The Nashville Predators are the same story they were in 2024-25, and it's not getting any better. It has gotten so bad, that general manager Barry Trotz has already warned a fire sale is coming if things don't improve.
But if you have been following this team since they looked like a Cup contender on paper before the 2024-25 season, you don't need a crystal ball to know how this one is going to turn out. The Predators aren't going to win consistently enough to even remotely climb back into playoff contention.
So, that means it's time to turn your attention to something they have a much better chance of contending for: the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes. McKenna is the top player going into the 2026 NHL Draft, and he has franchise-changing potential.
If the Predators want to maximize their chances of landing McKenna, then they need to find a way to move three productive players and put themselves in the best position possible to snag the best odds to snag the first pick.
Roman Josi
Roman Josi has spent his entire career with the Predators, so it would be weird to see him wearing another uniform. But Josi could end up wanting to continue his career elsewhere if the Predators start selling well before the trade deadline in an effort to finally hoist the Stanley Cup.
Josi does have a full no-movement clause, so if he didn't want to stick around, he could exercise it. But with just two years left on his deal following the 2025-26 season, teams willing to make the steep investment in his contract wouldn't be on the hook long-term.
Plus, Josi has proven he can still play, with six points in 10 games, and over 23 minutes of average total ice time. Josi, despite this being his age-35 season, is also still worthy of a high price tag that could warrant the Predators a high-end prospect and a first-round pick in exchange.
Ryan O'Reilly
Of the three players listed, Ryan O'Reilly is the most surefire option to move. He doesn't have a no-trade or a no-movement clause, and he only carries a $4.5 million cap hit that expires following the 2026-27 season.
O'Reilly is one of the few Predators players who has looked good offensively so far, with 13 points and six goals in 22 games. He's also been phenomenal at winning face-offs, posting a 57.3 face-off win percentage. And with 19:26 of average total ice time, O'Reilly is still more than capable of logging first-line minutes.
While he's not as big a name as Roman Josi, O'Reilly would be much easier to trade since he's still performing well even on a bad hockey team, which means the Preds could easily get a team to overpay for him. Plus, moving their best point producer next to Filip Forsberg would put them that much closer to winning the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes.
Jonathan Marchessault
Like Roman Josi, Jonathan Marchessault has a no-movement clause, but he also has more of a team-friendly deal, clocking in with a cap hit of just $5.5 million that expires following the 2028-29 season. A contender looking for a player who could be in town for a while may be interested in Marchessault, despite his poor numbers with six points and four goals in 19 games.
Even if Marchessault's production doesn't return to form, he would still be a great addition to a contender's checking line. With 33 hits so far in 19 games this season, Marchessault's tenacious play would be golden for a team looking to get more physical when the playoff race heats up.
So, don't be surprised if a contender drops a first-round pick for him. He might not warrant a larger compensation package in the same way as Josi or O'Reilly, but the Predators would nevertheless land yet another talent to keep building their prospect pool.
If the Predators can find suitors for all of the above players, and maybe even Steven Stamkos, they should bottom out and land the best chance to win the draft lottery. And should they get Gavin McKenna, he would just be another puzzle piece to what is looking like a good, young group of prospects and youngsters in the system. It might mean suffering now, but it would be short-lived.