Nashville Predators: Five Players Who Could Benefit After Trade Deadline

Juuso Parssinen

A major reason to be sellers right now if you’re the Nashville Predators, who have no clear long-term direction, is to start establishing what that plan actually is.

They need to make space for their young and talented players to get more ice time and go through some growing pains the remainder of this season. One player that jumps to mind immediately in this regard is Juuso Parssinen.

Parssinen has looked excellent from the first game he played in the NHL. He looks comfortable despite being so young and inexperienced, and getting him top-six minutes should be a priority in a season that’s likely going to end out of the playoffs.

If the Predators manage to trade a couple veteran forwards out of the starting lineup, like Mikael Granlund or Nino Niederreiter, then Parssinen stands to benefit by being elevated to a second line role. Which leads me to my next player.

Parssinen is fifth on the Predators with 16 assists, six of those coming on the power play.

Cody Glass

I know Cody Glass is already getting top six minutes at center, but the focus can really shift to primarily on him being a potential long-term top line center for this organization once the trade deadline passes.

There is some business that has to be attended to for Glass’ future as he’s an RFA. I would be shocked to the core if the Predators don’t re-sign him before the offseason even gets here. He’s vital to the future rebuild that’s pending.

Glass has already established NHL career highs in games, points and shots this season and will keep adding to that. Although on a modest level, it’s been his breakthrough year into becoming an NHL regular after Vegas didn’t fully invest in him.

As the Predators likely enter a timeframe of being younger and rebuilding the core of their roster, Glass will be a centerpiece. Let’s hope he can finish on a strong note individually regardless of where the team ends up in the standings, and whoever doesn’t make it past the trade deadline.

Tomasino

Philip Tomasino, under unfortunate circumstances due to the Filip Forsberg injury, is back on the NHL level for the Nashville Predators. It has infuriated and puzzled many fans as to why he hasn’t been called up sooner with the team’s offensive ineptitude, and reserving spots for players like Cole Smith and Mark Jankowski.

Be that as it may, Tomasino obviously stands to remain on the NHL level for the duration once the trade deadline passes and Poile is a big time seller.

I’ll bring up Granlund again because he’s a veteran I’d really love to move on from to give Tomasino a full-time place in the lineup. No offense meant for Granlund here, but the match isn’t there anymore. He probably wants out deep down as well and I wouldn’t blame him if he does.

Tomasino, just like Glass and Parssinen, should be part of the long-term plans of the organization and hopefully all three are future top-six forwards.

After the trade deadline, I won’t be focused as much on wins and losses and will have my full focus on how Tomasino, Glass and Parssinen continue to develop and build chemistry on the NHL level.

Jordan Gross

The first defenseman to pop up on this list of post-trade deadline players is Jordan Gross. A player who showed a lot of promise during his short stint from November to mid-December.

Gross only posted three points, but he logged a lot of ice time and held the seat warm while Ryan McDonagh was out. Some of his better individual games was a game against Tampa when he put up six blocked shots and three hits.

Against Vancouver, Gross tallied two goals with one coming on the power play. And against Edmonton he was aggressive on the offensive end with five shots on goal and 20 minutes of ice time.

With Dante Fabbro being considered one of the top trade pieces for the Nashville Predators to consider trading away, that would leave room for Gross to get called back up.

Looking ahead to next season, Gross will be in the final year of his current contract he signed in the summer of 2022. If he can get the chance to finish out 2022-23 getting regular starts for the Predators, it can give him some momentum moving into the offseason.

It can also give the Predators front office more film on Gross to see if he’s a potential fit in the long-term rebuild plans.

Yaroslav Askarov

I’m sure Askarov would love to get another taste of the NHL before this season is up. The guy just resonates with so much confidence and personality that it would reignite the fanbase to see him called up and split some starts with Juuse Saros down the stretch.

Besides, what Predators fan doesn’t want more of this if the team is going to be playing meaningless hockey anyway?

Now, to make this happen, obviously Kevin Lankinen would have to be dealt before the trade deadline. This should be on the table for Poile to consider.

Lankinen has done a lot to raise his personal stock in his backup role to Saros. He’s 21st among NHL goaltenders in Goals Saved Above Expected with only 12 games played.

This was always going to be a one-year bridge to Askarov. Lankinen has done himself a lot of favors by playing well when called upon and now deserves a starter’s role somewhere else. Find a team that wants him, whether that be a playoff contending team or a team on the rise that needs a goaltender for their future.

This would make space for Askarov to split starts with Saros, and if things get really ugly, I say you give more starts to Askarov over Saros over the last couple weeks of the regular season. That gives you an early head start with your 2023-24 goalie tandem.

Honorable Mention

I’ll include Tommy Novak in this because he just got a new contract and could definitely be elevated in the lineup after the trade deadline.

Looking back at the Milwaukee Admirals, Kiefer Sherwood and John Leonard could end up getting some NHL opportunities depending on just how much Poile actually sells. Both players have considerable NHL experience and possibly the organization would want to see more playing time from them.

I don’t expect the Nashville Predators to be realistically in the playoff hunt for much longer, so it’s time to think about the long-term future and gives some newcomers and young players who will be around for a while a chance to show what they got.