Head into this season’s NHL Trade Deadline, the Nashville Predators are punching above their weight class. It was supposed to be a down season, where general manager Barry Trotz could use the 82 games to assess his team in his new position and they could continue to re-tool and slightly rebuild on the fly. Turns out the Predators are better than most people thought.
Nashville enters Saturday’s action with a 25-19-1 record, good for the top wildcard spot in the Western Conference. Trotz has been busy trying to navigate the trade market this season and expect to see at least one move out of the Preds GM before the March 8 trade deadline. While it may be a minor deal, there’s some major rumors brewing. Here’s three trade candidates for Trotz to consider moving this season:
Yes, Saros isn’t being shopped but it’s been confirmed by Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic, if the right offer is made for the Predators number-one goalie, Trotz will listen. The Finnish netminder is having a down season, to his standards, but has been one of the best goalies in the league for the past five seasons.
Saros has posted an 18-16-1 record this season, along with a .903 Sv.% and 2.96 GAA. Numbers which are much worse than his career average but that won’t scare away other teams. He’s been in the Vezina conversation a lot over the past few seasons and with the goalie market heating up around the league, Trotz is going to receive some calls ahead of the March 8 trade deadline.
Saros is signed for next season at $5 million and will be looking to sign a contract extension this upcoming summer. Trotz has young phenom Yaroslav Askarov waiting in the wings, performing well in the AHL, so perhaps Trotz looks to move Saros for a top-six forward and give Askarov a chance of being top dog in Smashville.
This has been a horrible season for Barrie on all accounts. His numbers are down, his playing time decreased because of it and after he was made a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, the veteran blueliner went off on the coaching staff and got the attention of Trotz for all the wrong reasons.
The Preds GM then gave Barrie and his agent a chance to go out and speak to other teams to facilitate a trade, however so far, no deal, as an upper-body injury has put a damper in the plans. Barrie has recorded just one goal and 11 points in 30 appearances this season, which is head-scratching considering he put up 55 points last season, and 41 & 48 the seasons before.
Barrie is a rover type, he’s not physical and he’s best suited running a top power-play unit and being leaned on offensively. It won’t be in Nashville and don’t expect to see the pending unrestricted free agent re-signed at any point this season. What is much more likely? A trade before March 8.
Speaking of Predators right-handed defensemen, Alexandre Carrier has found himself among several trade boards from some of hockey’s best insiders. The 27-year-old, like Barrie, is a pending unrestricted free agent and may not be in the long-term plans in Nashville.
Related: Canadiens: 4 Trade Candidates as GM Will Be Busy Ahead of Deadline
Carrier is a polar opposite of Barrie as he’s defensively minded, he plays the game tough and isn’t afraid to muck it up in the dirty areas of the ice. Carrier has recorded a reasonable 13 points in 41 games, however what’s more impressive is his 86 blocked shots which lead the team. Hockey insider Frank Seravalli recently commented on Carrier being dealt and had this to say:
Carrier checks all the boxes when it comes to a trade deadline acquisition. He’s a rental who has been molded into a reliable, steady defender that can be a positive contributor at both ends of the ice, and he isn’t going to cost too much to add to your blueline.
The Predators remain a team to watch ahead of the deadline. They aren’t necessarily buying and they not necessarily selling. Trotz is just trying to get as creative as possible to get the Preds back into becoming a contender, year in and year out.
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