Nashville Predators Reach Conference Finals for First Time on Ryan Johansen Goal

It’s been a little over a year since the Nashville Predators sent blue-chip defenseman Seth Jones to the Columbus Blue Jackets for disgruntled forward Ryan Johansen, and the trade has just paid its largest dividend to date.

A goal by the 24-year-old center helped send the Preds to their first ever conference finals with a win over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

The pass. The finish. The crowd. The series-winner. #StanleyCup

A post shared by NHL (@nhl) on May 7, 2017 at 3:05pm PDT

It may not be a traditional hockey market, but it’s clear the fans in Nashville have been longing for a winning team since the franchise’s inception back before the turn of the century.

This feisty No. 8 seed has a savvy veteran goaltender, some hungry young stars, and a fanbase that’s fired up for the Stanley Cup.

For the first time in franchise history, the @predsnhl will compete for a spot in the #StanleyCup Final.

A post shared by NHL (@nhl) on May 7, 2017 at 3:22pm PDT

That can be a pretty useful combination as the playoffs progress.