Plucked from the Vancouver Canucks in the Expansion Draft, Scott Walker entered the Predators organization with four years of NHL experience under his belt. It was in Nashville where the Right Wing found his greatest success and most time on the ice.
Walker had 40 Points in his first full year in Tennessee (1998-99), and two years later, he broke that with 54. After some injuries, Walker scored 67 Points in 2003-04, his best year in hockey. Walker did not play much more for the Preds, first because of the lockout and second due to injury, and he was dealt to the Hurricanes in 2006.
With Nashville, Walker had 247 Points.
James Neal was a First Team All-Star for Pittsburgh in 2012, and three years later, he was traded to Nashville.
Neal was not as productive in terms of Points with Nashville as he was with the Penguins, but he provided depth and leadership to a Predators squad that reached their first Stanley Cup Final in 2017, although they lost to his former team. Neal played for Nashville for three seasons, scoring 136 Points, which is a solid number.
Neal left Nashville when the Vegas Golden Knights chose him in the Expansion Draft.
Paul Kariya is best known for his time with the Ducks, but he also played for the Predators, where he spent two years as a Left Wing.
Kariya’s best days were behind him when he first suited up for Nashville, but he was still better than most other hockey players in the NHL. In Kariya’s two years in Tennessee, he had 161 Points in 164 Games, averaging .98 Points per Game. Kariya also received (although not many) Hart Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy votes in both of those years.
Kariya signed with St. Louis in 2007, and he would enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
A high First Round Pick (6th Overall) in 2000, Scott Hartnell, made the team as a rookie, scoring only 16 Points but gaining valuable experience in his limited ice time. It would not be limited after that.
Hartnell was a fan favorite (though he would be even more so in Philadelphia), and his tenacious, grinding play helped generate wins for Nashville. Hartnell had a pair of 40-Point years for the Preds and three PIM years on a checking line.
The Predators traded Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen to the Flyers for a 1st Round Pick, who would never make the NHL. Needless to say, it was a lopsided trade against Nashville. He would return to the Preds for a final year in 2017, retiring before the next hockey campaign.
With the Predators, Hartnell totaled 235 Points.