Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson did not land the Nashville Predators job, and it appears that he will remain with the team for at least the 2026-27 season.
Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson was one of the leading candidates to land the vacant Nashville Predators GM job, but following the news that Chris MacFarland has earned that role, Peterson has seemingly missed out on a GM job.
At the moment, all 32 GM jobs across the NHL are occupied, although Joe Sakic has taken the Colorado Avalanche job for the foreseeable future and hasn’t indicated how long that will be. Could that be for next year, or could they look to hire someone after the draft and the bulk of free agency?
Doing so would be a move few teams, if any, have made, but weirder things have happened.
A list of candidates hasn’t been revealed just yet, but it is believed that Peterson would be part of the search.
Peterson was truly in the thick of the Predators GM search, and for some time, it felt like he was one of the top three candidates to land the role. Once MacFarland became available, Peterson and the other candidates were unfortunately removed from the race.
In addition to the Predators GM job, Peterson was involved in the GM search for the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs. They ultimately went in a different direction.
It’s unfortunate for Peterson, who is more than deserving of landing an NHL role. He’s done a phenomenal job with the Panthers and has been given the trust to build multiple Team USA Men’s World Championship rosters. His resume speaks for itself, and it really is just a matter of time before he lands a GM job.
If Peterson does remain with the Panthers, as it looks extremely likely, jobs will open up next season. The Avalanche job could become available again, but teams like the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Winnipeg Jets could also see vacancies if their seasons don’t go to plan.
It’s just a matter of time for Peterson.
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