Trade Deadline: Nashville Predators Edition

The Nashville Predators find themselves in a very interesting situation as the deadline approaches. They are a bubble playoff team currently outside of a playoff spot, but certainly still well within striking distance of making the postseason. This begs the question, how should the Predators approach the trade deadline this season?

Options

There are a number of different ways the Predators can approach the trade deadline this season; some making more sense than others. They could be buyers and try to improve the team enough to make a playoff run. They could be sellers and give up on this season with the hopes of acquiring assets that will make the team stronger in the future. Another option is to do absolutely nothing. The Predators could just keep the team they have and hope they’re good enough to make it. Finally, they could make some roster player for roster player trades that shake up the lineup and send a message to the locker room. Which of these options make the most sense? Let’s discuss.

Buyers

The Predators have the option to buy at the deadline. They are only three points out of a playoff spot and adding one more solid piece could be what is needed to make the postseason.

There are a few drawbacks to this strategy, however. First off, this team already has a stacked roster that, on paper, should be one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, the Predators as a whole have greatly under-performed this year. Is adding another player really going to dramatically change a roster that hasn’t met expectations? Probably not.

Also, the Predators bought at the deadline last season. They added Wayne Simmonds and Brian Boyle to an already first-place team, and they still lost in the first round of the playoffs. That was with a first place team, nevermind now with a bubble team that may not even make it. Buying again doesn’t seem to make much sense for the Preds this year.

Sellers

The Predators have the option of selling at this year’s deadline, which would essentially give up on this season, but could land them some nice assets for the future. When it comes to selling, two players come right to mind; Craig Smith and Mikael Granlund. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and could be nice rental additions for teams looking to buy.

Smith is a 30 year old forward who can play on the second or third line and provide some quality secondary scoring. He has 17 goals and 11 assists for 28 points this season. Secondary scoring is a hot commodity on the market right now, and Nashville could get a solid return for a player like Smith.

Mikael Granlund is another scoring forward, but is having a tough year this season. The 27 year old is making almost $6 million on his current contract, but only has 14 goals and 24 points in 2019-20. Maybe another team could get better production out of him. It might be tough to move Granlund with that cap hit though.

Either way, the Predators have two pending free agents they could try to sell at the deadline. Other players could possibly be sold as well. However, I don’t think it makes much sense for the Predators to be full-on sellers. Yes, this has been a disappointing year, but that doesn’t mean the team needs to be blown up. As stated earlier, the roster is great on paper, and this might just be a freak bad year. Nashville could be right back near the top of the league next season with pretty much the same group. Also, they are currently only three points out of a playoff spot. There’s really no reason to give up on this season, when they still have a very realistic shot of making the playoffs. Selling doesn’t make too much sense for the Predators at this point.

Do Nothing

Another option for the Predators is to do absolutely nothing at the deadline. They bought last year, and it didn’t work. They’re not out of contention enough to be sellers. Their current roster is pretty solid despite struggling this season. Honestly, this might be the option that makes the most sense for Nashville. Do absolutely nothing. Stick with this group and if they make a late season run, great. If they don’t, use the offseason to make the necessary changes either through trades or free agency. Paying trade deadline premiums to add players when you might not even be a playoff team isn’t smart. Completely giving up and selling when you’re only three points out of the playoffs isn’t smart either. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all, and that might be the case here.

Roster Shake Up

The final option for the Predators is to make a roster player for roster player type trade to shake up the roster and send a message. It could involve the aforementioned Smith or Granlund, or perhaps another player with a bigger role in the lineup and more term on their contract. Either way the point would be to send a message to everyone in the locker room that if you don’t perform, we’ll replace you with someone who will. These type of deals are normally done more in the offseason, as opposed to the trade deadline, but it’s still a possibility. I think a shake up move like this may not be a bad idea for a team like the Predators, who have a good roster, but need a wake up call.

What Should They Do?

Of the four options the Predators have at the trade deadline, I think two make sense and two don’t.

The Predators are not good enough to be buyers. They are a bubble team this season and may not even make the playoffs. Giving up future assets to add to a team that probably doesn’t have a real shot at winning the Stanley Cup is not the way to go. It would only hurt their chances of winning a Cup in the future.

The Predators are not bad enough to be sellers either. They could still potentially make the playoffs, so giving up on this season doesn’t really make sense. This season has certainly been disappointing, but that doesn’t mean blow the team up or go into rebuild mode. The Predators are still a team with winning on their mind; if not now, in the near future.

One option that does make sense for Nashville is to shake the roster up with a player for player deal. It could inject new life into the Pred’s locker room and send a message to the current players that they need to get their act together. These deals are sometimes hard to come by midseason, but if there is a good one out there, it could be worth a shot for the Predators.

The final option, and the one that I think makes the most sense for the Predators, is to do nothing. Don’t give up on this season, but don’t go giving away the future either for a team that probably isn’t going anywhere this year. Just sit still and watch as other teams pay way too much for overpriced rentals. Let this season play out whichever way it goes. And make your roster moves in the offseason with your sights set on being a top team once again next year. The Predators will have plenty of time to make trades and sign new players in June and July; don’t force anything now.

Conclusion

What the Predators decide to do at the trade deadline is completely up to general manager David Poile and his staff. They clearly have a number of different options leading up to the 24th. I am not a part of Poile’s front office staff (I wish), but I think the Predator’s best option is to do nothing at the deadline and fully re-evaluate the roster in the offseason. We’ll have to wait and see what the team actually does over the next week.

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