Four Trade Pieces Nashville Predators Could Offer out of Young Core

For the Nashville Predators to be active in this offseason trade market, they’re likely going to have to deal a young player out of their core who has high potential and some NHL experience.

That probably scares a lot of fans because the desire for a few years now has been tor rebuild this franchise with young talent through the draft and developing them, and not by chasing the white whale on the trade market.

However, like it or not, the Nashville Predators have loads of assets to offer teams in a trade, to go along with a moderate amount of cap space at just over $15.5 million to make some noise. I don’t see them just sitting on the sidelines and not making at least one trade to bolster their roster for 2023-24.

Alex DeBrincat is the major name being linked to the Nashville Predators, along with a few other teams as well (Red Wings, Stars, Golden Knights, Panthers). It will be an all-out bidder’s war for DeBrincat, but one thing the Predators have going for them is the draft capital and cap space to pursuit this.

Some of the other teams in the mix will have to jump through more hoops to get a deal done, although the Red Wings look like the front-runner right now.

With that said, here’s a look at four players in the Nashville Predators young core that make sense to be in trade conversations if Barry Trotz not only tries to trade for DeBrincat, but any of other big names on the trade block.

Evangelista Would Spark Trade Interest for Nashville Predators 

Let’s start with a young player who probably holds the most trade value for the Nashville Predators, and that’s Luke Evangelista.

Evangelista burst onto the NHL scene towards the end of last season as the Predators were ravaged by both injuries and after trading away three starters in their starting group of forwards.

Already competing in his first professional season in the AHL, Evangelista made his NHL debut on February 28 against Pittsburgh, and tallied his first NHL point the following game.

It wouldn’t take Evangelista long, just his fourth NHL game, to log his first multi-goal game. Two goals against the Vancouver Canucks, along with six shots on goal:

So when you think about a team like the Ottawa Senators and having to move on from DeBrincat, they’re going to want someone that can immediately be in the starting lineup with high upside. Evangelista fits that bill and is a valuable trade commodity for the Predators if they really want DeBrincat that bad.

Obviously this would be bittersweet to lose Evangelista who has such a high trajectory and potential to break that Nashville curse of not being able to develop homegrown dynamic offensive forward.

Frankly speaking, I’m leaning towards Evangelista being untouchable unless Clayton Keller becomes available in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes. DeBrincat would be an instant game changer for the Predators scoring nightmares, but it’s hard to get on board with losing Evangelista and a first round pick.

Be that as it may, obviously Evangelista is on your radar of potentially being traded by the Nashville Predators to land a superstar player like DeBrincat, who is in his prime at age 25 and could be long-term franchise player for his next team.

It would be hard to let go of Philip Tomasino….

As trade talks have heated up surrounding the Nashville Predators over the past few weeks, the likelihood of Philip Tomasino being involved has gradually caught my interest.

Tomasino’s ceiling remains high with now over 100 games of NHL experience in his first two seasons, and reaching nearly a half point-per-game average. Not bad considering he has been on a team that has struggled to produce offense.

After getting over 1,000 votes on a Twitter poll centered around this topic, Tomasino got the most votes as a young player/prospect that fans would be most willing to trade away:

With 36 percent of the vote going to Tomasino, I get the reason why. It hurts to say this, but he gets the most valuable while also being a player you can justify losing in a trade. You don’t want to trade away Evangelista after how quickly he took off in just his first season.

Tomasino is going to get interest from other teams that are shedding cap space. Much like what happened with Eeli Tolvanen going to a new club and thriving, the same could end up happening with Tomasino.

Plus, someone like Ottawa or Winnipeg is going to prefer getting a younger player who already has some NHL experience and produced, and Tomasino has done that.

Tomasino being involved in a Nashville Predators trade package wouldn’t be all that surprising at this point and has to be considered if you’re really wanting to land a major trade acquisition.

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.

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.