One team that was still on the hunt, however, was the Predators. Dumont returned the interest once he took a peek at Nashville's roster - which at the time included Jason Arnott, Paul Kariya, Steve Sullivan, Kimmo Timonen and Tomas Vokoun among others.

He was a free agent, sure, but at that point in the summer, most teams had already finished their offseason shopping and set their payrolls.

When the Buffalo Sabres and forward J-P Dumont parted ways in August of 2006, Dumont found himself in an unusual position.

"I was really lucky that the Predators were still looking for a player at that point," Dumont said. "I didn't really know that much about the Predators. But looking at the lineup, I was like, 'That's a pretty good lineup.' It wasn't a long negotiation, that's for sure."

The fit proved a good one, as Dumont would go on to play five seasons in Nashville, helping the Predators reach the playoffs four times. His 267 career points in Nashville still rank fifth in franchise history and his 174 assists are seventh.

Perhaps his success could have been predicted after his very first game as a Predator, which saw him score on his first shot on goal - just 39 seconds into the season-opening contest against Chicago.

"I can remember after that goal how (public address announcer Paul McCann) said my name like 'J.P. Doooo-mont,' and that really stuck and everyone started calling me that everywhere I go," said Dumont, 39, who still lives in Nashville. "So that was pretty special, a lot of fun."

There was plenty of fun to be had throughout that 2006-07 season for the Predators, who set franchise records that still stand with 272 goals, 51 wins and 110 points. Dumont, often playing on a line with Sullivan and Arnott, finished second on the team in both assists (45) and points (66) that year.

"They were a little bit older than me, so that gave me a chance to learn from them as well," Dumont said of his linemates. "It was a really good fit for me here right away. The line clicked together pretty quick. All three of us had a really good year."

Video: In 2008, the Smashville Standing Ovation is born

The only disappointment that first year was a first-round playoff loss to San Jose, but Dumont didn't go quietly - totaling six points (4g-2a) in five games against the Sharks.

That summer saw the Predators trade away three big names in Tomas Vokoun, Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. Thanks in part to a career year by Dumont - 29 goals, 43 assists, 72 points - the Preds still returned to the playoffs in 2007-08.

"Every team faces some challenges," Dumont said. "We lost some good players, but we knew we still had a lot of good players in the locker room. We all raised our game. For me, that was my best year points-wise. That was a special year."

One of Dumont's most memorable moments led the Predators to a history-making win over Chicago in the 2010 playoffs.

The Preds trailed Game 1 of the first-round series 1-0 entering the third period, but Dumont scored a very unlikely goal to tie the contest. He flipped a backhand lob toward Chicago goalie Antti Niemi from the blueline, and the puck somehow bounced past the netminder to tie the contest 1-1.

Dumont then scored the game-winning goal by knocking home the rebound of a David Legwand shot, giving the Predators their first playoff road win in 11 attempts.

"The first one was such a lucky play - I just remembered that Joel Ward was kind of going to the net, so so I threw a backhand behind the defensemen and it bounced in," Dumont said. "The winning goal was really special also because I used to play for Chicago. So it was great to get a chance to score both those goals."

Originally the third overall pick of the 1996 Draft, Dumont wound up playing 388 games for the Predators, compared to 362 with the Sabres and 72 with the Blackhawks. He found enjoyment in both of his lengthy stints in Buffalo and Nashville.

"I had a lot of good runs in Buffalo early in my career with Dominik Hasek in net, and then we had success here in Nashville, too," Dumont said. "I think I would say they were different. Buffalo was already a hockey market and it was a lot of fun. Nashville was a different market, but it always made me feel really good.

"Obviously, I retired in Nashville and lived here, so Nashville has always been special."

Dumont and his wife, Kristin, stay busy raising four daughters, currently ages 12, 10, 8, 6. The girls play soccer, softball, volleyball and basketball, but none have taken up hockey quite yet.

In order to feed his passion, Dumont is helping out young hockey players in the area, assisting at Southern Elite Prep's hockey academy, as well as at Centennial Sportsplex and Ford Ice Center.

"Hopefully that will help a few kids reach their dream," Dumont said of his work at the academy. "We're just trying to help them reach their next level of potential, and at the same time, get a really great education and get ready for college."