Michael Bunting has always been a high possibility of being traded before this season even started, and now a more suprising name has popped up with long-time Nashville Predators enforcer and depth forward Michael McCarron.
According to the latest reporting from Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts podcast, the Predators are willing to shop both Bunting and McCarron at this upcoming trade deadline which is just a little over month away.
There's really no getting around it if you're the Nashville Predators; you need to sell regardless of your position in the standings of being five points back of the final wildcard spot. You're essentially in a battle with six other realistic teams for two spots.
Michael Bunting has proven to be a nice short-term acquisition for Barry Trotz and Nashville Predators
Bunting was originally traded for not even a year ago that sent Tommy Novak and Luke Schenn to the Pittsburgh Penguins while also bringing a 2026 fourth-round draft pick to the Predators.
I'd say all in all, depending on what the Predators end up getting in return for Bunting now, it was actually a good trade made by Trotz. Bunting has brought some short-term value with his physicality and occasionally being able to provide some secondary scoring. He certainly hasn't been a hinderance, and now if you can flip him for some younger assets or more draft capital, then bonus.
Bunting's journeyman status is probably going to continue as he'll be age 31 before the 2026-27 season begins. Whoever might be trading for Bunting now is looking for extra depth and physicality for their respective playoff run.
I actually really have gained a lot of respect for Bunting's game and how he carries himself, and if the Predators do end up trading him, I hope he can go to a contender and get some playoff ice time he deserves.
The possible return is unknown, but the ceiling is probably a second-round pick. If Trotz pulls that off, then it was an outstanding flip. Bunting has 38 points in 71 games with Nashville.
Michael McCarron could end up being a valuable fourth-line enforcer for the grind of the playoffs for any team interested, and not be a high price tag
McCarron has surfaced on my trade rumor radar over the past month, and my only reservation for the Predators dealing him is that they are so deprived at the center position. If they also end up trading Erik Haula, which they should be trying to do, then that's another center.
Then you have the aging Ryan O'Reilly, who also has been the subject of trade rumors and is probably Nashville's top value trade piece should he be made available.
That's possibly three starting centers that Nashville could be shopping right now, which is just asanine when you really think about it. Even more so considering there isn't a lot of immediate help out of the prospect ranks.
McCarron is also going to be an unrestricted free agents in the upcoming offseason, so shopping him makes total sense. However, I don't see McCarron commanding a massive raise in the offseason either and would be easier to extend for another year if Nashville really wants to keep him around. I don't see the free agency market just exploding for McCarron, and that's not meant as being offensive to McCarron. But he is what he is, which is a fourth line bruiser.
Bunting seems like a foregone conclusion to get traded in the next month, but my confidence in McCarron getting dealth isn't nearly as high just because you really need that depth at the center position right now for Nashville to even fill their starting lineup. It's that thin at the center position, unfortunately.
Do you really let McCarron go for a fourth-round pick or something in that ballpark? For that minimal return that he may get in a trade, I say you just find a way to give him a small raise and see if he's open to staying in Nashville for another year.
McCarron has been with the Predators for the past six seasons after being involved in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens going all the way back to January 2020. The trade involved center Laurent Dauphin who only played 38 games for Montreal and currently doesn't have an NHL contract.
So safe to say the Predators front office won this trade back in 2020. We rag on this front office constantly, so let's be fair and give them a small win when it's deserving. This was a small win to have a depth center like McCarron for all these years.
I think we can be pretty confident that at least one of these Michaels are going to be traded by the Nashville Predators before the March 6 deadline.