The Predators have a general manager vacancy – well, kind of. While incumbent Barry Trotz announced his resignation from the role over six weeks ago, he will be staying on until a replacement is named. That gives Nashville plenty of runway and the rare opportunity to embark on a lengthy search process while the season is still ongoing.
Nashville is casting an incredibly wide net as a result, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes, but a few names of interest are starting to leak out. Sabres associate GM Marc Bergevin and Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson have both been part of the initial interview process, Friedman reports.
Bergevin was previously the GM of the Canadiens from 2012 to 2021. He hasn’t held the top exec role since, but has been through multiple interviews, including the Blue Jackets’ vacancy in 2024 and the Islanders’ vacancy last offseason. Just because he’s come up short in those talks doesn’t mean he’s been unemployed for the past five years. Almost immediately after his dismissal from Montreal in November 2021, the Kings brought him in as a senior advisor to former GM Rob Blake.
The 60-year-old remained in L.A. through last summer’s GM change to Ken Holland. That arrangement only lasted a couple of months into the season. Shortly before Christmas, he left the Kings to accept an offer from Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekäläinen to serve as his top assistant as part of the Sabres’ front office turnover.
During Bergevin’s stint in Montreal, he twice finished as the runner-up for the General Manager of the Year award (2014, 2021). The Habs made the playoffs six times in Bergevin’s nine full seasons at the helm, including trips to the Eastern Conference Final in 2014 and the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. He also served as GM of Montreal’s AHL affiliates, a role typically held by an associate/assistant GM.
The veteran of nearly 1,200 NHL games as a player would certainly be an experience-oriented hire after Nashville’s decision to hire a respected coach but inexperienced executive in Trotz has yielded mixed results. Before his time in Montreal, Bergevin also climbed the ladder in the Blackhawks organization from scout to assistant GM from 2005 to 2012. Excluding the lockout-nixed 2004-05 campaign, Bergevin has been involved in every NHL campaign since 1984 as either a player, coach, or executive.
Peterson is more of the up-and-comer archetype, but it’s hard to argue with the brief experience he’s already accumulated. He’s spent all of his time in the NHL as an AGM in Florida under Bill Zito, first hired in 2020. He’s been part of the franchise’s three straight Stanley Cup Final trips and has been entrusted with more responsibility on the international stage, where he was just announced as the general manager for the United States’ World Championship team for the second time in three years. The 44-year-old was an assistant GM for the USA squad that won gold at the 2025 World Championship, ending a 65-year drought.
I’d be very interested in anyone who has worked under Bill Zito.
@Gbear – Agree with the Peterson idea, for sure. Definitely not MB, though, as I can’t believe the Cats would want a guy who likes to hide behind potted plants to avoid media contact at times. I would, however, like to add Mike Futa’s name to the mix. It doesn’t seem that his name comes up enough in these types of conversations.
Nashville is just spinning there wheels with Marc Bergevin, I would call Bill Armstrong just to see who he speaks highly of. We will have to see what GMs, And coaches are fired by the end of April, Nashville needs both. Kevin Cheveldayoff would be a great GM choice if he gets the boot.
Recent rumors also had them considering Brendan Shanahan and Chris Pronger.
Canucks would be idiots not to consider Peterson to replace Allvin under a Tallon presidency…
Bergevin wasn’t all bad as Montreal GM. Ten years ago he ripped off his former team by stealing a young Danault and an early 2nd round pick for two useless aging Fs. He then used the pick to draft Romanov.