This could have been the season of discontent for the Predators, but it turned into one of triumph.

After letting top players like Paul Kariya, Peter Forsberg, Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen go and trading goaltender Tomas Vokoun, the Predators appeared to be headed to the bottom rungs of the Western Conference. The stripping of the team, the result of the decision of Craig Leipold to the sell it, also seemed to be setting the stage for the team to limp out of town and possibly to Canada.

But a local group came forward to purchase the team. That ownership stability also translated to the ice, with the Predators endeavoring to persevere through a number of injuries, often inconsistent goaltending and a season-opening losing streak on the way to their fourth straight ...More