As the architect of a club built on speed and skill, Poile saw his aggressive team-building plan (implemented from the franchise’s inception) continue to bear fruit in 2008-09 as four more Predator draftees made their NHL debuts (Patric Hornqvist, Cal O’Reilly, Mike Santorelli and Alexander Sulzer). In addition to the newcomers, eight other Poile draft picks (Martin Erat, Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Klein, David Legwand, Pekka Rinne, Ryan Suter, Jordin Tootoo and Shea Weber) made up Nashville’s young, talented core. He has also brought in the veteran presence of Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont and Steve Sullivan in recent seasons to create a balanced lineup.

Under Poile’s direction, the Predators have have been one of the top teams in the NHL over the past few seasons. Since the start of 2005-06, their 181 wins ranks sixth-best in the league, while 107 home victories puts them third behind only Detroit (112) and Calgary (108) in the category. Nashville has made the playoffs in four of the past five seasons, averaging more than 97 points per season during that span (91 in 2003-04, 106 in 2005-06, 110 in 2006-07, 91 in 2007-08 and 88 in 2008-09).

The club soared to its highest level yet in 2006-07, finishing the season with the second-most points in the Western Conference and tied for the third-most points in the entire National Hockey League. The Predators established franchise records in points (110), wins (51), road wins (23) and goals (272) during the campaign, leading Poile to be recognized by The Sporting News as its Executive of the Year, an honor he had received twice previously (1982-83 and 1983-84) and which is determined through a vote of his peers. Locally, Business TN magazine honored him as the magazine’s “CEO of the Year” for 2006 based on his consistent and successful track record as the team’s architect.

The aggressive team-building plan implemented by Poile from the franchise’s inception has transformed the organization into one of the NHL's most promising clubs. Crucial to the plan’s success is the ability to make the right selections and develop the young prospects. Poile has assembled a bright staff of personnel charged with those responsibilities, including assistant general manager Paul Fenton, chief amateur scout Jeff Kealty, and the coaching staff, led by Barry Trotz.

Poile has long been a proponent of a strong developmental system as a means to develop promising young players into productive NHL players. The Predators’ primary developmental affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, captured the first Calder Cup Championship in franchise history in 2004 and revisited the Calder Cup Finals in 2006. In 2008-09, the Admirals made their seventh consecutive playoff appearance and won their third division title in the past six seasons behind a team compiled largely by Predators prospects.

Always looking to the future, Poile and his scouting staff have made 11 selections in first four rounds of the Entry Draft over the past two seasons, making two first-round selections for the first time in club history in 2008 (forward Colin Wilson and goaltender Chet Pickard), and making six selections in the first 100 overall picks in 2009.

With the introduction of a new CBA in 2005, locking down talent long-term has become more crucial than ever before. Poile claimed Arnott off the open market with a five-year contract prior to the 2006-07 season, and has also negotiated long-term deals with Dumont (four years), Legwand (six years) and Erat (seven years) in the past two seasons. In the summer of 2008, he kept budding stars Suter (four years) and Weber (three years) in tow, and kept unrestricted free agents Sullivan and Joel Ward from moving on with a pair of two-year contracts in July 2009.

Poile’s wisdom and experience is clearly valued throughout the hockey world. On June 6, 2008, USA Hockey named him the associate general manager for the U.S. team that will compete in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. He and the rest Team USA’s brain trust held an Orientation Camp in August 2009, and will pick the Olympic squad in December 2009.

He was also selected as one of four NHL general managers to sit on the first NHL competition committee in 2005. The steering body formulates and recommends rule changes for approval by the NHL Board of Governors. In this role, he helped usher in the new era of NHL hockey – featuring on-ice innovations such as the regular-season shootout and the elimination of the red line – while at the same time drawing upon the wealth of experience accumulated through his many years in the game.

In 2001, Poile was a recipient of the Lester Patrick Award in recognition of contributions to hockey in the United States. Poile has devoted his professional career to hockey and the NHL, particularly in non-traditional markets. His late father, Bud Poile, also a recipient of the Lester Patrick Award (1989) and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame (1990), served as general manager of two expansion franchises – first in Philadelphia (1967) and then in Vancouver (1970). He began his professional career as an administrative assistant with the Atlanta Flames expansion franchise in 1972 and spent 10 years with the organization before being named general manager of the Washington Capitals in 1982.

With Washington, Poile took the reins of a team that had never made the Stanley Cup playoffs. In his 15 years there, the Capitals advanced to the post-season 14 times. The 1997-98 Capitals, largely comprised of players Poile acquired, advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. During his 15-year tenure, the Caps compiled a record of 595-454-124 (.559), ranking among the NHL's top five teams during that span.

Poile was instrumental in the league's adoption of the instant replay rule in 1991. He was awarded Inside Hockey's Man of the Year award for his leadership on the issue. Poile also served as general manager of the 1998 and 1999 U.S. national team for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships.

A graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Poile was hockey team captain, leading scorer and most valuable player for two years, earning a place in the University's Hall of Fame.

Poile also serves as an alternate governor for the team and holds a seat within the franchise’s Office of the President.   He and his wife, Elizabeth, reside in Nashville. The Poiles have two children – daughter Lauren and son Brian.