Undrafted in 1997, Andy Delmore signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and made the team, bouncing between the parent club and the minors for three years before he proved he belonged as an NHLer.  The Flyers dealt him to Nashville for a third-round pick, and Delmore responded with two surprising campaigns considering where he came from.

Delmore had 72 Points over the next two years, anchoring the Nashville power play and averaging half a point per game.  While the Predators were only a half-decade old, Delmore’s production placed him as the first-star offensive Defenseman in franchise history.  Perhaps sensing a fluke, Delmore was traded for the same equity he arrived with, a third-round pick.

Kevin Klein played his first 403 Games in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, who selected him in the Second Round in 2003.  Klein only played 18 Games for the Predators in his first three years, spending most of his time in the AHL, but by 2008, he was never sent down again.

Klein would find his role as a lockdown defender, known for his clean play.  The blueliner’s best year in Nashville was in 2011-12, where he had 21 Points with only four Penalty Minutes and 173 Blocked Shots.

Klein was traded to the Rangers midseason during the 2013-14 campaign, and with the Predators, he produced 82 Points with 716 Blocked Shots.

Nick Bonino played for Anaheim, Vancouver, and Pittsburgh, where he was a two-time Stanley Cup Champion.  The Center joined the Predators in 2017, months after he was on the winning side that defeated Nashville in the Finals.

Bonino would play for Nashville for three years, playing on the third or fourth line, providing depth at the Center position.  Over his three seasons, Bonino scored 95 Points, and he received Selke votes in the last two of those seasons.  Bonino left the Predators when he was traded to Minnesota before the 2020/21 Season.

Whenever a new expansion team enters a sport, it creates opportunities for players struggling to find homes at the elite level.  One of the most significant recipients of playing time when the Nashville Predators began operations was Drake Berehowsky, who was traded to the team nine days before the puck dropped for the first time.

Berehowsky scored 17 Points in his first year in Nashville, which he increased to 32 in 1999-00, a career high for the Defenseman who enjoyed his role as a team leader and tough guy.  After scoring 24 Points in 66 Games in the 2000-01 campaign, Berehowsky, whose stock was worth a lot more than when he arrived in Nashville, was dealt to Vancouver for their playoff push.

As a Predator, Berehowsky amassed 73 Points and 327 Penalty Minutes in 219 Games, which was by far his most successful run in professional hockey.