The NHL trade market officially has another notable name on it. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Dec. 2 that the Nashville Predators have given defenseman Tyson Barrie permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade.
While Barrie has had a bit of a slow start this season (nine assists in 22 games), there should be plenty of interest in him around the league. The 32-year-old is coming off a 52-point season and is very effective on the power play. Because of this, let’s discuss three potential landing spots for him.
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils stand out as a potential landing spot for Barrie. Fellow offensive defenseman Dougie Hamilton is out indefinitely, and acquiring Barrie could help make up for some of the offense lost. With that, New Jersey was already actively looking to improve their defense before losing Hamilton, so they now have another intriguing option in Barrie.
If the Devils landed Barrie, he would be a potential fit in their top four while Hamilton is out. With that, he would surely be an option for their top power-play unit. Because of this, don’t be surprised if they take a look at him.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are another team to watch in the Barrie sweepstakes. When looking at their right side, it is clear that they could use a serious upgrade in their top four. Due to this, Barrie could make sense as an addition to their second pairing.
The Stars have looked to improve their blue line this season, as they were in on Nikita Zadorov before his move to the Calgary Flames. Although Zadorov and Barrie are entirely different players, the latter would still improve their blue line. With that, he could work beautifully on their power play, working with players like Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski. They also don’t have a power-play specialist on their blue line right now.
Toronto Maple Leafs
One dark horse team that may also be worth watching is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although they have been looking to add Chris Tanev, it could be possible that they try to reunite with Barrie if they miss out on the former. John Klingberg is on long-term injured reserve, and replacing him with another offensive defenseman like Barrie could be worth considering.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Barrie from here. Now that he has permission to talk to other teams, a move should occur before the deadline passes. Time will tell if he ends up with one of these three clubs from here.
Next: Insider Says Maple Leafs Will Pay Premium In a Chris Tanev Trade
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
