Nashville Predators would be wise to extend Erik Haula under right circumstances

The Nashville Predators turned their season around in late November, yet all indications since then have been that it will not keep them from selling at the trade deadline. With the Olympic break upon us and just five more games until the deadline hits, that sentiment has not wavered according to league insiders.

It feels like it would take a miracle for things to change at this point, as the Predators are still four points out of a playoff spot with such little league action left before March 6. We can count on saying goodbye to multiple veterans on the team, but do not automatically expect everyone on a currently expiring contract to be dealt.

Erik Haula is one of those veterans on an expiring contract, and he has had a good year in his return back to Nashville. Under most circumstances, it would make most sense to take advantage of his trade value, but given the state of the Predators, there is a scenario in which it could make sense to extend him before the deadline.

Erik Haula could continue to serve as quality stopgap center for Nashville Predators

Let's get one thing right -- Haula has had a good season for the Predators, but everyone knows he was not brought in to be a long-term solution. If he gets an extension, it would very likely be for no more than two years, but those two years could end up being very beneficial for the team.

The Predators center pool is extremely thin, to say the least. From top to bottom, it consists of older veterans who are likely to be moved for assets in the near future, and young guys within the prospect pool who are not ready to make NHL impacts.

Haula is in the former category, and along with him are Ryan O'Reilly and Michael McCarron. If the Predators were to trade all three of them, the only guys left who have played center in any consistent capacity for the team this year would be Tyson Jost and Fedor Svechkov, who was just sent back to Milwaukee a few weeks ago.

Even for a team that should be building for the future, icing an NHL squad with so little talent and experience at center would be unacceptable, even if it was just for over a month. There is just no way the Predators could let that happen, which means at least one of the top three centers on the team is being kept.

And realistically, they should keep two of them, because not doing so would mean other guys besides Svechkov would have to come up to Nashville. Between David Edstrom, Yegor Surin, and Brady Martin, there is no reason to believe any of them will be ready for real NHL action for at least another year.

Let's also not assume that switching Steven Stamkos over to center is an option either, the Predators would not want to do that nor should they.

It is highly likely that Ryan O'Reilly is among those kept past the deadline, which could mean one of Haula or McCarron is on the way out. If the Predaors kept McCarron, moving Haula would make sense because they would have enough center depth to get by for the rest of the year.

But if McCarron is shipped off, it would benefit them to keep Haula so that they have enough guys who can play center for the rest of this year and the next two years. An extension also makes sense to get done before March 6 so the team can proactively ensure that they will not lose him for nothing.

As far as what an extension would actually look like, Haula will be 35 in six weeks, so it would be nothing more than a two year deal. It would surely be around the $3.5M AAV range, which is very cheap and not even half a million dollars more than what he is currently making.

A guy like Haula is the perfect stopgap center for the Predators, as he has veteran experience, skills on both ends of the ice, and ability to take pressure off of the younger guys who are developing. It also helps that he is familiar with the team, so do not be shocked if Barry Trotz ultimately keeps him.