2012–13 Nashville Predators season
The 2012–13 Nashville Predators season was the team's 15th season in the National Hockey League. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout.
Off-season
After already losing one half of their All-Star defensive core to free agency when Ryan Suter signed with the Minnesota Wild, on July 19, 2012, Shea Weber signed an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. The Predators had seven days to decide whether to match the offer, opting to do so on July 24 to keep Weber in a Predators uniform.Regular season
The Predators scored 109 goals over the lockout-shortened season of 48 games, tied for 30th overall with the Florida Panthers. The Predators were also shut out a league-high nine times, tied with the Phoenix Coyotes.Standings
Game log
Playoffs
For the first time since the 2008-09 season, the Predators missed the playoffs.Player stats
Final stats;Skaters
| Player | ||||||
| 48 | 9 | 19 | 28 | −2 | 48 | |
| 48 | 12 | 13 | 25 | −6 | 20 | |
| 38 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 6 | 27 | |
| ‡ | 36 | 4 | 17 | 21 | −7 | 26 |
| 25 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 4 | |
| 48 | 5 | 13 | 18 | −7 | 8 | |
| 34 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 6 | 4 | |
| 46 | 3 | 12 | 15 | −5 | 11 | |
| 47 | 3 | 11 | 14 | −1 | 9 | |
| 24 | 4 | 10 | 14 | −1 | 14 | |
| 47 | 9 | 4 | 13 | −10 | 18 | |
| 44 | 4 | 8 | 12 | −11 | 20 | |
| 36 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 10 | |
| 47 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 113 | |
| † | 20 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −2 | 4 |
| 34 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 26 | |
| 24 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 6 | |
| 35 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 6 | |
| 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | |
| 32 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 15 | |
| 23 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −1 | 20 | |
| 18 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −4 | 6 | |
| 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | −2 | 0 | |
| †‡ | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −2 | 0 | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −5 | 0 | |
| ‡ | 29 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −11 | 20 |
| 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −3 | 12 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | |
| ‡ | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 8 | 12 | 17 | 29 | −11 | 95 |
;Goaltenders
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Predators. Stats reflect time with the Predators only.
‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record
Awards and records
Transactions
The Predators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2012–13 season.Trades
Free agents signed
Free agents lost
| Player | New team | Contract terms |
| Francis Bouillon | Montreal Canadiens | 1 year, $1.5 million |
| Jordin Tootoo | Detroit Red Wings | 3 years, $5.7 million |
| Alexander Radulov | CSKA Moscow | 4 years, $36.8 million |
| Jack Hillen | Washington Capitals | 1 year, $650,000 |
| Ryan Suter | Minnesota Wild | 13 years, $98 million |
Claimed via waivers
Lost via waivers
| Player | New team | Date claimed off waivers |
| Zach Boychuk | Carolina Hurricanes | March 21, 2013 |
Player signings
| Player | Date | Contract terms |
| Magnus Hellberg | June 18, 2012 | 3 years, $2.3425 million entry-level contract |
| Chris Mueller | June 21, 2012 | 1 year, $550,000 |
| Brandon Yip | June 21, 2012 | 1 year, $750,000 |
| Hal Gill | June 28, 2012 | 2 years, $4 million |
| Paul Gaustad | July 1, 2012 | 4 years, $13 million |
| Brian McGrattan | July 1, 2012 | 1 year, $600,000 |
| Jeremy Smith | July 17, 2012 | 1 year, $660,000 |
| Jack MacLellan | July 23, 2012 | 1 year, $600,000 |
| Sergei Kostitsyn | July 23, 2012 | 2 years, $6 million |
| Colin Wilson | July 24, 2012 | 3 years, $6 million |
| Shea Weber | July 24, 2012 | 14 years, $110 million |
| Mike Fisher | August 20, 2012 | 2 years, $8.4 million contract extension |
| Colton Sissons | September 13, 2012 | 3 years, $1.97 million entry-level contract |
| Jonathon Blum | September 13, 2012 | 1 year, $650,000 |
| Gabriel Bourque | September 14, 2012 | 2 years, $1.55 million contract extension |
| Kevin Klein | September 15, 2012 | 5 years, $14.5 million contract extension |
| Craig Smith | September 15, 2012 | 2 years, $4 million contract extension |
| Zach Budish | April 3, 2013 | 2 years, $1.33 million entry-level contract |
| Miikka Salomaki | April 24, 2013 | 3 years, $2.3425 million entry-level contract |
| Patric Hornqvist | April 30, 2013 | 5 years, $21.25 million contract extension |
| Marek Mazanec | May 3, 2013 | 2 years, $1.22 million entry-level contract |
| Brendan Leipsic | May 23, 2013 | 3 years, $2.0525 million entry-level contract |
| Mikko Vainonen | May 24, 2013 | 3 years, $1.87 million entry-level contract |
| Roman Josi | June 10, 2013 | 7 years, $28 million |
| Joe Piskula | June 17, 2013 | 1 year, $550,000 |
| Kevin Henderson | June 18, 2013 | 2 years, $1.1 million |
| Victor Bartley | June 19, 2013 | 3 years, $2 million |
Draft picks
Nashville's picks at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Previous Team |
| 2 | 37 | Pontus Aberg | LW | Sweden | Djurgardens IF J20 |
| 2 | 50 | Colton Sissons | C | Canada | Kelowna Rockets |
| 3 | 66 | Jimmy Vesey | LW | USA | South Shore Kings |
| 3 | 89 | Brendan Leipsic | LW | Canada | Portland Winterhawks |
| 4 | 112 | Zach Stepan | C | USA | Shattuck-Saint Mary's |
| 4 | 118 | Mikko Vainonen | D | Finland | HIFK U20 |
| 6 | 164 | Simon Fernholm | D | Sweden | Huddinge IK J20 |
| 6 | 172 | Max Gortz | RW | Sweden | Farjestad BK J20 |
| 6 | 179 | Marek Mazanec | G | Czech | HC Plzen |