Predators step up in hopes fans will, too

In 1998, I wrote a column encouraging the people of Warren County to take a drive to Nashville and give Nashville Predators hockey a chance.

Today I am back to do the same thing, but under slightly different circumstances. The first column ran on the entertainment page, because that?s what the Predators offered ? entertainment. This one is on the sports page, because the Predators now offer some of the best hockey in the world.

For those who haven?t heard, the quaint little collection of no-name players that comprised the Predators during their early years has been transformed into, depending on the outcome of last night?s games, either the number one or the number two team in the NHL. And a front office staff that was widely criticized for its tight purse strings and an apparent unwillingness to take any gambles has shown itself totally committed to winning the Stanley Cup.

But don?t look for any more ?five year plans.? The Predators aren?t talking about winning hockey?s holy grail in a few years, or even next season. The Predators are going all out to take the title THIS YEAR.

That intention became quite clear Thursday afternoon when General Manager David Poile decided not to settle for going into the playoffs with the team which has posted the second highest goal total in the NHL to this point in the season. He pulled the trigger on the biggest trade in franchise history, bringing to Nashville arguably the best all-around player in hockey, Peter Forsberg.

The 6-foot, 205-pound center didn?t come cheap. In the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Predators bid adieu to former first-round draft choices Scottie Upshall and Ryan Parent, along with a first-round and third-round draft choice in next year?s entry draft.

But many experts in the hockey world agree that that sacrifice will be well worth it if the trade results in the deep playoff run that many feel is possible with Forsberg in the lineup. Forsberg?s credentials speak for themselves. Over the course of his 12-season career he has won two Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals with Sweden, the Hart Trophy as the MVP of the league, the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring and the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1995. He becomes arguably the best player to ever slip on a Predators jersey, (unless Wayne Gretzky ever tried one on purely for fashion reasons.)

With Forsberg taking his place in the lineup with stars such as Paul Kariya, Jason Arnott, Steve Sullivan and David Legwand, the Predators have instantly become a popular pick to win the Stanley Cup for those in the know in the hockey world.

Forsberg?s acquisition could also pay big dividends for the franchise off the ice. Without going too much into the attendance problems which have been all too eagerly reported in another mid-state newspaper, the Predators need to raise their average attendance as well as corporate sponsorships in order to ensure they stay in Nashville for the foreseeable future. This trade, along with the national media attention it is bringing, could be just the shot in the arm the Predators need to attract new fans.

That?s where the people of Warren County come in. If you are a sports fan at all, or even if you?re not, there are few better ways to spend a night than watching some of the most skilled athletes in the world.

This team is doing all it can to prove to the people of middle Tennessee that they are committed to winning. There?s plenty of room on the Predator bandwagon and there?s never been a better time to jump on.