The Nashville Predators have hired Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland to run their hockey operations as president and GM, ending a front-office vacancy that had remained after other NHL teams filled their leadership roles. The teams announced the move on Tuesday, and MacFarland is expected to take immediate charge of the Predators’ hockey department. According to reporting from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, MacFarland spoke with Predators owner Bill Haslam on Monday after the Avalanche granted permission for Nashville to interview him, despite the clubs being Central Division rivals.
Haslam said the Predators conducted a broad search before settling on MacFarland, praising him as the right fit to guide the organization forward. MacFarland, 56, brings extensive experience and a strong recent track record. He won NHL General Manager of the Year in May after helping build a Colorado team that remained among the league’s strongest contenders. He spent 11 years with the Avalanche organization and became general manager in July 2022, when Joe Sakic was elevated to president of hockey operations following Colorado’s Stanley Cup championship.
During his time in charge, MacFarland helped keep the Avalanche in the playoff picture every season, including a Presidents’ Trophy run this year. Colorado’s postseason ended with a sweep by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final, but the organization still viewed MacFarland as a central figure in its success over the past decade. Avalanche owner Josh Kroenke said MacFarland played an instrumental role in the team’s achievements, including the 2022 Stanley Cup title, and noted that the move gives him a larger leadership role closer to his family in Nashville.
The Avalanche confirmed that Sakic will resume GM duties for the foreseeable future, including through this month’s draft and the start of the league year. That gives Colorado an established hand back in the short term as it prepares for a busy offseason.
For Nashville, MacFarland arrives with a major mandate: to revive a team that has struggled to get back to the playoffs. The Predators nearly reached the postseason this season after a slow start, but ultimately fell short by four points. Their last playoff appearance came in 2024, even after the franchise invested heavily in free agency by signing Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. Despite those high-profile additions, the team has not been able to translate spending into sustained success.
MacFarland said he is eager to help build a winner in Nashville and sees a path toward a Stanley Cup contender. He said he is excited to work with Haslam, team president Sean Henry, the hockey operations staff and the players to create a team that can compete at the highest level. The Predators were the final NHL team still searching for a top hockey operations executive after the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs already completed their hires.
