NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nick Saban knows his strengths with seven national championships as a college football coach. He also understands how to put coaches and athletes in the best position to succeed.

That’s what he hopes to bring to the NHL’s Nashville Predators after joining the franchise as a minority owner.

kAm“x’> ?@ 6IA6CE 😕 9@4<6J[ D@ 5@?’E =@@< 2E >6 =:<6 x’> 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 D@>6 9F86 :>A24E 4@249:?8 2C@F?5 96C6 3642FD6 E92E’D ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 92AA6?[Q $232? D2:5 |@?52J] “qFE x 5@ 92G6 2 AC6EEJ 8@@5 :562 @7 H92E :E E2<6D E@ 92G6 DF446DD7F= @C82?:K2E:@?D]”k^Am

kAm$232? >256 9:D 7:CDE 2AA62C2?46 |@?52J 😕 9:D ?6H C@=6 2D 2 >:?@C:EJ @H?6C 2=@?8D:56 !C652E@CD 492:C>2? q:== w2D=2>]k^Am

kAm%96 !C652E@CD 2??@F?465 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^7cd6ehabhee44bc_4_b`g_haaggb_63dQm$232?VD AFC492D6 s64] `ek^2m E9C@F89 sC62> $A@CED ‘6?EFC6D {{r[ 2? 6?E:EJ 4@?EC@==65 3J $232? 2?5 3FD:?6DD A2CE?6C y@6 p8C6DE:] %92E 3FD:?6DD 8C@FA 762EFC6D `_ 42C 562=6CD9:AD[ :?4=F5:?8 EH@ 😕 }2D9G:==6]k^Am

kAmw2D=2>[ 2 7@C>6C %6??6DD66 8@G6C?@C[ H2D H@C<:?8 @? 2 A@DD:3=6 (}qp 6IA2?D:@? 7C2?49:D6 H96? $232? E@=5 E96 !C652E@CD 4@?EC@==:?8 @H?6C E92E 96 2=D@ >:89E 36 :?E6C6DE65 😕 9@4<6J]k^Am

kAm“x E9@F89E[ ‘(6==[ E92E’D E96 8C62E6DE ?@ 3C2:?6C @7 2== E:>6[’Q w2D=2> D2:5] Q*@F 92G6 D@>63@5J H9@ F?56CDE2?5D 3F:=5:?8 2 492>A:@?D9:A 4F=EFC6[ H9@ F?56CDE2?5D[ x E9:?<[ 36EE6C E92? 2=>@DE 2?J3@5J 😕 DA@CED E96 AC@46DD E92E’D ?66565 E@ 86E E@ H96C6 J@F 42? 4@>A6E6 2D 2 492>A:@?]”k^Am

kAm$232? 8C6H FA 😕 (6DE ‘:C8:?:2 H:E9 ?@ 9@4<6J 2C@F?5] w6 3642>6 :?E6C6DE65 😕 9@4<6J H96? 4@249:?8 2E |:49:82? $E2E6 2?5 3642>6 7C:6?5D 2?5 D92C65 :562D H:E9 E92E E62>VD 4@249] $232? 42==65 E9:D 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 36 :?G@=G65 H:E9 2 E62> 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 D:?46 96 2??@F?465 9:D C6E:C6>6?E y2?] `_[ a_ac]k^Am

kAm$@ H92E H:== $232? 3C:?8 E@ E96 }w{ 2?5 E96 !C652E@CD 😕 9:D ?6H6DE C@=6nk^Am

kAmw:D 6IA6C:6?46 3F:=5:?8 AC@8C2>D 3@E9 😕 4@==686 7@@E32== 2?5 D:I D62D@?D 😕 E96 }u{ H@C<:?8 7@C q:== q6=:49:4< 😕 r=6G6=2?5 2?5 2D 9625 4@249 @7 |:2>:] p “EC2?D7@C>2E:@?2= =6256C” 2D $232? AFE :E] ~?46 4@==686 7@@E32== D62D@? 6?5D[ $232? D2:5 96 H:== 36 :?G@=G65 2D >F49 2D w2D=2> H2?ED]k^Am

kAm$232? 2=C625J 92D DA@<6? E@ 4@2496D 2?5 D@>6 A=2J6CD 5FC:?8 H92E 96 42==65 2 >:?:42>A] $232? 2=D@ 92D >6E 2 4@FA=6 E:>6D H:E9 86?6C2= >2?286C q2CCJ %C@EK[ D2J:?8 9:D 8@2= 😀 E@ DFAA@CE %C@EK 2?5 6G6CJ@?6 6=D6 H:E9 E96 !C652E@CD]k^Am

kAm}2D9G:==6 H@? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^AC652E@CD\C6249\`DE\DE2?=6J\4FA\7:?2=\@FDE\5F46D\b5f477fac7cec574hfcgbhchhaaef5b4Qm(6DE6C? r@?76C6?46k^2m 367@C6 =@D:?8 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^A6?8F:?D\6?5\AC652E@CD\>28:42=\A@DED62D@?\CF?\ehe4`725ac3ecba_3f7_g_h__be7hf2_Qm$E2?=6J rFA u:?2= 😕 a_`fk^2m E@ !:EED3FC89 😕 D:I 82>6D] %96 !C652E@CD H@? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^AC652E@CD\2446AE\AC6D:56?ED\EC@A9J\362E\3=F6\;24<6ED\c\a\32c46d_7afafc3b_2c2h557f_gf3b`ccQm!C6D:56?EDV %C@A9Jk^2m 7@C E96 a_`f\`g D62D@? 3FE C2?<65 aeE9 @FE @7 ba }w{ E62>D |@?52J 7:G6 A@:?ED 324< @7 E96 D64@?5 H:=5\42C5 DA@E 😕 E96 (6DE]k^Am

kAm“%@ 36 2 A2CE @7 E96 9@4<6J E62> 96C6 😀 D@>6E9:?8 DA64:2=[ 2?5 H6V5 =@G6 E@ 3F:=5 :E :?E@ 2 492>A:@?D9:A[” $232? D2:5] “(6V5 =@G6 E@ A2CE?6C H:E9 |C] w2D=2> E@ 5@ 2?JE9:?8 E92E H6 42? 5@ E@ 96=A E9:D @C82?:K2E:@? 36 DF446DD7F=]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }w{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.