The Predators Finish The Trade Deadline With Major Draft Picks & Freed Up Cap Space

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Tanner Jeannot. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

It’s been a wild week for the Nashville Predators between David Poile announcing his retirement to the Preds making a ton of moves before the trade deadline.

By the deadline on Friday, March 3, Nashville had picked up nine draft picks, three roster players and four prospects while also signing two players to one-year contract extensions. Poile and his team made some fantastic moves which allowed financial wiggle room and loaded up on draft picks, setting up the Preds for success in the very near future.

Nashville found a way to be sellers this trade deadline without dumping key players like Matt Duchene or All-Star goaltender Juuse Saros.

The wave of moves started on Saturday, Feb. 25, when the team sent Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round draft pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Niederreiter was a solid offseason pickup for the Preds but with the direction the team was headed, was the most logical trade. The Preds didn’t get a whole lot in return but freed up four million dollars by trading him which was the most important thing.

Two of the biggest moves the Predators made were trading Mattias Ekholm and Mikael Granlund freeing up a little over $11 million in cap space. Ekholm was one of the bigger names Preds fans expected to see moved last week and he was sent to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick in 2023 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in 2024 as well as Tyson Barrie and Reid Schaefer. Moving Ekholm freed up $6.25 million in cap space. Granlund was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins who are currently trying to sneak into a playoff spot. For Granlund, the Preds freed up five million dollars and received a second-round pick in 2023 NHL Draft.

Granlund recorded 162 points (51 goals-111 assists) in 268 games with Nashville, including 36 points (9 goals-26 assists) in 59 games this season.

Another huge move the Preds made was sending second year forward Tanner Jeannot to Tampa Bay for an absolute haul of a fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2023 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in 2024, a first-round pick in 2025 and former first-round draft pick Cal Foote. Jeannot had a great rookie season in 2021-22 scoring 41 points but will be a restricted free agent after this season. The return for Jeannot was quite impressive and one of Poile’s best in recent years.

The Predators also acquired Rasmus Asplund from the Buffalo Sabres for a seventh-round pick in 2025 NHL Draft, Isaac Ratcliffe from the Flyers for future considerations as well as Austin Rueschhoff for future considerations. These moves didn’t cost the Preds a whole lot, but they gained some young talent that can be molded into productive players for Nashville or trade bait for the future.

By the end of the week, the Predators decided to sign Dante Fabbro to one-year, $2.5 million contract and goaltender Kevin Lankinen to one-year, two million dollar contract. Fabbro has eight points (1 goal-7 assist) and a +3 rating in 56 games for Nashville this season, his fourth as a full-time NHL player. Lankinen has played 14 games for Nashville this season, most recently helping the team to a win over the Florida Panthers on March 2, making 31 saves.

The rest of the season will be interesting for the Preds as they have shown they are not all in on the playoffs but they still have a team that could sneak in. Once Barry Trotz takes over this summer as the next GM, he will have a ton of draft picks to deal with as well young talent to work around in trying to build up this squad.

Steven Boero
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