Nashville Predators: The Making of Smashville

By Justin B. Bradford and Pete Weber

Nashville may be the country music capital, but local hockey fans know it as Smashville. The Predators adopted their name from the bones of a saber-toothed tiger found beneath a local building. Craig Leipold first purchased the expansion rights in 1997, and the team quickly built a loyal following. It won twenty-eight games in the inaugural season. Twelve seasons later, the team finished second in the Central Division and appeared in its first-ever conference semifinals. One year later, it finally dispatched its long-standing rival Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in the opening round of the playoffs. Author Justin Bradford details the fascinating history through unique player anecdotes and perspectives from those involved in the team's rise to prominence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Oct 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781625853677

Justin B. Bradford

Justin Bradford is the managing editor, lead writer and host of Penalty Box Radio as heard on 102.5 The Game ESPN Nashville. Born in Michigan, he moved to Tennessee when he was only seven years old. He and Ben Butzbach started Penalty Box Radio, a show and site that focuses on the Nashville Predators, prospects, junior and college hockey. In 2014, Bradford won the Best Sports Reporter award and Penalty Box Radio was voted the second-best blog in Nashville.

Book preview

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