Report: Predators given permission to talk to Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland
The Nashville Predators‘ long-running search to find a new head of their hockey operations department may finally be nearing a conclusion.
According to a report from Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the Colorado Avalanche have granted the Predators permission to speak with general manager Chris MacFarland about a role in Nashville, which could mean that the Predators are eyeing him for a promotion to a title at the Team President level.
“A lateral move is unlikely to result in a zip code change for MacFarland, who was promoted to his current position in July 2022,” Friedman wrote.
MacFarland took over a strong Avalanche team that was coming off of a Stanley Cup championship, and he made several bold choices that have allowed the team to remain in the highest echelons of NHL contender status.
Notably, in January 2025, he traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Martin Necas, Jack Drury and draft picks. Later that spring, he acquired Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders at the deadline, and he secured a pair of top-six forwards for the long haul by working out extensions with both Necas and Nelson.
MacFarland’s new-look Avs were the best team in the NHL in the regular season, cruising to the Presidents’ Trophy with a record of 55-16-11 after a record-breaking first half of the year gave way to a merely very good second half.
Colorado then cruised through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, sweeping the Los Angeles Kings and bouncing the Minnesota Wild in five, before suffering a shocking sweep in the Western Conference Final at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights.
As for the Predators, the job came open when outgoing general manager Barry Trotz announced his intent to step away from the role in January following a second consecutive disappointing year under his leadership.
Nashville finished four points back of a weak Western Conference wild card cut line with a 38-34-10 record, and in 2024-25, they went 30-44-8 after Trotz went on a massive free agent spending spree that saw him land veterans Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei and Jonathan Marchessault.