David Pagnotta teased at the idea that the Nashville Predators will advertise smaller, but reliable pieces rather than the big-name workhorses. On Thursday, Pagnotta joined in on NHL Network Radio to discuss the future of many teams as the trade deadline creeps closer. He seemed to have big perspective on the Predators situation.
Tuning in back to the beginning of the season, the Predators looked to be in a similar position as the season prior; they were near the bottom of the league with no direction. Now, Nashville [24-23-4] sits three points outside of the second wildcard spot in the western conference. A much better look than their former appearance.
"I think that [change] definitely shifted to a certain extent anyway with respect to the Nashville Predators. There are still three points out of a playoff spot...I still think that this is a team that would look to make some moves that benefit this club more next season and on."David Pagnotta, NHL Network Radio
Pagnotta added that he doesn't really see any big things happening with guys like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault with the contracts they're on. Ryan O'Reilly, while his contract has no clause, is respected by the organization and might not get an opportunity to be dealt with his current performance. With those guys out of the equation, there are still a few "quality" guys who can be seen as trade candidates in the music city. Here's who he brought up.
Michael Bunting is the Ideal Middle-Six Winger
Bunting has been a staple to the Predators offense. He is sixth in points with 29 and fourth in goals with 12. He was crucial to the team's early jump on the puck as he guided the third line to strong numbers. Outside of his offense, he's pretty physical, notching 29 hits and 16 blocked shots. He draws a lot of penalties, so Nashville will find themselves on the powerplay a lot of thanks to him.
In terms of a return, middle-six forwards have been given as much as a first-round pick. However, I can't realistically see a team give up such a high-value asset for him. To be realistic, a second-round pick and a B+ prospect. Some have laid out their cases for who should acquire him but it's only a matter of time before General Manager Barry Trotz takes a call seriously.
Erik Haula's Contract Plays Huge Part in His Listing
Since joining Nashville in June of 2025, Haula has racked up eight goals and 17 assists in 51 games. He has a 50.7 faceoff percentage, one of the highest among his centerman peers, and takes nearly 22 shifts per game. Haula's the definition of a workhouse and has been important to both special teams' units.
His contract $9.45M contract comes to an end this season, meaning if Trotz doesn't sign him to an extension, he's lost value. Considering that Trotz is looking to competitively sell this team, trading Haula for a younger asset isn't all that bad. He's proven to be one of the best centerman for Nashville so we could see a team reach out with a younger centerman and maybe a third-fifth rounder.
Michael McCarron is Pushing and Shoving the Opposition
Despite having a down year offensively, only putting up nine points in 50 games, McCarron is finding ways to continue impressing. For starters, he's a top three faceoff taker on the team with a 53.7%-win rate. He has an astounding 144 hits so far this season. If that wasn't impressive enough, he laid the boom 149 times (a personal high for him) in 70 games, meaning he's on track to pass it in the next few games.
He's only getting paid $900k this season and has no years left after it. For someone who's extremely hard to topple and really easy to get ran over by, picking up McCarron is a steal for any team looking to get grittier. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers have shown interest in the past so dealing him away to a contender who's willing to pay a lot is a good possibility still.
Are These the Only Guys Worth Listing?
Short answer is no. But for the future of Predators hockey, playing it safe while also trying to get younger is the best way to go. We look to be competitive at the moment and respectfully, selling everyone at a moment like this will draw fans away. This is why selling the right pieces at the right time is key to the team's success. We have enough younger pieces to replace these smaller, reliable players. Moving a big name will require something large to replace it and frankly, we can't do that.