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Nashville extends GM Poile, assistant Fenton

2007 NHL Entry Draft Rounds 2-7

COLUMBUS, OH - JUNE 23: Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton and General Manager David Poile of the Nashville Predators attend the 2007 NHL Entry Draft at Nationwide Arena on June 23, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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The Nashville Predators made six of the last seven postseasons and won their first-ever playoff round with a team built around defense and goaltending.

Today, the team rewarded the chief architects.

The Predators have announced that David Poile -- the only GM in franchise history -- and assistant Paul Fenton have been extended through the 2014-15 season.

“Today’s announcement is further recognition by the Predators’ ownership group of the outstanding job David has done as President of Hockey Operations since the franchise’s inception,” Nashville chairman Tom Cigarran said. “The consistent success of the Predators on the ice is directly attributed to his ability to assemble and lead a team of management, coaches, scouts and administrators who continually identify, draft, develop and motive an exceptional group of experienced and young players.

“The ownership group believes that under his leadership, the Nashville Predators will soon achieve its goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”

The extensions follow in a series of bold, statement-making moves from the Preds. They already handed out the biggest contract in franchise history (Pekka Rinne’s seven-year, $49 million deal) and bucked up big for Montreal’s Hal Gill, prompting ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun to write the following:

Make no mistake about Friday’s trade, it’s another subtle message from Poile to his two studs [Ryan Suter and Shea Weber] that the Preds are committed to going for it. This year and beyond.

Extending Poile says “this is our guy, we believe in the direction he’s taking us,” while retaining Fenton is about keeping quality people within the organization. Fenton is considered one of hockey’s top assistant GMs and is from the Poile managerial tree -- the same place where current Pens GM Ray Shero came from.

“Paul’s vast experience in the game, from playing at the NHL level to scouting and evaluation, combine to make him an integral and invaluable member of our organization,” Poile said. “We’re thrilled that he will continue to play a key role in our hockey operations.”

On that note, check out this glowing Fenton profile from Jonathan Willis of the Edmonton Journal.