As the Nashville Predators disappointing 2024-25 season chugged along, one of the major things people noticed, and could not stop talking about was the need to make the team younger and faster. There was also no shortage of discussion around the utter lack of depth and talent at the center position.
Of course, there is no true and easy fix to this issue, and the Predators will likely go into 2025-26, at best, unsure of if they fixed it. They could certainly make a play for Marco Rossi, but between how expensive such a move would be, and all the other teams in the mix for him, it just seems like a long shot.
Obviously, no young player with enticing talent will not have suitors on the trade market, but if a Rossi acquisition is a bit ambitious, the Predators should go after Trevor Zegras.
The team has been mentioned as a potential suitor for his services in the past, and the last few seasons have been tough for him, but it is still plenty worth it to take a chance on him being part of the future at the center position, if not that top guy.
Nashville Predators still have more to gain than lose in a Zegras trade
To summarize Zegras' career up to this point, his first two full years were incredible and he looked like he might be one of the true showcase players in the league. His performance earned him a three-year contract, but ever since then, things have not gone so well for the young talent.
Zegras and his camp were clearly not thrilled with how contract negotiations went, and many believe that was the beginning of where everything went wrong. The 2023-24 was a super down year from a production standpoint, and was also riddled with multiple injuries that limited him to just 31 games.
He entered the most recent season in an inexplicable points drought, and right when he finally was getting his legs back under him, he was sidelined with yet another injury. He did come back and somewhat salvage what was a tumultuous year at the time, regardless, it was still nowhere near what was hoped and expected for his career progression.
Zegras' last two seasons have seen a litany of "what can go wrong will go wrong" moments, and it has been understandable why he has been in trade rumors nonstop. I wrote about the Predators potentially making a move last offseason, and even with him still struggling recently, it still makes sense to look into.
Number one, the talent is simply undeniable, as at his best, he is a playmaking wizard at the center position, which is something the Predators desperately need. He is obviously young, and his underlying numbers, at least offensively, really have not declined much at all.
It is also possible that playing on the wing has negatively affected his play, and that a switch back to center could revitalize him. Everything with Zegras screams a player that needs a change of scenery, and it is hard to find a team that would be better for that than the Predators.
This is the kind of move that if it works out, it could be one of the key decisions that not only improves the team offensively, but changes the entire outlook of the franchise with a legitimate threat at center.
Now, the Predators would run the risk that Zegras just never regains the form he had in his way early years, but that should not scare them. They have way too much draft capital and way too few easy solutions to find that true top center, and they would truly be better off swinging and missing than not even making a move at all.
Zegras is also a restricted free agent when the next season ends, so the Predators would hold the cards as it relates to his future. They would be crazy to overlook him as someone who could be a part of the solution for the long haul.
Cost of a trade would be hard to predict for Nashville Predators
For as cool as this idea sounds, one unpredictable aspect of the situation is how many assets a trade would cost the Predators. From the Ducks' perspective, they do not just want to give away Zegras, but the reality is that they have been looking to move him for awhile and have not made it happen.
The Predators are also not the only team that has looked into Zegras since last offseason, he has rightfully garnered much interest across the league, but nothing has materialized. One could infer that opposing teams are balking at the Ducks' asking price, and it is understandable why.
For as much talent as Zegras has, ultimately you are what you show on the ice, and his past few years have been lackluster. Front offices are going to be wary of giving up too much for a guy like that, and while they should be aggressive, they should not be reckless about it.
Pat Verbeek is right to want decent assets for his young promising player, but he also should be realistic and be more willing to deal him even if he does not get exactly what he wants. From Barry Ttorz's perspective, he obviously should know this and not sell the house, but if he is serious, he should offer something that legitimately moves the needle.
A mid tier forward or defensemen, as well as a fairly valuable pick or prospect, or maybe both, should be about what Trotz is willing to give up in a deal. Of course though, it is impossible to know what will get Verbeek to bite if he does ever, and that will be the biggest thing people will wonder about until and unless a deal is done.