NASHVILLE — Nashville Predators fans made very clear they wanted their favorite NHL club to hire a new general manager with no ties to David Poile or Barry Trotz, eager for someone with fresh ideas and connections to revive or rebuild the franchise.
Chris MacFarland is trying to revitalize the Predators and get them to Stanley Cup contender status as soon as possible.
“You saw all the moves he made this summer,” team captain Roman Josi said of the 56-year-old executive nicknamed “CMac.” “You know he wants to win with this team now and he wants to compete now, and I think especially for guys who are a little bit older, too, that’s huge.”
MacFarland was introduced in June as Nashville’s new president of hockey operations and only the third GM for the Predators, who hit the ice in 1998. Poile held that role for the franchise until 2023, while Trotz — who was head coach for the Predators from their debut season through the 2013-14 campaign — took over after that.
MacFarland’s resumé made it easy for Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam to select a man who spent 11 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, the past four as GM.