On Monday it was announced that the General Manager of the Nashville Predators, Barry Trotz, will step down from this position until a replacement can be found. He would stay on as a consultant through the end of the 2026-27 season. Owner Bill Haslam said the goal is to have a new General Manager in place before the June draft.
But this is interesting given that Trotz will remain as the current GM to help transition everything to a new man. Not only is he in charge of the trade deadline, but he is also part of the search committee to help find his replacement.
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The Predators allowed Barry Trotz to leave on his own terms because of the respect they have for him, not just as a coach, but as a person. However, change was coming to Nashville whether people were ready for it or not. As Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported, there was a conversation in December between Trotz and principal owner Bill Haslam.
It was also during this time that Nick Saban became a minority owner of the Nashville Predators. But as Friedman noted on 102.5 The Game, ESPN in Nashville, when Haslam understands how the hockey business works, the two teams are discussing the future.
One of the things I heard today, after the news came out, is that Bill Haslam had started looking around at how the NHL works. How are things happening here? He has, to his credit, done a lot of listening.
And I think that when Barry Trotz and Bill Haslam talked about the future whenever they met last month in December, and they talked about that today, I think they both talked about that. Haslam once said, Okay, this is what I learned about how things work. Also, you heard Trotz talk about his family today.
I think it sounds to me like it’s more about two guys looking at the future. And Barry Trotz said, “This is the way I think, and Bill Haslam said, “This is the way I think. And I think they just said, You know what, the best thing is to start moving forward on this.
As Barry Trotz said in a press conference on Monday, he will continue until the end of his contract. The Predators have to go in a different direction, and maybe the owner has a different vision when he wants to take the level within the organization. If the goal is to bring a Stanley Cup Championship to Nashville, then a different voice is needed.
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Even though Barry Trotz saw the writing on the wall, the decision to withdraw was his own, given how much the organization knew he meant to them over the years. The first coach in franchise history. All-time winningest coach in franchise history. The respect the organization has for Barry Trotz.
“And I think Trotz probably knew that Haslam was going to look around and say, well, like Bill Haslam he had ideas about what he could do to make the organization better,” Friedman said. “And Barry Trotz said, You know what, I’m not here for a long time, after next year.
So, part of me sees this as two people looking at the way they see the world and saying, this is the best solution. And I believe this 1,000%, they wanted to do right by Trotz as a person. And I think that’s why we’re here today.”
As mentioned before, it’s strange to see a GM stay to help not only choose his replacement, but also run the trade deadline. But it makes sense, given the situation the Edmonton Oilers were in when President/CEO Jeff Jackson handled free agency after Ken Holland was not renewed as GM heading into the 2024 NHL Free Agency period.
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Again, Trotz stepping down is a selfless act, and he will do what is best for the organization.
“I’ll say this, too: I think Bill Haslam was very comfortable with Trotz running the program when they were looking for a replacement, because they felt Trotz would do what was best for the organization, not what was best for him,” Friedman added.
“Like you all have been in sports before. Sometimes, when people feel they need to survive or are in trouble, they do things that can only benefit them. Now I think this is clear, and everything is clear. Bill Haslam trusts Barry Trotz, so you don’t have to worry about your legacy here; you just have to do what’s right for the team.”
It will be interesting to see who the Nashville Predators hire next.
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