Nashville Predators are in awful position to do anything creative at 2025 trade deadline

Yes, the Nashville Predators are in no position this year to be considered buyers at the trade deadline, but in the midst of their heavy selling it would be nice to think they can find some diamonds in the rough to add to their long-term future.

This is the strategy, and not an easy one to undertake, for General Manager Barry Trotz. He's not in a position of leverage right now. He is kind of at the mercy of other teams taking on some players that have mostly all underperformed for the Predators this season.

The writing is clear as day on the wall right now; the Predators are in a position to be sellers, but also don't have a lot of tantalizing assets to offer at the trade deadline that's going to bring them back anything significant. Not a fun position to be in at all if you're Trotz.

Gustav Nyquist is being held out as a healthy scratch for Saturday's midday matchup against the New York Islanders due to a possible trade being in the works, according to Elliotte Friedman.

With the trade deadline set for Friday, March 7 at 3 P.M. ET, there's little doubt what Trotz is about to do. Does he get anything in return that gets fans at least partially excited about 2025-26 and beyond?

Frank Seravalli's trade target board on Daily Faceoff currently has Nyquist and Ryan O'Reilly as the only Predators on his list.

Will the Nashville Predators try to shake up their bottom-6?

A starting point for the Predators if they're going to hit the reset button with their roster is by addressing their bottom-six. On a long list of problems, the Predators have gotten very little depth scoring this season.

If you look at the regular bottom-six forwards, Colton Sissons leads the way in goal scoring with six. Tommy Novak has been all over the lineup after originally being the answer for second line center, and he has 12 goals on the season after hitting a bit of a hot streak lately.

After that, a lot of letdowns. Luke Evangelista has battled injuries and regressed on offense with just five goals in 45 games. He was supposed to be a young player who can provide bonus offense behind the top core veterans.

Then you go down to the tone-setter line that's been around for a while now; Michael McCarron, Cole Smith and Mark Jankowksi have a combined eight goals on the season. Something has to give.

Trotz can't do much with his top-six veteran core who have no-trade protection unless those players waive their protection, which is possible but not likely. So after Gustav Nyquist, who is recently getting top line minutes again, there's not any high value trade pieces to move among the bottom-six forwards.

I would love for the Predators to move on from McCarron, Smith and even Jankowksi. This bottom-six has run its course and it doesn't work. Too many grinders that are much easier to replace, and not enough speed and raw offensive talent.

These guys don't have to be offensive world beaters and I'm not trying to be unrealistic, but eight goals between three NHL veteran guys? Are you kidding me? It's shameful to be honest. Don't care what their "roles" are.

Additionally, some of the trade block players that could be fits for Nashville to trade for that come with a low price tag, are also due to be UFA's this offseason. Getting in the business of renting players, even if they're priced low, isn't a great strategy for Trotz right now.

Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins would be a great fit, but his pending UFA status this upcoming offseason and his current injury status squashes that for me. Same for Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks. Another potential rental player that Nashville should avoid, even if he's a potential fit and upgrade from what you have now.

Some drama is building around 26-yeal-old Casey Mittelstadt with the Colorado Avalanche, who has a ton of offensive upside but is way underperforming this season. Before you ask yourself "why would the Predators add another underperforming offensive player to their roster", just think about the chance that Mittelstadt could come here and thrive in the right situation down the road.

Again, I'm not saying this is the best move for the Predators. I'm simply trying to throw something at the wall and see if it sticks because as I've already clearly stated, this trade deadline isn't it for them. However, I also believe that Mittelstadt is an intriguing player to watch t with his best years possible ahead of him. And he's not a rental, signed for two more years.

Even though I like Mittelstadt and think he can have a bright future with his offensive upside, it's another gamble the Predators aren't in a strong position to make right now.

I'd like to see Trotz find a way to get the bottom-six younger and faster, but the trade deadline isn't his current fast route to that. He has to take the long route of drafting effectively and prospect development. Then look ahead to 2025 offseason free agency.

We're dug in deep and I don't see how a few years of rebuilding and being near the bottom of the NHL is going to be avoided. Trotz went in way too heavy for aging veterans that looked good on paper, and now the pieces don't fit.

Ryan O'Reilly is the only high value trade chip the Predators have, and no Juuse Saros shouldn't be traded

Out of all of this trade talk, Ryan O'Reilly is the ultimate wildcard here. If Trotz finds a place that O'Reilly is willing to leave for, then we might be cooking with gas to see if something major happens. That is Trotz's trump card if he wants to use it.

A lot of fans push back on this because they think O'Reilly needs to stick around for the coming rebuild and be the foundational veteran to mentor the youth. I totally understand that sentiment, but O'Reilly has two years left and I have pause that his production is going to remain at the level it's at past this season. His value might only go down from here. Then what?

Trading O'Reilly is Trotz's only realistic chance of landing some important pieces for the long-term future. Otherwise, expect a massive sell-off without getting anything of note in return and for this team to tank to bottom-three of the NHL standings when it's over.

Some fans will bring up Juuse Saros should be traded, but if Trotz trades Juice then I'll be fully convinced he's just trolling us at this point and he's not serious about building a Stanley Cup team in Nashville one day.

I'm still of the full belief that for a Predators team that has a list of problems mile long, Saros is way down the list. You trade him, and even then I don't think the return will be necessarily worth it, then you're really take a massive gamble of being one of the worst teams in the NHL for many years to come.

Build around your franchise goalie that is signed to an AAV that's going to be a bargain in a couple years when the salary cap keeps going up, and the goalie market keeps going higher. The long-term investment will be worth it if Trotz can build a roster than can score more than two goals on a regular basis. I know that's a novel concept for some.

We'll get the high end draft pick many fans have begged for rather than a first round playoff exit, and it looks like they're finally going to get that wish to be true.

My first thought is the Predators will get a few players in return at the trade deadline, and there's going to be a lot of fans going straight for Google to find out who the hell they are.