There will be a changing of the guard for the Nashville Predators, with a familiar face taking over as general manager.

David Poile is retiring from his position as Nashville's president of hockey operations and general manager, effective June 30. Former Predators, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz will take over as GM.

Trotz will serve as an advisor to Poile and his management team for the next four months.

Poile said in a statement that he felt this was the decision was "best" for both himself and the team:

"This is a decision that is best for me personally and best for the Nashville Predators. For the Predators, I believe it is time for a new voice and a new direction. I am proud of the foundation we have put in place in our hockey operations, investing in and improving every area of the department. This is the right time for someone else to move our franchise forward."

NHL reporter Elliotte Friedman first reported the news.

It is difficult to envision the Predators without Poile, although he will remain in a consulting role.

He was the general manager of the Capitals starting in 1982-83 but came to the Predators when they were an expansion franchise ahead of their initial season in 1998-99. Perhaps the crowning moment of his tenure came when he was named the General Manager of the Year in 2017 when Nashville reached its first Stanley Cup Final.

Even at that time, Poile was already the longest-serving general manager in NHL history dating back to his time with the Capitals.

Those are major shoes to fill, but Trotz is certainly familiar with the organization.

After all, he was the Predators' head coach for their first 15 seasons of existence. He worked directly with Poile during that time and helped guide the team to an overall record of 557 wins, 479 losses, 60 ties and 100 overtime losses during his tenure.

Nashville also went to the playoffs seven times under Trotz's leadership.

While the 60-year-old may be best known for leading the Capitals to the 2018 Stanley Cup title and reaching the playoffs in seven of his eight seasons with Washington and New York, his longest time with any single team came with the same Predators he's returning to with this move.

The Predators may need to make some moves this offseason outside of the leadership change, as they are 28-22-6 on the season and eight points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.