NBC’s Saturday Night Live took aim at an NHL team in its Nov. 1 sketch, poking fun at one franchise’s name for its awkward double meaning.
In the bit, three “hockey players” played by actors Miles Teller, Ben Marshall, and Tommy Brennan are filming promotional videos for the NHL’s “Hockey Cares” initiative. Marshall sports a New York Rangers jersey, Brennan wears a Los Angeles Kings jersey, and as for Teller, well, his jersey is the one that got everyone talking.
Which $1.6 Billion NHL Franchise Got Trolled?
The sketch centered on the Nashville Predators, valued at $1.6 billion according to Sportico.com. Teller, wearing a Predators jersey, played a player trying to promote the team’s charitable work, but the script’s wording took an unintentionally hilarious turn.
As Teller read his lines, they became increasingly awkward: “I’m a Predator in my community,” “I work in hospitals to make sick kids feel touched.” The gag reached its peak when Teller’s character introduced himself with, “Chase Kid, right wing, Predator.”
— Ryan Gosling (@ryangoslingPFN) November 3, 2025
The Predators quickly joined in on the fun. The team responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a tongue-in-cheek post: “Wait, is this f— play about us?”
The joke hit especially close to home, as the Predators went viral back in July during rookie camp after sharing a photo of prospects wearing yellow shirts reading “Preds in the Community,” a slogan that likely inspired the SNL sketch.
The team followed up with a more positive message on X, encouraging fans to support their community efforts: “While you’re here, learn more and donate to support the @PredsFoundation work in Nashville and middle Tennessee!”
Even the Predators’ mascot Gnash joined the fun. He posted a GIF of former SNL cast member Chris Farley with the caption, “Just enjoying my night watching a little @nbcsnl.”
Despite the laughs, the Predators’ charitable impact is no joke, the Nashville Predators Foundation has donated more than $11.2 million in grants to support education, health, and community programs across Middle Tennessee.
The slogan might need a rework, but at least the team and fans can laugh along.
Back in 1971, while workers were blasting near 4th and Union, they stumbled upon the fossilized remains of a saber-toothed cat that had been extinct for thousands of years. Among the discovery was a massive nine-inch fang, a reminder of the fierce predator that once roamed the region.
The find became a local curiosity, displayed downtown for decades, before ultimately inspiring the name of the city’s NHL team when it was founded in 1997.