Poile

Now in their 20th season working together, General Manager David Poile and Head Coach Barry Trotz have provided a successful model of continuity and stability guiding the Nashville Predators.  Poile was one of the expansion franchise’s first hires, and one of his first moves was bringing in Trotz to coach.  Both were in place a full season before the first NHL puck dropped in the Music City in 1998.

Now ten seasons later, the duo has led the Predators from an expansion team to a playoff contender.  Poile created and installed an Entry Draft-based team-building philosophy that has proven fruitful, and he has supplemented with shrewd acquisitions, through trade and on the free-agent market.  Meanwhile, Trotz and his coaching staff have helped create a team identity based on speed, hard work and tenacity.

Trotz

Only one of 29 other current GM/head coach duos has been together in its current setting longer than Poile and Trotz.  Over the course of their ten seasons, both individuals has been recognized for achievement.  Poile was named the 2007 Sporting News Executive of the Year, Business Tennessee’s 2006 CEO of the Year and in 2001, he was honored with the Lester Patrick Award in recognition of contributions to hockey in the United States.  Trotz was named the 2007 Sporting News Coach of the Year, he worked the bench as an assistant coach at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game and he has finished fourth in balloting for the NHL’s Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year) in each of the last two seasons.