John's History Corner

When most think of hockey in the Volunteer State, they automatically think of the yellow-shirted Nashville Predators, and for good reason. Tennessee’s beloved Predators, or “Preds,” have had some decent amounts of success since their debut season in the fall of 1998, having been the runner-up in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, among their several Central Division titles as well. But what most don’t know is that Tennessee has a unique hockey history compared to other Southern states, beginning over sixty years ago.

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The History of Ice Hockey in Tennessee

Ice hockey in Tennessee traces its roots back to the mid-1960s when minor professional teams were introduced to the state’s three largest cities: Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. One of the earliest versions of these teams were the Knoxville Knights, playing in the Eastern Hockey League from 1961 to 1968. Despite some on-ice success, none of these teams managed to generate sustained public interest, and all folded within a decade. Apart from a brief revival attempt in the early 1980s, Tennessee remained without a stable hockey presence for over fifteen years.

A renewed effort in the late 1980s brought the sport back, beginning with the Knoxville Cherokees. Despite limited playoff success, the Cherokees experienced growing fan support, with average attendance increasing from 2,100 to nearly 3,500 per game by 1997. Although the team relocated to Florida that year, their popularity helped pave the way for other teams in Tennessee.

The Memphis RiverKings joined the scene in 1992, drawing over five-thousand fans per game in their early seasons. While attendance declined over time, the team remained viable and secured two league championships before moving to Southaven, Mississippi, after 15 years in Memphis. Meanwhile, the Nashville Knights, established in 1989, also saw initial success but experienced a rapid drop in attendance, lasting only seven seasons before moving to Florida. A subsequent team, the Nashville Ice Flyers/Nighthawks, played from 1996 to 1998 but was overshadowed by plans for an NHL expansion team—the Nashville Predators.

The Predators debuted in 1998 as part of the NHL’s southern expansion, joining teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Initially placed in a division with established franchises like Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis, Nashville struggled to form regional rivalries and missed the playoffs for their first five seasons. The team’s first postseason appearance came in 2004 but was disrupted by the NHL lockout the following year. From 2005 onward, the Predators found greater success, achieving seven consecutive winning seasons. The franchise reached new heights with its first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2017, led by P.K. Subban, who also became a key figure in engaging Tennessee’s minority communities. The team followed this achievement by winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018.

Tennessee had historically lacked college ice hockey programs until Tennessee State University announced in 2023 that it would launch a club team in 2024, with aspirations to achieve varsity status. The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders have also began a venture into the sport, having one of the most successful teams of the 2024 season.

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