There were many superb players who suited up for the Nashville Predators during the 2010s. They had some of the best defensemen play for them during that decade such as Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Ryan Suter, PK Subban, and Mattias Ekholm among others. Pekka Rinne was the main between the pipes for the club. As for the forwards, some of the best to play for them in the 2010s included Mike Fisher, David Legwand, Filip Forsberg, and Patric Hornqvist.
Hornqvist grew into the offensively-lethal winger he was known for being during his tenure on the Predators. He may not have won a Stanley Cup while he was in Nashville, but his time there was valuable, and he does not play a significant part in winning multiple Cup championships elsewhere without his development in Tennessee. He was one of a few bigger names who carried the Predators’ offensive load during their campaigns in the early 2010s.
Coming to Nashville From Overseas
Despite Nashville drafting Hornqvist with the 230th-overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, he actually made his professional hockey debut for Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish league HockeyAllsvenskan. He first suited up for the club during the 2005-06 season. He played in 47 games and registered five goals and two assists for seven points. His best campaign for them came the following season when he accrued 23 goals and 11 assists for 34 points in 49 games. His stint for Djurgårdens IF ended following 2007-08, where Hornqvist got 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points in 53 games. He also played in five postseason games for the team, where he collected one assist.
Hornqvist came to Nashville and debuted for the Predators for the 2008-09 season. He spent a most of his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Milwaukee Admirals during that campaign, but it was his only season in the minors. In 49 games for Milwaukee, he tallied 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 49 games. As for his season with Nashville, he got two goals and five assists for seven points. His official breakout season in the NHL did not come until his first full season with the organization.
2009-10 saw Hornqvist fit right in with the rest of his Predator teammates. In 80 games, he notched 30 goals and 21 assists for 51 points. That placed him tied for first on the team in points with veteran winger Steve Sullivan. Being able to co-lead in points for a team who had other great talents like Jason Arnott, JP Dumont, Martin Erat, and Legwand spoke volumes about the skill they were getting from Hornqvist. His production was not a fluke either, and he showed no signs of slowing down with Nashville. During his tenure with the club, he notched the following offensive numbers:
- 2008-09: two goals and five assists for seven points in 28 games
- 2009-10: 30 goals and 21 assists for 51 points in 80 games
- 2010-11: 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points in 79 games
- 2011-12: 27 goals and 16 assists for 43 points in 76 games
- 2012-13: four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 24 games
- 2013-14: 22 goals and 31 assists for 53 points in 76 games
Hornqvist also had three goals and five assists for eight points in 24 playoff games for the Predators. Following the 2013-14 season, his time in Nashville came to an end as he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with forward Nick Spaling, in exchange for James Neal. While Neal was a significant player in Nashville’s offense, losing Hornqvist was tough and it got worse a few seasons later.
Costing the Predators When it Mattered Most
Hornqvist debuted for the Penguins in the 2014-15 season. He joined a roster that also contained Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz, Brandon Sutter, and Kris Letang, among others. He fit in right away with his new teammates, as Hornqvist posted the fourth-most points on the team in the regular season with 51 (25 goals and 26 assists). Only Crosby (84 points), Malkin (70), and Letang (54 had higher totals than him. He was a great fit for a supporting cast built around the Penguins’ stars in Crosby and Malkin.
Related: Pittsburgh Penguins: Revisiting the Patric Hornqvist Trade
The Penguins continued to change their roster. They soon also had other great players like Phil Kessel and Nick Bonino in the lineup. During the 2015-16 campaign for Pittsburgh, Hornqvist tallied 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points in 82 games. The team made it all the way to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks, defeating the Sharks in six games to win their first Cup since 2009. Hornqvist finished that championship race with nine goals and four assists for 13 points in 24 games.
Then came the 2016-17 season. For the Predators, it will always be memorable for how much that team accomplished, including making it all the way to 2017 Cup Final. The problem is that once Nashville got there, they faced a Penguins team with those same stars, including their familiar face in Hornqvist. As hard as the Predators fought all series with Pittsburgh, Hornqvist was the player who provided the dagger to Nashville’s chances of winning their first Cup. He scored the go-ahead goal for the Penguins in what was a scoreless Game 6 with only a few minutes left on the clock. Pittsburgh then got an empty net goal from Carl Hagelin, and the rest was history. Hornqvist was a two-time champion and Nashville still does not have their first Cup championship.
Hornqvist’s Tenure in Florida and Overall Impact
Hornqvist suited up for the Penguins until after the 2019-20 season. Prior to 2020-21, he was dealt to the Florida Panthers. The full trade was Hornqvist going to the Panthers, with Pittsburgh receiving blueliner Mike Matheson and forward Colton Sceviour in return. Hornqvist was a member of Florida’s squad for parts of three campaigns before officially announcing his retirement. 2022-23 was his last in the league as a player. He finished his career with 901 games and 543 points (264 goals and 279 assists).
Overall, Hornqvist did a great job for the Predators when he played for the organization. He was not able to help Nashville win their first Cup while he was there, and also was a significant factor as to why they did not win it in 2017. However, he deserves credit for all he did for the franchise. He may not be one of the first players thought of when discussing all-time Predators, but he was with the team for many seasons and was a force for them when he was in the lineup.
