General Manager (GM) Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators made waves prior to the NHL Entry Draft when They traded Ryan Johansson to the Colorado Avalanche for Alex Galchenuk. His keeping 50 percent of his salary, which is the cool $4 million they’ll pay him for the next two seasons, the move was seen as a dump. With Galchenyuk as an unrestricted free agent, the Predators could let him walk and get the free $4 million they saved.
With all the talk about who won the deal and what Johansen could mean for the Avalanche, there is still one interesting area for Nashville to consider. Sure enough, the Avalanche solved the second-line position problem, eg Gabriel Landskog will miss next season due to a knee injury, but what does Nashville gain outside of cap space? They risk ultimately losing a player for nothing, leaving them with a hole to fill this off-season.
Related: Ryan Johansen’s Avalanche Trade Rating
While this is true, there is still the possibility of a bigger picture scenario on the horizon. The Predators currently hold the 15th and 24th overall picks in this year’s draft, along with a handful of second and third round picks. This also happens to be Trotz’s first year as GM, and he’ll be looking to start shaping the team according to his vision. There may be one quick way to do this.
Predators could target Senator Alex DeBrinkat
It’s no secret that Alex DeBrincat wants out of the Ottawa Senators, and there will undoubtedly be plenty of suitors looking to add him to their team. Despite being smaller in size, he provides positive value with his dynamic attacking awareness and ability to put up points. He looked great on a mediocre team at the Senators and was ruled out for one year from a 41-goal season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
It has recently appeared Debrincat has predators listed as one of his favorite destinations. The list includes the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings. Given that only the Red Wings have assets comparable to the 2023 draft, the bidding war for DeBrincat could come down to them and Nashville. It could be about how bad Trotz wants him in their lineup and what the Senators can demand in return.
Bringing in DeBrincat cost more
Last year, the Senators acquired DeBrincat for a package that includes a 2022 first-round pick (seventh overall), a 2022 second-round pick (39th overall), and a 2023 fourth-round pick. This year’s draft is exceptionally deeper than In 2022, DeBrincat would also be out the year his total points production was a recession. It’s unlikely that Nashville would make the same offer to Ottawa, but what exactly is fair value?
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For starters, Trotz will likely need to put his 15th or 24th selection on the table. Depending on how high the draft pick is up to his first pick and whether they lose players who were at the top of their list can help quickly determine that. DeBrincat still brings in first-round value, and the Senators will ask for it at the top of the call. They don’t have any picks in the first three rounds, which is devastating with all the talent available.
The Predators will also need to have at least a 2023 second-round pick, of which they have three, or a prospect to sweeten the deal. One of the names that jumps to mind is striker Philippe Tommasino, who has one year left on his main contract at just 21 years old. He possesses massive upside at both ends of the ice and would fit comfortably with the Senators.
Predators don’t have to consider these players
Whenever a big name appears in the trading market, fans of all parties involved become fascinated with creating trade shows. Whether it’s a blockbuster seven-player deal or a one-on-one deal, there’s no shortage of them to be found on social media. Two names currently being thrown around are goaltenders Juuse Saros and Yaroslav Askarov, the current and future Curls of the Predators respectively.
In a one-on-one trade for either, the Predators would likely be on the losing end of this deal. Saros still has two years left on his contract and continues to shine between the tubes, while Askarov’s potential as a goalkeeper is far from over to take on the duty. If the Predators want to move Saros to start rebuilding, they’ll be more inclined to look for a deal similar to what the Senators are looking for with DeBrincat.
It is not incomprehensible for either goalkeeper to leave the team at some point, but their value should be leveraged with teams in desperate need of goalkeeping. The Predators’ final trade offer would likely become their first-round pick in 2023 and the choice between Tomasino or one of their three second-round draft picks in 2024. If the Red Wings match that, it could be worth including all three pieces, but anything more than That should end the discussion.