Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman joined the NHL Network on Monday following the news that Barry Trotz was stepping down as General Manager of the Nashville Predators. However, Trotz is still in charge at the trade deadline, which makes for a strange change. This hasn’t stopped teams from making calls about their players, as Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Ryan O’Reilly remain on the trade market, along with other contributors.
Writing for NHLRumors.com
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Bill Pidto: “Elliotte, what do you think Barry Trotz from Nashville is going to do?”
Elliotte Friedman: “I think they’re going to listen to their big boys, Bill, I do. I think they listen to Ryan O’Reilly. I think they listen to (Steven) Stamkos. I look at that board, I think they listen to (Jonathan) Marchessault.
So I don’t think (Filip) Forsberg, I don’t think (Roman) Josi. I don’t think (Juusse) Saros. (Brady) Skjei, maybe, no question. (Nic) The Hague just got there. So I would be curious if they go there, and he leaves quickly.
But I think they listened to Stamkos, Marchessault, and O’Reilly, and I think they have role players like teams, Michael Bunting. The Islanders almost made a deal for him before they traded for Ondrej Palat. Your producers are really open. Watch them scroll through that board right there.
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Bunting, yes. Erik Haula yes. Cole Smith, yes. Michael McCarron. I’ve heard there’s a little bit of interest in Michael McCarron, and I’ll put another name out there, a defenseman named Nick Perbix. The right-handed shot, under contract for another year, is just under $3 million.
I think the Predators will have a choice to make here. “
NHLRumors.com Note: The Nashville Predators will have some decisions to make on players heading into the trade deadline. Nashville is within striking distance of the playoffs, but if they make the playoffs, this will be again in 2024, when they are scrambling to get in. The players tell the GM and coach they want to fight, but players like Stamkos, O’Reilly, and Marchessault have control over where they want to go even though teams continue to make calls about them.
Their role players, such as Haula, Cole, Perbix, McCarron, and Nick Blackenburg, can be removed at the last minute. They won’t get as much from these players as they do from the top. But if Nashville moves one of their top players, it will be at a high price that benefits them now and in the future. Everything has been average in Nashville, and the Predators need to be above average, especially when it comes to getting back one of Stamkos, Marchessault, or O’Reilly.
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