How Many Future Hall of Famers are on Nashville’s Current Roster

On Monday night, Pekka Rinne became the first Nashville Predators goaltender to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is just the fourth player to wear a Nashville uniform to receive the highest honor, after Shea Weber, Paul Kariya and Peter Forsberg.

The Hall of Fame recognizes the greatest players in the history of the sport for longevity, accomplishments and impact on the game. To become an “Honoured Member” means you will be immortalized in the hockey history books.

In 1943, the Hockey Hall of Fame opened, and the first inductees were honored on April 30, 1945. That means the first class of honorees predates the Nashville Predators’ organization by roughly 51 years. Founded in 1997, the Predators may be late to the party, while some other teams have a century-plus of candidates to pull from. The Detroit Red Wings, for example, have 68 total inductees; the most honorees of any team.

While the Predators’ candidate list may be exponentially smaller than its more seasoned counterparts, the Music City has produced a proud and storied franchise in its relatively short lifespan. It will certainly produce more honorees in the future. In fact, several players from the Predators’ current roster will certainly join the likes of Rinne in Toronto one day; others may be long shots, and some have potential but still have work to do.

So, who are among Nashville’s current crop of candidates to one day become Honoured Members?

Locks

Steven Stamkos

This feels like a no-brainer, as Stamkos is among the greatest scorers in NHL history. He is one of six players to have won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer multiple times.

Stamkos began his career regarded as a prodigy and the future of the sport. He was the first overall pick in 2008, and in just his second season, he became the third teenager to ever lead the league in goals scored.

After spending 16 seasons and winning two Stanley Cup trophies with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he joined the Predators in 2024. Now in his 19th season and third in Nashville, he continues build his hall of fame resume, although it was already strong enought to earn his ticket almost a decade ago.

If nothing else, Stamkos’ 635 career goals, which place him 17th all-time, and 1276 total points warrant having his name alongside the other top scorers the game has ever seen.

Roman Josi

The only player who can be mentioned in the same breath as Rinne regarding the best player in Predators franchise history is Roman Josi. The legendary Nashville defenseman has spent his entire career in Music City and has been team captain for nearly a decade.

For the entirety of his career, Josi has remained one of the best blue-liners in the world. In 2020, he was awarded the Norris trophy as the league’s top defenseman. Despite being in the 16th season of his carreer, the 36 continues to play at a high level.

Josi’s prolonged peak is among the top factors in his Hall of Fame case. The anchor of Smashville’s defense through the 2010s began his career paired with Hall of Famer Weber on the team’s first line. After Weber’s departure, Josi stepped up and led Nashville’s unforgettable run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017.

While the team has struggled to match that same level of success, Josi’s legacy has continued to grow. His unwavering loyalty to a nontraditional market makes him one of the more respected stars in recent history. His franchise-leading 596 assists and 801 makes him a surefire entrant once he retires.

More Work to Do

Filip Forsberg

Like Josi, Forsberg’s contributions to the Predators organization and high standing among the franchise’s all-time list are a major resume booster. While Josi was holding things down on the blue line, Forsberg has long been the team’s top offensive engine.

Forsberg leads the franchise in all-time goals scored. He has remained a significant presence for the team since his early years. Forsberg earned an All-Star Game nod in just his rookie season.

He has been the epitome of consistency with Nashville and seems to be getting better with each passing year. Forsberg has scored at least 20 goals in 10 of the past 12 seasons. The exceptions were shortened years due to injury and COVID.

Forsberg has tallied 40 or more goals three times in the past five seasons, including a franchise record 48 goals in 2024. While his 365 goals already top the franchise career list, 32-year-old Forsberg must maintain this trajectory for another half-decade to safely secure a future place in the Hall of Fame.

Juuse Saros

The successor to Rinne and already the second-best netminder in franchise history, Saros might already earn a brief look solely based on some gaudy numbers. His inflated save totals year after year are equally impressive, but also curious some unwanted reasons.

In recent years, Saros has seen more shots than any other goaltender in the league. This has led him to lead the league in total saves in three of the past four seasons. While that suggests as much a poor defense as it does Saros’s abilities, the sheer impressiveness of the numbers can’t be denied.

Despite being among the most battle-tested goaltenders in the league, he has remained a constant presence during an up-and-down era for Nashville hockey. Still just 31 and in his 12th season with the Predators, his sixth as the primary starter, Saros has plenty of time to build up his resume even more.

Despite seeing a high frequency of shots, he holds a .912 lifetime save rate and ranks 76th on the all-time saves list with 13.010. If he continues at his rate of roughly 1,700 yearly saves for several more seasons, his numbers would be undeniable, and he will be joining his mentor in the Hall of Fame.

Long Shots

Ryan O’Reilly

These are considered long shots, as they have likely entered the twilight of their careers and are past their peaks. For Ryan O’Reilly has an elite peak. He has been an established contributor in the league since he was 18. Now, the 35-year-old O’Reilly can look back on a career defined by longevity and two-way efforts while reaching the highest of highs.

O’Reilly led the Blues to win the 2019 Stanley Cup during a memorable run where he was named the Conn Smythe Award winner as the most valuable player of the playoffs. That same season, he also won the Selke Award as the league’s top defensive forward.

During his career, O’Reilly has amassed 915 total points, and just last season, he tallied 74 points, which is the second-most of his career. Calling him a long shot is not to discredit his accomplishments. It is recognition that the clock is ticking and he must make the most of his time left on the ice.

Jonathan Marchessault

Admittedly, Marchessault is more of a long shot than O’Reilly, but the 35-year-old Quebecer has similarly high peaks. For his consistent play for a decade-plus, his role in establishing a franchise and his contributions to a championship-winning team, he deserves a look at the very least.

Marchessault, like O’Reilly, led his team to a Stanley Cup Championship and was honored with the Conn Smythe Award. He was taken with the eighth pick by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft. He spent the following seven seasons with Vegas and is undeniably the best and most important player in franchise history.

He owns the Golden Knights’ career records for goals with 192 and points with 417. Over nine consecutive seasons, Marchessault recorded at least 40 goals, and that streak finally ended last season. With 265 all-time goals and 579 points, and contributions to one of the league’s freshest franchises, Marchessault may have an outside chance at the recognition.

It is evident that the Predators have a complete roster of veteran contributors all over the ice. That experience has been on display throughout this season, with many of these players stepping up. While the individual peaks may have passed, they each have the opportunity to build upon their legacies with this current unit of well-established stars.