2007–08 Nashville Predators season
Professional ice hockey team season
The 2007–08 Nashville Predators season began October 4, 2007. It was their tenth season in the National Hockey League .
The 2007 off-season was dominated by the attempted purchase of the Predators by Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie ,[ 1] who signed a letter of intent to purchase the team for at least $220 million.[ 2] The attempted sale led to widespread speculation that Balsillie intended to relocate the team to Hamilton , Ontario , if the Predators failed to reach a 14,000 paid average attendance in 2007–08, allowing the team to break its lease.[ 3] Balsillie had already entered negotiations on a lease at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.[ 4] Despite calling the negotiations a "contingency plan," Balsillie petitioned the NHL to decide on his ability to relocate the franchise at the same time the NHL Board of Governors voted on his purchase of the team.[ 5] However, the deal was ended by Predators Owner Craig Leipold on June 22, as he informed the NHL that he was pulling out of the agreement due to a lack of a finalized sale agreement and over concerns that Balsillie would relocate the team to Hamilton.[ 6]
On August 1, a group led by local businessman David Freeman issued a letter of intent to purchase the Predators.[ 7] The sale was approved by the Board of Governors on November 29.[ 8]
In January, it was revealed that former Predators Owner Craig Leipold was purchasing the majority share in the Minnesota Wild .[ 9]
Key dates prior to the start of the season:
Regular season
On November 15, 2007, Martin Erat scored just 19 seconds into the overtime period to give the Predators a 5–4 home win over the Chicago Blackhawks .[ 10] The Thrashers' Marian Hossa would tie that mark in overtime on December 23, 2007, in a 3–2 Atlanta road win over the St. Louis Blues .[ 11] Both goals would prove to be the fastest overtime goals scored during the 2007–08 regular season.[ 12]
Divisional standings
Conference standings
Divisions: PA – Pacific, CE – Central, NW – Northwest
bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, p – Presidents' Trophy winner
Game log
October
Record: 4–7–0; Home: 4–2–0; Road: 0–5–0
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
1
October 4
Colorado
0 – 4
Nashville
Mason
16,363
1–0–0
2
2
October 6
Dallas
1 – 5
Nashville
Mason
13,079
2–0–0
4
3
October 10
Nashville
1 – 4
St. Louis
Mason
19,150
2–1–0
4
4
October 11
Phoenix
6 – 3
Nashville
Mason
12,155
2–2–0
4
5
October 13
Calgary
7 – 4
Nashville
Mason
13,152
2–3–0
4
6
October 17
Nashville
1 – 3
Anaheim
Mason
17,174
2–4–0
4
7
October 20
Nashville
0 – 3
San Jose
Mason
17,496
2–5–0
4
8
October 23
Nashville
0 – 6
Los Angeles
Mason
14,026
2–6–0
4
9
October 25
Atlanta
0 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
13,383
3–6–0
6
10
October 27
Florida
3 – 4
Nashville
Ellis
15,767
4–6–0
8
11
October 30
Nashville
1 – 5
Calgary
Mason
19,289
4–7–0
8
November
Record: 8–2–2; Home: 3–1–1; Road: 5–1–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
12
November 1
Nashville
3 – 0
Vancouver
Ellis
18,630
5–7–0
10
13
November 2
Nashville
4 – 1
Edmonton
Ellis
16,839
6–7–0
12
14
November 4
Nashville
5 – 2
Chicago
Mason
12,086
7–7–0
14
15
November 7
Nashville
3 – 2
Detroit
SO
Mason
16,885
7–7–1
15
16
November 10
Columbus
4 – 3
Nashville
SO
Mason
15,947
8–7–1
17
17
November 12
Nashville
4 – 1
Columbus
Mason
12,554
9–7–1
19
18
November 15
Chicago
4 – 5
Nashville
OT
Mason
15,353
10–7–1
21
19
November 17
St. Louis
3 – 2
Nashville
SO
Mason
15,246
10–7–2
22
20
November 19
Nashville
1 – 2
St. Louis
Mason
15,239
10–8–2
22
21
November 22
Detroit
2 – 3
Nashville
Mason
14,346
11–8–2
24
22
November 24
Minnesota
4 – 3
Nashville
Mason
12,639
11–9–2
24
23
November 29
Nashville
6 – 5
Ottawa
Ellis
19,538
12–9–2
26
December
Record: 6–9–0; Home: 3–4–0; Away: 4–5–0
Game
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
24
December 1
Nashville
5 - 4
Montreal
SO
Ellis
21,273
13-9-2
28
25
December 4
Nashville
1 - 3
Toronto
Mason
19,400
13-10-2
28
26
December 6
Vancouver
5 - 2
Nashville
Ellis
15,918
13-11-2
28
27
December 8
Anaheim
2 - 4
Nashville
Mason
13,469
14-11-2
30
28
December 10
Detroit
2 - 1
Nashville
Ellis
15,056
14-12-2
30
29
December 13
Colorado
2 - 1
Nashville
Mason
12,456
14-13-2
30
30
December 15
Nashville
1 - 3
Colorado
Mason
16,582
14-14-2
30
31
December 18
Nashville
2 - 3
Minnesota
Ellis
18,568
14-15-2
30
32
December 19
Nashville
2 - 5
Chicago
Ellis
14,151
14-16-2
30
33
December 22
Los Angeles
3 - 4
Nashville
Ellis
15,698
15-16-2
32
34
December 23
Nashville
3 - 1
Columbus
Mason
15,481
16-16-2
34
35
December 26
Nashville
2 - 5
Chicago
Mason
20,511
16-17-2
34
36
December 27
Columbus
3 - 4
Nashville
Mason
14,331
17-17-2
36
37
December 29
San Jose
5 - 2
Nashville
Mason
13,298
17-18-2
36
38
December 31
Nashville
1 - 0
Dallas
Ellis
18,584
18-18-2
38
January
Record: 8–3–3; Home: 5–1–1; Road: 3–2–2
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
39
January 3
Edmonton
2 – 5
Nashville
Ellis
12,676
19–18–2
40
40
January 5
Minnesota
1 – 4
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
20–18–2
42
41
January 7
Nashville
2 – 5
Anaheim
Ellis
17,174
20–19–2
42
42
January 8
Nashville
7 – 0
Los Angeles
Mason
14,751
21–19–2
44
43
January 12
Nashville
1 – 2
Columbus
SO
Mason
16,230
21–19–3
45
44
January 13
Chicago
3 – 2
Nashville
SO
Ellis
12,484
21–19–4
46
45
January 15
Calgary
0 – 3
Nashville
Mason
11,764
22–19–4
48
46
January 17
Anaheim
2 – 1
Nashville
Mason
14,193
22–20–4
48
47
January 19
Nashville
5 – 2
St. Louis
Mason
19,275
23–20–4
50
48
January 21
St. Louis
3 – 6
Nashville
Mason
13,642
24–20–4
52
49
January 22
Nashville
4 – 0
Colorado
Ellis
15,235
25–20–4
54
50
January 24
Nashville
3 – 4
Phoenix
OT
Mason
12,622
25–20–5
55
51
January 29
Nashville
1 – 3
Boston
Mason
14,150
25–21–5
55
52
January 31
Columbus
2 – 4
Nashville
Mason
13,745
26–21–5
57
February
Record: 6–4–3; Home: 5–2–2; Road: 1–2–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
53
February 2
Phoenix
2 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
27–21–5
59
54
February 5
Carolina
0 – 1
Nashville
Ellis
28–21–5
61
55
February 7
Tampa Bay
2 – 1
Nashville
OT
Ellis
28–21–6
62
56
February 9
Nashville
3 – 4
San Jose
Ellis
28–22–6
62
57
February 10
Nashville
6 – 3
Phoenix
Ellis
29–22–6
64
58
February 12
Detroit
2 – 4
Nashville
Ellis
30–22–6
66
59
February 14
Chicago
6 – 1
Nashville
Mason
30–23–6
66
60
February 16
St. Louis
1 – 2
Nashville
Ellis
31–23–6
68
61
February 17
Nashville
4 – 5
Minnesota
OT
Ellis
31–23–7
69
62
February 19
Edmonton
4 – 5
Nashville
Ellis
32–23–7
71
63
February 21
Vancouver
3 – 2
Nashville
OT
Ellis
32–23–8
72
64
February 23
Dallas
6 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
32–24–8
72
65
February 27
Nashville
4 – 8
Buffalo
Mason
32–25–8
72
March
Record: 7-6-1; Home: 2-4-0; Road: 5-2-1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
66
March 1
Nashville
3 – 1
Dallas
Ellis
18,584
33–25–8
74
67
March 4
Nashville
5 – 1
Edmonton
Ellis
16,839
34–25–8
76
68
March 6
Nashville
2 – 6
Vancouver
Ellis
18,630
34–26–8
76
69
March 7
Nashville
2 – 1
Calgary
Ellis
19,289
35–26–8
78
70
March 9
Nashville
3 – 4
Detroit
Mason
20,066
35–27–8
78
71
March 11
San Jose
2 – 1
Nashville
Ellis
14,965
35–28–8
78
72
March 13
Los Angeles
4 – 1
Nashville
Ellis
15,853
35–29–8
78
73
March 15
Nashville
3 – 1
Detroit
Ellis
20,066
36–29–8
80
74
March 18
Washington
4 – 2
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
36–30–8
80
75
March 20
Detroit
6 – 3
Nashville
Mason
17,113
36–31–8
80
76
March 22
Chicago
1 – 2
Nashville
SO
Ellis
17,113
37–31–8
82
77
March 25
Columbus
0 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
16,330
38–31–8
84
78
March 28
Nashville
2 – 0
Columbus
Ellis
15,595
39–31–8
86
79
March 30
Nashville
0 – 1
Detroit
OT
Ellis
20,066
39–31–9
87
April
Record: 2-1-0; Home: 1-0-0; Road: 1-1-0
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
80
April 1
Nashville
4 – 3
St. Louis
OT
Mason
17,357
40–31–9
89
81
April 3
St. Louis
2 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
41–31–9
91
82
April 4
Nashville
1 – 3
Chicago
Mason
21,929
41–32–9
91
Playoffs
Western Conference Quarter-finals: Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Nashville Predators (8)
Red Wings win series 4–2.
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Series
1
April 10
Nashville
1 – 3
Detroit
Ellis
20,066
0 – 1
2
April 12
Nashville
2 – 4
Detroit
Ellis
20,066
0 – 2
3
April 14
Detroit
3 – 5
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
1 – 2
4
April 16
Detroit
2 – 3
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
2 – 2
5
April 18
Nashville
1 – 2
Detroit
1OT
Ellis
20,066
2 – 3
6
April 20
Detroit
3 – 0
Nashville
Ellis
17,113
2 – 4
Player stats
Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Regular season
Playoffs
Player
GP
TOI
W
L
OT
GA
SO
Sv%
GAA
GP
TOI
W
L
GA
SO
Sv%
GAA
Chris Mason
51
2692
18
22
6
130
4
.898
2.90
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
0.00
Dan Ellis
44
2229
23
10
3
87
6
.924
2.34
6
357
2
4
15
0
.938
2.52
Pekka Rinne
1
29
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
0.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
0.00
Awards and records
Records
On March 30, goaltender Dan Ellis had a 233:39 long shutout streak snapped in a 1–0 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings . This was the fifth longest shutout streak in league history
Milestones
Regular Season
Player
Milestone
Reached
Jason Arnott
700th NHL Point
October 4, 2007
Ville Koistinen
1st NHL Game
October 6, 2007
Martin Erat
200th NHL Point
October 11, 2007
Jason Arnott
900th NHL Game
October 23, 2007
Dan Ellis
1st NHL Shutout
October 25, 2007
Kevin Klein
1st NHL Assist
October 25, 2007
Jason Arnott
400th NHL Assist
October 27, 2007
David Legwand
500th NHL Game
November 10, 2007
David Legwand
300th NHL Point
November 15, 2007
Chris Mason
200th NHL Game
November 19, 2007
Jed Ortmeyer
200th NHL Game
December 1, 2007
Transactions
The Predators were involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.
Trades
Free agents
Player
Former team
Contract Terms
Jed Ortmeyer
New York Rangers
2 years, $1.5 million
Radek Bonk
Montreal Canadiens
2 years, $2.95 million
Greg de Vries
Atlanta Thrashers
2 years, $5 million
Shane Willis
Carolina Hurricanes
1 year, $475,000
Dan Ellis
Dallas Stars
1 year, $500,000
Martin Gelinas
Florida Panthers
1 year, $1.25 million
Josh Langfield
Detroit Red Wings
1 year, $575,000
Draft picks
Nashville's picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus , Ohio .[ 13] The Predators possess the 23rd overall pick in the draft. The pick was originally traded to the Philadelphia Flyers when the Predators acquired Peter Forsberg .[ 14] Nashville re-acquired the pick, however, on June 18 in exchange for Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen .[ 15]
Farm teams
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are the Predators' top affiliate, playing in the American Hockey League in 2007–08 .
New Mexico Scorpions
The New Mexico Scorpions were a Predators' affiliate, playing in the Central Hockey League in 2007–08 . On July 2, 2009, the Scorpions ceased operations.
See also
References
^ Canadian businessman to buy Predators Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine , newschannel5.com, May 24, 2007
^ Harless, Bill, Chamber, other business execs to stump for Predators Archived 2007-03-05 at the Wayback Machine , Nashville City Paper, June 5, 2007
^ Balsillie has deal for Hamilton arena , cbc.ca, May 31, 2007
^ Burnside, Scott, Balsillie given rights for Hamilton sports complex , ESPN.com, May 31, 2007
^ Tedesco, Theresa, Balsillie raises NHL move Archived 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine , National Post, June 13, 2007
^ Glennon, John, Report: Leipold wants Balsillie out of Preds deal , tennessean.com, June 22, 2007
^ Predators sign letter of intent to stay local - USATODAY.com
^ ESPN - NHL teams will play each other at least once per season - NHL
^ Craig Leipold agrees to buy Wild
^ "Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators Box Score — November 15, 2007" .
^ "Atlanta Thrashers at St. Louis Blues Box Score — December 23, 2007" .
^ "2007-08 NHL Schedule and Results" .
^ 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com [dead link ]
^ Acquiring Forsberg 'a huge deal' for Preds , February 20, 2007
^ Flyers acquire Hartnell, Timonen from Preds for pick , June 18, 2007
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