It's been almost three months since Barry Trotz unexpectedly announced he'd be retiring as the general manager of the Nashville Predators, with the search commencing immediately. 

Owner Bill Haslam said that the team wants to have a new GM by draft day in late June, but is not hard-set on that deadline. 

With the Predators missing the playoffs and officially in the offseason, finding a new GM remains the key focus for this franchise. 

NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Frank Seravalli threw out a handful of names on Thursday that they believe are being heavily considered for the leading position in Nashville's front office. 

Both agreed that Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson, Edmonton Oilers assistant general manager Bill Scott and former New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald are candidates that "stand out." 

Peterson has been with the Panthers since 2020, joining the organization with general manager Bill Zito and is the first Black assistant GM in NHL history. Their efforts led Florida to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2023 to 2025 and back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. 

He also served as the general manager for Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championships and returns to the role for the 2026 World Championships.

Peterson served as an assistant GM during the 2025 tournament, where the Americans won their first Gold Medal since 1933.

 Scott has been with the Oilers organization since 2010, serving as the general manager of Edmonton's AHL affiliate in some capacity until 2018. From 2014 to 2022, he bounced between Edmonton's assistant GM and director of hockey operations. 

He has held the role full-time since 2022. Scott has been part of one of the longest rebuilds in recent memory, seeing the Oilers land four No. 1 overall picks from 2010 to 2015, including Connor McDavid in 2015. 

In that stretch, the Oilers have picked up other valuable assets, including Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman and more, that have helped Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 2024 and 2025. 

Fitzgerald has been involved in NHL operations since 2007, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as their Director of Player Development and being promoted to Assistant General Manager. 

In his second year with the Penguins, he'd win a Stanley Cup in 2009. 

In 2015, he was hired as the New Jersey Devils' assistant general manager and AHL affiliate general manager. Fitzgerald was in the Devils front office when they drafted Nico Heischer first overall in 2017 and Jack Hughes first overall in 2019. 

During the 2019-20 season, he also served as an assistant coach and Executive VP of Hockey Operations before being promoted to General Manager following Ray Shero's firing. 

During his time as GM in New Jersey, the Devils made the playoffs twice in 2023 and 2025, losing to the Hurricanes in the second round and the first round, respectively. He also served as an assistant GM for Team USA  in the 4-Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Fitzgerald was fired by the Devils in April. New Jersey finished 13th in the Eastern Conference, 11 points outside of a playoff spot with a 42-37-3 record. 

If the name sounds familiar to Predators fans, Fitzgerald was the Predators' first captain and played for the team for four seasons from 1998 to 2002. 

According to Friedman, the Dallas Stars gave permission for assistant GM Scott White to speak to Nashville and Toronto. 

White has been with the Stars organization since 2005, coming on as the Iowa Stars' Director of Hockey Operations. He has been the AHL affiliate since 2009, and this is the first year White has served as Dallas' assistant GM full-time. 

White first moved into the Stars Assistant GM role back in 2016 after serving as the Director of Hockey Operations.

During his time with the organization, the Stars have risen to become one of the best teams in the NHL, making an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. In 2014, the Texas Stars won the Calder Cup and in 2018 finished as runner-up.