Nashville Predators: Players Who Could Realistically be Traded

Juuse Saros

Trading Saros would tell you everything you need to know about what the Predators wanted to do with their team. You cannot be among the very bottom teams in the league with him in net, so dealing him would show that not only would the Predators want to rebuild, they would want to be one of the worst teams in the league and get one of the most highly coveted prospects in the draft.

I highly doubt that actually happens since the organization has been adamant many times about not wanting to tear everything down, but in a season like this, it definitely has to be discussed, especially because he has only two years on his contract after this one. If you truly want to prioritize youth, do you really want to pay him about double current contract when he is going to be 30 when that kicks in? Especially with Iaroslav Askarov in the system?

Now, no matter how much some people want this team shaken up, you have to be very sure of the team’s direction before you make the decision to pull the trigger. If you can actually deal players such McDonagh, Ekholm, Johansen, and Duchene, then doing the same to Saros is more sensible because at that point you have an objectively bad team that is fully focused on the youth route.

But assuming the more likely scenario, which is that you cannot trade those players, then the best option is to ride it out and keep Saros so the Predators at least have a chance.

Again it is extremely unlikely that Saros will be traded, but the time to think about what you are going to do with him long term will be here before we know it. And with how the current season is going, it is not at all too early for the Predators to start thinking, especially when they could get an absolute haul for him.