MacFarland's thought process on trading Evangelista and future of team going forward

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Chris MacFarland was quick to address the media following an unexpected trade with the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night.

After nearly two months without a major move from the team, MacFarland took the League by surprise, trading young winger Luke Evangelista to New Jersey for a conditional 2028 first-round pick (Colorado) and a 2028 second-round pick.

MacFarland expressed the difficulty of moving someone like Evangelista but explained that if the team could potentially see more success and growth from it, it had to be done.

"These are some of the toughest ones that you sometimes have to do," MacFarland said Tuesday in a press conference. "Anytime you trade a good player that's got a lot of cachet and ... that's done a good job here and played good hockey for the Preds for the last number of years, and it's just the tough part of the business."

"What I do think it's given us is a bullet in the holster that we didn't have yesterday that we can potentially now be involved on, whether it's next week, two months from now, or three months from now. Again, our goal is to try and build something that can have sustained success."

The conditional 2028 first-round pick from Colorado can turn into a 2029 first-round pick under two circumstances: either a) Colorado’s 2027 first-round pick is not transferred to Toronto; or b) Colorado’s 2028 first-round pick falls within the Top 10.

Evangelista was not initially on the Predators trade board this offseason, but an offer from the Devils was too valuable for MacFarland to pass over.

"Around the draft, the early part of July, that's when a lot of the chatter is going on. You're talking to everybody, everybody's checking in with you, and you kind of get a sort of scope of what teams are looking to do," MacFarland said. "We weren't shopping [Evangelista] by any stretch, but when we talked with the Devils, that was a name that popped up for what they're trying to do, and I think in the last week or so, kind of rounded into shape."

A second trade is not in the immediate works according to MacFarland, but he values the weight the newly obtained draft picks could have in the future, whether that's through trading or drafting.

"We think while the roster is improved, it's still got a long way to go in a certain silos for us to get it going to where we want it to get to. I think this arms us. [If] the draft pick darts high in the draft, that is going to be potentially attractive in a lot of different ways, but when that'll be, we don't know. High picks ... are liquid, and we'll be curious to see how that looks like her in the next whatever amount of time."

One of the Predators' reasons for trading Evangelista ultimately came down to forward depth. Nashville brought in five forwards this offseason which has put some strain on the rookies entering the lineup. The surplus of right-handed shooters made it difficult for some players to get adequate ice time.

With the likes of Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, and the emergence of Matthew Wood and Mavrik Bourque, MacFarland wanted to ensure the team's prospects could get a chance to play.

"We feel we're very forward heavy," MacFarland said. "We got a lot of good young wingers that are going to wear our colors over the next few years. One of the challenges we ran into this summer and in trying to improve other positional silos was we just didn't have the right mix of darts to throw."

"It's that next layer that we expect at some point to filter into that top nine. Whether it's talking about Brady Martin, Yegor Surin, Cole O'Hara, guys who have been in the Preds reserve list here for a few years and have developed. We felt pretty strong that our winger position could absorb this, and we're excited about the potential capital might be able to do for the lineup at some point."

A spot in the lineup isn't guaranteed for everyone although. Every rookie must prove why they're worthy of a chance when the time comes.

"We've been consistent in saying that you have to get it done on the ice and it'll have to be earned ... I think the guys should be excited. And if again, if there's a way we can still improve the team, we'll do that. But I think the guys, some of the young forwards were as excited about yesterday when Luke was here, we're equally excited today to have them getting ready to come into camp and battle for a spot."

The Predators training camp starts Wednesday, Sept. 16, and will give MacFarland and management a good idea at where the team stands and what moves could be made in the future.

"As a management group, we feel good, but I think if you asked every other team in the league moving into camp, you kind of always feel good. You know your expectations are just expectations, and you have to get it done on the ice," MacFarland said.

"Training camp is going to give us a lot of information about where guys' games are at, where's our competitive level at. But I think, for us, the real information is going to come when we start playing real games for two points in late September and October. The players will have to get it done on the ice, and that's going to be the telltale for us."

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow