Colorado Avalanche GM Poached by Central Division Rival
After an exhaustive months-long search for a new general manager following the resignation of Barry Trotz, the Nashville Predators finally settled on a new GM.
And they didn't even have to leave the division to find him.
The Predators announced on Tuesday morning that they had hired Colorado Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland to be their new GM and president of hockey operations.
"We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group," Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said in a release.
"We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates, but all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris. He turned out to be a perfect fit for us – just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."
MacFarland helped build the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup winning team - a group full of superstars including Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, Devon Toews, and others.
MacFarland's hire is a breath of fresh air for a Predators organization that had grown stagnant in recent years.
When Hall of Fame GM David Poile stepped down in 2023, the team's succession plan involved hiring Trotz to replace him. Trotz was the first head coach in Predators history and viewed as an extension of Poile's leadership.
The chief complaint among Predators fans during the GM search was a fear the team would stick with what it knew and not truly hitting reset, which is why fans were hesitant about the possibility of current assistant GMs Jeff Kealty, Brian Poile, and Scott Nichol, or former New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald (a former Poile disciple) possibly getting the job.
Now, the MacFarland era signals hope for a fresh start, a new identity and culture, and a break from the "Predator Way" that's kept the franchise mired in mediocrity for years.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM.