Del Gaizo Could Stick Around, But It Won’t Be Easy
The left side consists of Roman Josi, Brady Skjei, and Jeremy Lauzon. When the Predators' lost both Josi and Lauzon, they needed some reinforcements. This is where defenseman Marc Del Gaizo entered the situation. the former 34-point AHL left-handed defenseman has suited up for 55 games for Nashville, 46 of which were from this season alone. In those 46 games, Del Gaizo was a point shy of reaching the double-digit point plateau for the first time in his short NHL career.
The Daily Faceoff has Del Gaizo maning the right side which is already a bad sight to see. With Jordan Oesterle and Andreas Englund (both left defensemen) under contract for an additional year, he will have to fight with both of them for a position in the lineup. It doesn't help that Nashville expects a healthy Josi and Lauzon next year which will further up the stakes for competition. Out of Del Gaizo, Oesterle, and Englund, the former Milwaukee Admiral is the most likely to be out first.
However, I believe that Trotz would still resign him though. He served his purpose and was a reliable defenseman day in and day out. He averaged around 17 minutes a game and was a heavy shift taker. He took advantage of his below average stature and used it to help create plays behind enemy lines. He ranks in the 84th percentile among NHL defensemen for offensive zone time with 43.8% of his even strength minutes in the opposing team's zone.
With the Predators trying to get better both offensively and defensively, Del Gaizo is a promising piece. His two-way game is something Nashville needs to succeed. I can see Trotz signing the 25-year-old to a one-way deal worth $900k+, ensuring that he is getting paid NHL money, even if he is a healthy scratch and only an injury replacement. His presence gives the Predators valuable insurance if injuries strike again next season.