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Luke Schenn Odd Man Out in a Fully Healthy Nashville Predators Defense

By Max Greenberg

Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn (2) after a play during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn (2) after a play during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Luke Schenn, Nashville Predators
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports /

Odd man out: Luke Schenn

I cannot finish this article without touching on Schenn in more capacity, due to the contract he signed with the Predators in the offseason. It almost seems criminal to leave him out of the lineup when he is making $2.75M AAV for the next three years, but unfortunately, it is hard to put him back given how the other pairings have performed.

Schenn of course offers the Stanley Cup pedigree and is one of those tougher guys who can make his team menace to play against, but it is hard to imagine how he could upgrade this team on the ice right now. It is one of those situations where the Predators may have to all but admit that they made an unnecessary offseason signing, and scratch him accordingly.

Now, GM Barry Trotz may have signed him to give the team another trusted voice and seventh defenseman, which even for a team with lots of cap space, is a lot of money to have given him. But that just might have been the plan, because even when the deal was signed, it was hard find a spot in the lineup where he would belong night in and night out.

The signing seems like a waste of money, especially because he has zero trade value at this point, but I highly doubt that Schenn is going to end up as a total nothing. Once again, there are likely going to be games when he comes in the lineup depending on who the Predators are playing on a given night, since at times they will need to be especially physical to take their opponents off of their game.

Not only that, but Carrier and Barrie are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, and with the logjam on defense, it is doubtful that both re-sign. Even if Schenn does not do much this year, he will likely see much more time next year, so they will surely get something out of him.

The signing still seems baffling and I was not in favor of it when it happened, but Trotz and Brunette clearly see Schenn as having a place on this team, and he will moving forward. A mentor can be valuable, and the Predators can ultimately afford this kind of overpay when their contending window is not now.

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