After a 23-year battle with Parkinsons disease, former Nashville Predators assistant coach Brent Peterson passed away on Friday. He was 68 years old and is survived by his wife Tami, his son Brad, and his daughter Kristin.
The Predators made the announcement of Peterson’s passing on their social media channels at noon.
Peterson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2002 and then founded the Peterson Foundation for Parkinson’s in 2009.
“True to Brent’s nature, he thought of others before himself up until his passing this morning. Brent loved a good laugh and lived with Parkinson’s for 23 years, facing every day with a smile and a joke, no matter what his battle brought to him that day,” the Predators said in a statement.
Peterson was still present for home games at Bridgestone Arena for the last several years of his life. He would visit with dozens of people across a single season, whether it was an old friend or someone he just met.
Peterson was not present for his annual Petey’s Party at the arena on Thursday, but he was able to hear numerous tributes before he passed away.
“Such a nice, kind man and really good player. Every time I was on a radio show with Brent, I’d try to swing the conversation to junior hockey so he could share Memorial Cup stories with Portland. Condolences to his family, friends, and the Nashville Predators organization,” longtime NHL pundit Jeff Marek said on X.
Behind the Predators bench & community
Peterson joined Nashville’s staff for its inaugural season alongside former head coach Barry Trotz and assistant coach Paul Gardner.
Altogether, he was a mainstay behind Nashville’s bench for 12 seasons before he had to step down. Before going to Nashville, Peterson was a coach for the Portland Winter Hawks from 1991 to 1998.
As Peterson moved away from being an NHL coach, he stayed in the building for broadcasts. He joined radio play-by-play voice Pete Weber in the booth, providing analysis until 2017.
He was on the call for Nashville’s infamous triple-overtime game-winning goal scored by Mike Fisher. The Predators won 4-3 over the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Second Round.
Fisher’s goal tied the series at 2-2 as he scored the goal at 11:12 of the third overtime. It’s still the longest game in team history and kept fans in their seats until 1:02 a.m.
Peterson’s playing career
Before being drafted 12th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1978, Peterson played for the Edmonton Oil Kings and the same Winter Hawks he coached.
Detroit offered their condolences as well after learning of Peterson’s passing.
Peterson played for Detroit from 1978 to 1981 under legendary head coach Scotty Bowman before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres. He was with the Sabres from 1982 to 1985 and then made two more stops in his playing career.
The final teams Peterson played for were the Vancouver Canucks and Hartford Whalers, each for two seasons before becoming a coach.
He will be remembered for his time in the NHL as both a player and one of Nashville’s first coaches to establish the game in the Volunteer State.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Former Predators Assistant Coach Brent Peterson Dies