhere Along The Way…
David Poile became the most winningest GM in NHL history
Pekka Rinne won his 300th NHL game…
…and it was emotional…
Oh my goodness, #Preds Pekka Rinne wiping the tears away after the fans give him an amazing standing ovation in recognition for his 300th career NHL win! pic.twitter.com/x1MFlaYoSg
— FOX Sports Tennessee (@PredsOnFSTN) February 23, 2018
…but Nashville’s love for Rinne made the campaign for #Pekka4Vezina even stronger!
Join @cmace30 and join the movement.#Preds | @PredsNHL pic.twitter.com/Wx7CUJ1ozl
— FOX Sports Tennessee (@PredsOnFSTN) April 5, 2018
There were new little tiny editions…
…several new little tiny editions…
Craig Smith became the embodiment of all things Nashville when he performed at the Blue Bird Cafe…
ICYMI, last Friday some of the @PredsNHL stopped by for the special @PredsFoundation benefit show. Many Preds players were in attendance and winger Craig Smith showed off his musical talents by performing a song he wrote with @destefanomusic & @JTXROCKSTAR. #NHL #Preds pic.twitter.com/QnSvevIZPF
— The Bluebird Cafe (@BluebirdCafeTN) February 20, 2018
And P.K. Subban did what he does best…thriving off his haters by living his best life…
The best revenge is a life well lived. pic.twitter.com/PrkHrLUTlc
— On The Forecheck (@OnTheForecheck) February 11, 2018
🔄 @RyanJohansen19 @PKSubban1 pic.twitter.com/IZc2RJ1J5T
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) February 18, 2018
And Now…
As the final two periods of hockey commenced in Washington…
Central Division – Clinched!
And we were like…
Western Conference – Clinched!
And we were like…
But if new banners weren’t enough to have you feeling emotional, the Preds still had one last thing to clinch and it was all riding on the Florida Panthers. You know, the same team that caused us all to go into a blind rage days earlier because of this goaltender interference debacle…
You decide on this one: #Preds | #NSHvsFLA pic.twitter.com/h2JRuCWFM6
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) April 4, 2018
…you remember.
That look says it all…
…#Preds fall to the Panthers 2-1. Stay tuned to FSTN Predators Live Post Game. pic.twitter.com/2M1ruNACQU
— FOX Sports Tennessee (@PredsOnFSTN) April 4, 2018
We all know there is a certain flair for dramatics in the NHL but COME ON! Really?
While we all silently hoped the terrible things we said about the Panthers wouldn’t come back to haunt us, we waited in agony for the game in Florida to end…
37 seconds left, Panthers just missed an empty netter.
— On The Forecheck (@OnTheForecheck) April 6, 2018
We weren’t alone…
The Predators are gathered around @bgwalker18’s phone watching the end of the Bruins/Panthers game.
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) April 6, 2018
And then something incredible happened…
There’s a new Presidents’ Trophy winner this year.
Your champions, the @PredsNHL! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/qtJ40R7JZu
— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2018
Presidents’ Trophy – Clinched!
And we were like…
They did it. On their milestone 20th anniversary season the Nashville Predators conquered the Central Division, the Western Conference, and topped the entire league.
The Nashville Predators summed up in one Tweet…
Honestly, classic #Preds to go from never winning a division title, to winning one, then the Western Conference then the Presidents’ Trophy in five minutes.
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) April 6, 2018
One Thing Left To Do…
We’ve known the Preds were going to the playoffs for a while now, who their first round nemesis will be still remains unknown. Some of the usual suspects will be absent this year.
Chicago – Imploded.
St. Louis – Hutton’d into obscurity.
Dallas – Still a hockey team.
Playoff hockey is a different beast, but so far we’ve been thriving off the tears of our enemies all season…
Y’all. The mentions on this tweet.
Penguins fans are angrier than a hornet in a Coke can. https://t.co/MINDFjRfIn
— On The Forecheck (@OnTheForecheck) March 13, 2018
“I love beating those guys, how about you?” – #Preds Ryan Johansen pumping up the crowd down at the bench with @KaraHammer! pic.twitter.com/QFPsfY9FeC
— FOX Sports Tennessee (@PredsOnFSTN) March 9, 2018
When you get traded from 7th to 1st #Predshttps://t.co/s7hFJW182d via @Gfycat pic.twitter.com/xCG0jWnQFY
— Michael Wade (@WadeM1994) March 6, 2018
…overcoming playoff hostility and deep-seated rivalries is Nashville’s specialty after all.
Since Chicago is already hitting the back nine, you think they’ll let us barrow one of those 3 Cups they’re always talking about to collect those previously mentioned tears in?
We have a whole squad of guys with 50+ points we have to keep hydrated for the long haul and we all know what happens to water bottles in the playoffs…
Haaaaaa it was Sidney Crosby who threw the water bottle on the ice pic.twitter.com/K6n9x6lVn4
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 9, 2017
Brace yourselves, the Nashville Predators have some unfinished business to attend to…
And that’s where the real fun begins…