Predlines
Fansided

Nashville Predators: A Retrospective on David Poile’s Biggest Trades

By Eamon Smith

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 7: Nashville Predators general manager David Poile walks with John Hynes prior to his first game as the new head coach of the Nashville Predators against the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena on January 7, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 7: Nashville Predators general manager David Poile walks with John Hynes prior to his first game as the new head coach of the Nashville Predators against the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena on January 7, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 15
Next
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 3: Peter Forsberg #21 of the Nashville Predators looks on during a break in NHL game action against the Los Angeles Kings on March 3, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Predators defeated the Kings 6-3. (Photo by Noah Graham/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 3: Peter Forsberg #21 of the Nashville Predators looks on during a break in NHL game action against the Los Angeles Kings on March 3, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Predators defeated the Kings 6-3. (Photo by Noah Graham/Getty Images) /

Trade #2: Nashville Predators acquire Peter Forsberg from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, 2007 first and third round picks. (February 15, 2007)

This is the first true blockbuster that Poile had in his Predators career, and one of his worst trades to date. The Predators, long a roster with sub-standard talent for a playoff team, had needed a true number-one center for forever and were having an incredible season, eventually finishing with the third-best record in the league.

David Legwand, while still relatively young and talented, wasn’t proving to be a game-changing talent to drive a first line. So, when the Philadelphia Flyers offered up future Hall of Famer and all around superstar Peter Forsberg for the right price at the deadline, Poile took it as a chance to push his chips in on a risky, but potentially amazing bet.

Why was the move risky? Well, Forsberg had clearly entered the twilight of his career, managing just 100 games over two seasons in Philly. What made Poile go all in was his production in the games he did play, with Foppa scoring 115 points wearing the orange and black. The price for this aging superstar was the the foreseeable future of the Predators in sixth overall pick Scottie Upshall, 18th overall pick Ryan Parent, and the upcoming draft’s first and third rounders.

But Poile felt that Forsberg could fill the desired role of 1C and would give the team a dynamic element that it had previously lacked, potentially elevating them to a Stanley Cup. He was horrifically wrong, with Forsberg playing just 22 games in a Predators uniform (although he tallied 19 points) before exiting in the first round and leaving the team in free agency.

Luckily, all the prospects and capital that Poile gave up turned into a large pile of nothing, but at the time this was seen as a trade involving future star talents. Poile was heavily panned for the decision, with it going down as one of the biggest trade deadline overpays in (relatively) recent history.

Home/All-Time Lists