Predators hit their prime after years of ‘ups and downs’

The Nashville Predators have long been considered a well organized franchise that drafted well but couldn’t keep its assets because of budgetary restraints.

Uncertainty at the ownership level plagued them for a while, but a decade of steadiness has allowed them to thrive as they make their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference finals.

“I’ve been in Nashville almost 20 years, and when we started probably there was a lot of people that weren’t sure whether Nashville was going to succeed,” said David Poile, the Predators’ general manager since they entered the NHL in 1998.

“They’ve been called a nontraditional hockey market, and we did have some ups and downs. We went through a third ownership group, if you will, and that instability certainly didn’t help in our early years, but when I was asked what the turning point in the franchise was, I said it was the new ownership group, a local group.”

Enthusiastic fans and the country music industry have embraced the Predators, making “Smashville” a memorable place to visit.

“If you haven’t seen a game in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, you should put it on your bucket list because it’s phenomenal right now,” Poile said during a preseries news conference. “Our town is on fire in terms of their support for the Predators, and it’s just really good right now to be where we are and have this opportunity.”

Handling Rinne

How much does Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne like to handle the puck? He entered Friday with three assists in the playoffs, as many as teammate Viktor Arvidsson, the Predators’ top-line right wing.

That’s understandably why keeping the puck away from Rinne is a big part of the Ducks’ plan.

“He’s really effective with that,” Antoine Vermette said. “Certainly that’s one area you want to pay attention, and he’s not afraid to get out of his net to try and get to those spots. You want to avoid the easy out on their part. Puck placement should be the focus of ours.”

The Ducks’ veterans are familiar with Rinne through the years, but coach Randy Carlyle again emphasized to his players Rinne’s puck-handling ability in the short preparation for the Predators.

“You’ve got to keep the puck away from him on dumps and rims,” Corey Perry said. “He’s going to play it. We know how what kind of player he is and how good he is for that team.”

Injury/roster updates

Kevin Bieksa took part in the optional morning skate but was scratched because of a leg injury. The Ducks are also without Patrick Eaves and Logan Shaw because of lower-body injuries.

Sam Carrick was recalled and then reassigned.

Kariya returns

Paul Kariya made a rare appearance at Honda Center on Thursday when he participated in the team’s “Paint It Orange” campaign in which Ducks alumni count down the 16 playoff victories needed to win the Stanley Cup.

Kariya, the franchise’s first star, has mostly kept a low profile since his retirement in 2010. He appeared with Kai Quinonez, an eighth-grade hockey player with a rare lifelong condition known as aplastic anemia who met the Ducks through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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