Nashville Predators: Five Mid-Level Trade Targets to Look At

It’s fully estrablished now that the Nashville Predators are going to make a move or two this offseason. They have too much cap space to not be aggressive.

After getting swept in the playoffs, there’s too much of a need to do something. The front office can’t sit idly when there’s an opportunity to make sizable upgrades to the roster quick.

The Predators are a team that would benefit more from a trade than free agency signing this summer, and we know about players such as David Pastrnak and Alex DeBrincat who might be available for trade. Those should absolutely be Poile’s first targets, but even if he misses on them, there are other under-the-radar options to consider.

Don’t get me wrong, it would be a disappointment if the Predators can’t acquire one of the bigger name trade targets this offseason. But if they were to get one of the players on this list, it would still be beneficial.

Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks

Of the players on this list, Boeser is probably the least desirable option and hopefully, it does not come down to this. That being said, if it does, Poile should at least inquire about a potential trade.

Boeser is still very much in the early stages of his career, at the age of 25 and having completed only five full years in the NHL. He has not had a season quite as good as he did when he was a rookie, but his skills are evident.

Boeser has a powerful shot and has shown to be an effective playmaker with the puck on his stick. He is also a very lethal powerplay weapon, and while the Nashville Predators greatly improved in that area this past year, the discrepancy between their first and second units was drastic.

The Predators would be getting a legitimate top-six forward who likely has not seen his ceiling yet, and would certainly be an upgrade over anyone Ryan Johansen played alongside for the majority of 2021-2022.

A big issue with Boeser is that he has been inconsistent from year to year, and at five-on-five play, has not shown to excel in any particular area.

Boeser also is not under contract for the upcoming season, and is not exactly someone the Predators or anyone should break the bank for. This is a player who should be traded for and signed at only a low cost, and for what it is worth, Poile could make that happen.

The Canucks are in a weird spot currently, as they missed the playoffs after a head coach firing early in the year, and several of their players are due for new contracts either now or within the next two years. Most of their core players are young, but they realistically will have to get rid of one of them due to cap restraints.

If that is the case, the Canucks will ship him or someone else off at a price lower than they would prefer, and teams like the Predators could take advantage. While this would be far from an ideal offseason splash, if it is cost effective.

Kevin Fiala, Minnesota Wild

Oh the irony this would be if this actually materialized. It might seem absolutely crazy to think that Fiala and the Nashville Predators would reunite, but a deep dive into the situation tells you that it might be possible.

The Predators are looking to go big game hunting, we know this already, and it already seems that Fiala has one foot out of Minnesota.

The incredibly expensive buyout penalties for Ryan Suter and Zach Parise become especially significant in the upcoming season, and the Wild do not have a viable plan at goaltender right now.

With not even $8M of cap space to work with, they certainly will have to make some sacrifices, and it makes sense that Fiala is just not someone they can realistically afford with him needing a new contract. That being said, it is quite telling that the two sides seemed destined for a divorce right after his best year in the NHL.

Fiala’s offensive skill, mainly his shot and distributing ability, are what any team looks for in a top-six forward, but he is someone who has been known as lazy on the ice and is prone to taking plays and shifts off. His performances in the last two playoffs have also been abysmal, which does not exactly help his case as being someone the Wild should prioritize for their future.

You would think that Fiala is someone who the Wild would be going to the extremes to try and keep, but it does not seem that they are trying to do so, or even do it at the most basic level.

Being a 25-year-old talented winger, Fiala checks the boxes as far as someone who the Predators could use in their system, but the baggage he carries makes him a big risk and someone they should avoid in a perfect world.

Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes

Keller is not exactly someone who is expected to be traded this offseason, but his teammate, Jakob Chychrun, has been in rumors since the middle of last season.

Why a team like the Coyotes would part with a young building block like Chychrun makes zero sense, but the Coyotes are not exactly a team that has been known to make smart decisions or be a desirable organization for players to play.

So if you are Poile and the Predators, why not at least give Keller a look?

Keller, like Boeser, has not been the most consistent from year to year, but he is only 23-years-old and has his prime ahead of him. And a huge difference between the two is that Keller just had his best statistical season on a Coyotes team that was not only terrible, but supposed to be one of the worst teams in NHL history.

The dude’s offensive skill backs it up, as he can score, pass, stickhandle, and you would be hard-pressed to find a team that would not put him in their top-six. He is coming off of an injury, but is expected to make a full recovery, so that is not something that should scare the Predators.

What should give teams some hesitation is his contract, which has six years left at $7.15M per year. If he plays like he did in 2021-2022, then it will be worth it, but that is a huge commitment for any team to make for a player who is not recognized as elite.

If the Coyotes were to retain some salary in this trade, Poile should inquire on Keller.

That is not saying that Keller’s contract is one to completely avoid, but it is costly and one that could easily come back to bite the Nashville Predators in a trade.

With that said, this is still a trade worth exploring for the front office.

Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils

Like Ehlers, Bratt is another player who would be a very desirable upgrade for the Predators. He is someone whose future in New Jersey appears in doubt, as contract discussions seem to not be going so well at the moment.

It is a bit shocking that a team like the Devils would not want to pay Bratt, as they are nearing the end of their rebuild, and he has continued to improve and developed into a legit top-six forward.

My gut feeling is that the two sides reach an agreement at some point this offseason, but like the other players on this list, you would be stupid to not even look into it from Poile’s standpoint.

Bratt is only 23-years-old with tons of offensive skill, and he likely has a whole career ahead of him at this high level play. He came oh so close to averaging a point per game, and his trajectory shows that he should be doing that sooner rather than later.

The only thing about acquiring Bratt is that he would need a new contract, which is of course what is creating an apparent impasse between him and the Devils. But obviously, paying him would be worth it because he is that good.

If the Nashville Predators are looking to make a big splash this offseason, it makes sense to go after players who would be a part of their future. Bratt would undoubtedly be a part of the team’s future, so how could Poile not give him a look?