Predators snag Chris MacFarland as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager

The Nashville Predators announced Tuesday that they hired Chris MacFarland as their next President of Hockey Operations and General Manager.

MacFarland served as Colorado's GM following the 2022 Stanley Cup Win, being named a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award this season. The Avalanche granted the Predators permission to interview MacFarland, ultimately leading to a deal between the two.

MacFarland brings 25 years of front officer experience to the club, serving roles with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Avalanche in the NHL, along with the Springfield Falcons in the AHL. He will become the second President of Hockey Ops. and third General Manager in Predators history. Former General Manager Barry Trotz will move to an advisory role within the organization following MacFarland's arrival.

"I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly," MacFarland said. "My goal here is to build a winner, working with Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future."

Nashville Predators PR Release

Predators Chairman and Majority Owner Bill Haslam was the one to break the news on behalf of the organization.

"We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Haslam said. “We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates, but all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris. He turned out to be a perfect fit for us – just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."

Nashville Predators PR Release

The move marks a major turning point in Nashville's future as it begins to pursue candidates outside of its alumni. A highly touted move by many insiders, the Predators fanbase has a lot to look forward to as the team takes a big step in the right direction.