Four Trade Pieces Nashville Predators Could Offer out of Young Core
By Chad Minton
Afanasyev has high potential which could be intriguing for other teams….
Any team looking to shed cap space and get a young player with high offensive potential is going to be interested in Egor Afanasyev. He doesn’t have the NHL experience and production that Tomasino has, but I can argue that his ceiling is a bit higher with his shot and potential to evolve into a consistent goal scorer in that right situation.
If we’re just focused on a trade for DeBrincat, then Afanasyev might not offer enough for Ottawa as much as Evangelista and Tomasino would.
Afanasyev would fit into a larger trade package that the Predators can offer to teams along with draft picks, but teams would be taking a gamble on if he’s ready to be an everyday NHL starter next season. That would be the issue in getting much value for Afanasyev.
Afanasyev got into 17 games after getting called up while the Predators were getting buried with injuries to key starters. He managed one goal but did stay aggressive on the puck with 21 shots on goal while averaging just 10:51 of ice time.
Getting deeper into the NHL trade market, I love the idea of the Predators showing interesting in trading for Ross Colton from the Tampa Bay Lightning. A 26-year-old forward who can provide solid forward depth to the Predators who already has three NHL seasons under his belt and racked up 32 points,188 hits, 38 takeaways and a respectable Corsi-for of 56.1 percent.
We're all focused on the big guns on the trade market, but how about someone who wouldn't be expensive and a good fit for #Smashville?
— Chad Minton (@chad_minton) June 21, 2023
Ross Colton is likely going to be a cap casualty for the Bolts. Maybe give them 1 of their 5 picks back to get him?pic.twitter.com/gTSaksl4NT
Sports analyst JP Peterson came onto the BallFather podcast and said that the Lightning really want to retain former Predators darling Tanner Jeannot, and will be willing to trade Colton.
“I think Tanner Jeannot, they love him. I think they’re gonna re-sign him. Ross Colton could be a guy that’s traded to get some younger, cheaper players back.”
Afanasyev would be a player I’d offer in a trade for Colton that might be enough for a Tampa team that doesn’t have much cap space and will likely have to move on from Colton who is an RFA this offseason.