Trade #13: Nashville Predators acquire Kyle Turris from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for sending Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kaminev, and a 2018 2nd round pick to the Colorado Avalanche. (November 5, 2017)
This trade is much maligned now, but it was a good move at the time and I stand by it. The Predators traded a young and talented blue liner in Samuel Girard and a decent prospect in Kaminev for a true #2 center. That’s not a bad move.
Turris played well upon his arrival in Nashville and earned a lucrative contract extension, with 42 points in 65 games. Suffering an injury-riddled 2018-19 season and being healthy scratched multiple times hasn’t done him any favors recently, but he’s played pretty well in the 2019-20 season despite the positions the previous coaching regime put him in.
Girard has been fine, but not stellar for the Avalanche, and Kaminev is just a bottom six player. Where the trade hurts is with Turris getting paid $6 million AAV until 2024. Yikes.