Nashville Predators Give Peter Laviolette Two Year Extension

The Nashville Predators announced on Saturday that they have signed head coach Peter Laviolette to a two-year extension. 

The 51-year-old coach has led the Predators to an 88-52-24 record in his two seasons behind the Nashville bench. After failing to qualify for the postseason, in the two seasons prior to Laviolette’s arrival, the Predators have made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in both of those seasons. 

The extension assures the Predators that Laviolette will remain behind the bench through the 2020-2021 National Hockey League season. 

This past season Nashville went 41-27-14, and won the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. After defeating the Anaheim Ducks in the opening round, they fell to the eventual Western Conference Champions, the San Jose Sharks in the second round. 

Following the 2014-2015 season, his first season in Nashville, Laviolette finished third in the voting for the Jack Adams Award, for Coach of the Year this past season, after leading the Predators to a second place finish in the Central Division and a franchise third best wins (47) and points (107).  

With over 14 seasons behind the benches of the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Predators, he has compiled a record of 477 wins, 334 losses, 87 overtime losses and 25 ties, through 923 games. In 102 postseason games, he has led his teams to a 52-50 record. 

Laviolette became the second coach of the Predators, on May 6, 2014 replacing current Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz, who led Nashville behind the bench, for their first 15 seasons in the NHL.  

During the 2005-2006 season the Franklin, Massachusetts native led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup victory over the Edmonton Oilers. 

Laviolette is 77 games shy of joining 26 other head coaches in the 1,000 games club. He is also only 23 victories away from 500, a mark only attained by 23 other coaches.