Five Teams Nashville Predators Could Trade with Before 2024 Trade Deadline
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have been arguably the NHL's most surprising team this year. They have soared beyond expectations and come out of nowhere to not only be in a firm playoff spot, but be right at the top of the league standings for a Presidents Trophy.
The Canucks came into the year expected to be sellers at this point in the season, but they are going to end up being heavy buyers. They have shown their hand in that regard, as they traded for Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames over a full month ago.
There is no need for them to stop there, as the right side of their defense is one area where they could use help. Enter Tyson Barrie, who is one of the top trade candidates on the Predators.
Barrie has been rumored to be out of Nashville for three months now, and it has been a pretty rough year overall for him. His play on the ice has resulted in him being a healthy scratch often, and he noticeably upset Trotz with how the information about his trade probability was publicized.
That being said, Barrie is still a solid veteran with strong offensive and power playabilities, and contending teams would find him as a worthy add especially with how cheap he would be.
The Canucks could also use additions to their bottom six in preparation for the absolute grind that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that is where Kiefer Sherwood comes in. He is what he is as a gritty and energetic rotational forward, and is a depth piece who, like Barrie, would not cost them much in a trade.
Although the Predators would not get much out of this trade in terms of actual capital, they would be smart to make the deal. The situation with Barrie has not gotten any less awkward and anything you can get in return for Sherwood is a plus, so Trotz should just take what he can get and be alright with it.
Proposed Trade:
Proposed Trade
New York Rangers
The Rangers are one of the very top teams in the NHL and are right in the middle of their Stanley Cup contending window. As one of the heavy hitters in the league, they will surely go all out to supply themselves with everything needed to be able to hoist Lord Stanley.
Unlike a lot of teams in their status, the Rangers do not need to aim to make any flashy or sexy moves before next Friday. They have lots of high end talent and star power, and will focus more on shoring up their depth and ensuring that they have able bodies up and down their lineup.
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One guy the Predators have who is a great fit in that regard is Yakov Trenin. As an original member of the old "herd line" that the team used to roll, Trenin has long embraced his role and been extremely consistent in playing to his strengths.
Trenin is a very physical presence who forechecks hard, plays good defense, and is a plus to any team's penalty kill. Guys who provide that grit are essential if teams want to win sixteen games during the grueling and tiring playoffs.
The Rangers could also use someone like Tommy Novak to solidify their center depth, but it has been reported that the Predators are working hard to get a deal done with him. Although if the price for him is as high as anticipated, Barry Trotz might have to think long and hard about it.
Elliotte Friedman said on @1025TheGame he believes Tommy Novak could fetch a 1st rounder or a highly valued prospect depending on the team.
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) February 29, 2024
Sounds more like a new contract will be signed before the deadline to stay. His camp has told me Trotz will have to circle back.
As for Trenin, he would not command a hefty price, but the return would not be terrible, most likely a mid to slightly late round draft pick. And it would be much better for the Predators to get a bit of a low return as opposed to letting him walk for free this offseason.
He is the perfect rental for a team like the Rangers that already has their bonafide stars, and both them and the Predators should make this deal happen.
Proposed Trade
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers had a very rough start to the season, but have more than turned it around and are in a comfortable playoff spot. Not only are they sure to be active at the Trade Deadline, but it has been rumored that they they could make a deal with the Predators in the coming days.
It makes sense because they have a glaring weakness on the right side of their defense, with no good players beyond their first pair. It just so happens that the Predators have a quality right-handed defenseman on a contract that expires after this season, and that is Alexandre Carrier.
Carrier is an already solid player with high upside, and is best known for his abilities as a two-way player. He is one of the top trade options on the Predators that would get them a nice return, as he is a noticeable talent upgrade as a player and could be a long-term option for another team, especially because of his age.
What also makes Carrier an attractive option for the Predators is that he is not only former teammates with Mattias Ekholm, they played strong hockey on the same pairing together for awhile. I am not saying they would definitely get paired back together, but being able to use that familiarity to their disposal would be a huge advantage for the Oilers
Looking at the Chris Tanev trade that went down earlier this week, a Carrier deal is something that could feasibly happen between these two teams. While it would be fairly costly for the Oilers, who already are short on draft picks, they are clearly in win-now mode and have to focus on that above all else.
The door is not shut on the Predators re-signing Carrier, but if they get to next Friday with no extension even close, they have no choice. And in all honesty, with how deep the defense in their overall system is, losing him would not at all sink their current playoff ambitions.
Proposed Trade
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are the defending Stanley Cup Champions and are still well in the mix this year. Jack Eichel continues to be injured and Mark Stone was just announced to be out for the remainder of the regular season, so it looks like they are once again playing the LTIR game.
That will of course give them more cap space before the Trade Deadline, and they could really use it. Even with Eichel and Stone healthy, the Knights could still use some more help in their top six, and the Predators have a legitimately tradable top six player in Gustav Nyquist.
The 68 points Nyquist is on pace for would decisively be a career high for him, and he has meshed greatly on the Predators' top line with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly. He is exactly the kind of player who can round out the top six of a contending team, and the Predators are unlikely to get better value for him than they could get now.
The problem with trading Nyquist though is, unlike the other players on this list, it would have a real effect on the Predators' chances to succeed now. The chemistry he has gained with Forsberg and O'Reilly would be difficult to replace, especially at this point in the season, and he is not a player you ideally trade if you are making a playoff push.
That is not to say that Trotz should just hang up the phone if another GM inquires about Nyquist, but it would take quite a bit to get a deal done. Especially since Nyquist still has another year on his contract, the Predators do not have to trade him now, and could still get a pretty nice return for him if they wait to trade him in the offseason.
Trotz would have the leverage in a potential Nyquist trade, and likely demand an overpay in order to be convinced to trade him. You never know how things will unfold, but I do not see this happening.
Proposed Trade
Colorado Avalanche
The real hot name for the Predators at the upcoming Trade Deadline is Juuse Saros, but a trade of him is highly unlikely to happen now with the team's winning streak. If it would be hard to get Nyquist out of Nashville, it would require moving the heavens and the earth in order to get Saros traded, and it was already going to take an absurd return as was before the heater.
Even if Saros is likely going nowhere, they have a very good backup goaltender in Kevin Lankinen whose contract is expiring this offseason. Although that would prevent Yaroslav Askarov from finishing the season in Milwaukee, that should not keep them from dealing Lankinen.
Next. Preds. Preds Must Be Careful in Handling their Goalies at Trade Deadline. dark
The Predators would gain much more from the return for Lankinen as opposed to keeping him on the roster, because he is not enough of a difference maker as a backup goaltender.
Askarov from what we have seen looks like he can be the backup if needed, and he of course would not be relied on to be anywhere near a starter, so bringing him up would not be terrible even if not totally ideal.
There are always teams looking to shore up their goaltending situations before the playoffs begin, and the Colorado Avalanche are one of those teams this year. Their backup situation is so bad right now that Alexandar Georgiev has played 49 of the team's 61 games this year, and I am sure they would like to prevent that from happening if they can.
While it may not make a huge difference come playoff time when teams should roll with just one starter, the games beforehand still can affect playoff performance. The playoffs take a toll on every player especially goaltenders, and if Georgiev continues playing games at the pace he currently is, he might get burnt out way too early.
The Avalanche would be holding themselves back if they were not willing to trade a mid to slightly late round pick to acquire a quality backup goaltender like Lankinen. And from the Predators point of view, they are of course better off getting something in return for him as opposed to letting him walk for nothing in the offseason.
Proposed Trade