The Nashville Predators announced on Sunday that general manager David Poile -- the winningest GM in NHL history and Nashville's only GM to date -- is retiring after 26 seasons with the club. The move will be effective June 30.
According to a press release, Poile -- who also holds the title of president of hockey operations -- will remain with the organization as an advisor, serving the team's ownership, its business operations leadership group, and the hockey operations department.
Barry Trotz, the first coach in Predators' history, will take over from Poile as Nashville's next general manager. He'll be in charge of "all facets of the Predators' hockey operations department, including the coaching and scouting staffs, player procurement and development, as well as minor league affiliations and operations."
Starting immediately, Trotz will be an advisor for Poile and his management team leading up to the official change just following the 2023 NHL Draft. That will be hosted by the Predators at Bridgestone Arena on June 28-29.
"This is a decision that is best for me personally and best for the Nashville Predators," Poile said in the release. "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."
Poile, 73, spent 15 seasons as GM of the Washington Capitals before joining the Predators in 1997, when Nashville joined the NHL as an expansion franchise. His Predators' teams reached the playoffs in 15 of the past 18 years. Nashville is currently eight points out of a postseason spot, though, and headed toward a transitional phase, open to selling assets ahead of the Friday's trade deadline while charting the organization's next step.
Nevertheless, Poile had a strong run in Nashville (including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017), and remains the only GM in league history to lead two separate franchises (the Predators and Capitals) for over 1,000 games while earning 500 wins.
Trotz coached Nashville from 1998 to 2014 and remains the winningest coach in team history, with 557 wins. He moved on to Washington for four seasons, during which Trotz won a Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 2015-16 and the franchise's only Stanley Cup in 2018.
Trotz left Washington for the New York Islanders ahead of the 2018-19 season, and he took that club to back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup semifinals. He was relieved of those duties in May after the Islanders failed to reach the postseason.
Trotz drew plenty of quick interest from teams eager for his services last summer, but ultimately decided to wait on making his next move.
"My heart has been in Nashville since that first season in 1998-99," Trotz said via the release. "I believe our team and our fanbase has developed a relationship that is very unique in sports today, and I am excited to be returning home to the organization and the city where I held my first head coaching job in the NHL. I can't thank David enough, not only for turning over the job to me, but for teaching me so much over the past 40 years. I believe I am prepared to succeed as an NHL general manager, and I have David to thank for that. I will work hard as a member of David's team for the next four months, and when I become GM on July 1, I pledge to do everything I can in leading our franchise to its first-ever Stanley Cup."
On Saturday, the Predators began to work on their roster with the deadline looming. Nashville dealt veteran right wing Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round draft pick in 2024.
