Seven-time college football national champion Nick Saban has joined a new high-profile venture: National Hockey League minority stake owner. And while he may not know much about coaching hockey, he still has plans for putting his stamp on his team.
On Monday, Saban was officially introduced as a stakeholder in the NHL’s Nashville Predators. He joined his longtime business partner Joe Agresti in acquiring a share.
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At the press conference, Saban said that his role will be serving as a “transformational leader” that focuses on relationships, accountability and setting an example to people within the organization.
“What does it take to be a successful organization process?” Saban said. “How you bring players to a team, how you manage the organization from a financial standpoint. … How do you successfully get people in the organization to work together — the kind of leadership that that takes.”
“How do you help somebody have the best chance to be successful?” he added. “Which is what we would want every person in this organization to do, is have the best chance to be all they can be.”
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Team owner Bill Haslam was certainly excited to have Saban and Agresti joining the organization, no matter what their role is.
“I am really looking forward to having Coach Nick Saban and Joe Agresti as a part of our ownership group,” Haslam said in a team announcement. “Coach is one of the all-time greats in college football history and one of the winningest coaches in all of sports.”
Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Former Alabama coach Nick Saban smiles as he is on set during ESPN’s College GameDay on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game.© Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Predators
The Predators were founded in 1998 as an expansion franchise, becoming the NHL’s 27th team. Although the team struggled in its early seasons, Nashville earned its first playoff appearance in 2004. The Predators’ most successful era came in the 2010s, highlighted by their run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the first championship appearance in franchise history.
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But in recent years, the franchise has struggled mightily, failing to even qualify in two of the last three seasons. They have not won a playoff series since 2018.
Perhaps Saban can inspire the organization to turn things around.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Hockey section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.