With the Predators’ future in question, pieces need to be traded. Here are 3 potential players who may be packing their bags in 2025.
With a record of 11-17-7 at the NHL trade freeze, the Nashville Predators haven’t found themselves in the Stanley Cup-contending position they hoped for going into the season. At this rate, the Predators have a better shot at landing the first overall pick than making the playoffs in April.
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GM Barry Trotz has already made some trades hoping to break the ice in Nashville, but nothing seems to work. Is it time to pull the plug in Nashville? Here are three potential players that Trotz could ship out to begin the infamous tank.
Related: Do Trotz’s Predators Even Have A Plan to be Successful
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Gustav Nyquist: Old But Useful
After putting up a career-high 75 points last season, Nyquist, 35, looked like a promising top-line piece for the Predators. This season, however, Nyquist just isn’t the same. In 34 games, he has only managed to record 13 points, nearly half the rate of what he was recording last season.
This doesn’t make Nyquist a low-value trade piece, though, as he has had a very consistent career outside of Nashville. In Columbus, Nyquist recorded 117 points in 200 games. On his draft team, Detroit, he put up 295 points in 481 games, with 33 of his 125 goals being scored on the powerplay.
Any team would benefit from a player such as Nyquist. His offensive skill, especially on the powerplay, would bolster the offensive numbers of any squad.
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Colton Sissons: Faceoff King
In his 652 career games, Sissons has solidified himself as a reliable bottom-six centerman for the Predators. Like Nyquist, last season was a career year as Sissons recorded 35 points in 81 games. This year, the former second-rounder has struggled to produce offensively, only registering three points in 34 games.
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If we’re looking at pure potential, Sissons is a must-have for any team. He is dependable on the penalty kill, only allowing three goals in 70 minutes. He is additionally one of the best faceoff takers in the league, winning 56% of faceoffs taken.
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With a two-way upside, Trotz could get a solid return for the 11-year veteran of the Predators organization.
Jeremy Lauzon: Hit Trick
The Predators hold one of the most physical players in the league on their roster in Jeremy Lauzon. Last season, Lauzon broke a regular season NHL record, landing the boom 387 times, five more than the previous holder Matt Martin.
While he may not be the best at keeping the puck out of the net, having a career plus/minus of -12, Lauzon specializes in pressuring opposing puck control. His physical play compares to retired defenseman Zdeno Chara, laying the body whenever it is needed.
In a league of increased scoring, teams need players such as Lauzon to stun offensive stars in the defensive zone.
