Nick Saban will help Nashville Predators pick new GM

In December, legendary college football coach Nick Saban became a minority owner of the Nashville Predators alongside business partner Joe Agresti. Now, the ESPN College GameDay analyst will play a key role in a significant decision for the NHL franchise.

Predators CEO Sean Henry sent an email to fans on Monday announcing the organization’s plans to search for a new general manager after current GM Barry Trotz announced his plans to retire.

In the email, Haslam announced that Saban will be part of the group assembled by majority owner Bill Haslam to “assist in interviewing and selecting [the Predators’] new general manager.”

Email sent out to Nashville Predators fans this afternoon says that Nick Saban will be involved in selecting a new GM with the coming retirement of Barry Trotz pic.twitter.com/5wgQew1DOL

— Theodore Fernandez (@TheoFernandez__) February 2, 2026

“Bill has assembled a group that includes me, Barry, Michelle Kennedy (our organization’s President and COO) and minority owners Chris Cigarran and Nick Saban to assist in interviewing and selecting our new general manager. We will begin the search immediately with the objective of casting a broad net to identify the best candidates to succeed Barry in leading hockey operations.”

While Saban’s background is in football, he’s known for being one of the top leaders in sports history, and the longtime Alabama coach knows what it takes to build a championship culture. So, it makes sense that the Predators would appreciate Saban’s input on hiring the right leader and decision-maker for an organization that still seeks its first Stanley Cup title.

Saban released a statement on his excitement for joining the Nashville ownership group with a minority stake in the franchise when the news was announced in December.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports. Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”