Predators' Barry Trotz makes blunt rebuild admission amid slow start
11/06/2024 06:38 PM
The Nashville Predators have played better as of late. The Predators went five games without a win in the 2024-25 season. But they have won four of their last six games to turn things around to some extent. However, the Predators’ recent loss to the Los Angeles Kings has certainly raised some concerns. And general manager Barry Trotz is aware of the issues at hand.
Reports indicate that the Predators won’t make any panic trades as of now. In saying this, Nashville’s general manager appeared on 102.5 The Game on Tuesday to address the slow start. He mentioned that he is trying to make things happen. But he is prepared to act if the team cannot turn around their fortunes in the weeks ahead.
“I’m trying to do some things right now,” Trotz said, via Sportsnet. “We will be limited a little bit because of some of the contracts that we do have. If we don’t get it going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan.”
What a Predators rebuild could look like
It’s quite the statement from Barry Trotz given how the team approached NHL Free Agency. The Predators signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei to expensive and lengthy contracts over the summer. Each player aimed to improve important areas of Nashville’s lineup where the quality lacked a bit.
These three players are likely to remain in Nashville in the event of a rebuild. They are all signed long-term with trade protections built into their contracts. However, the Predators do have some players who are prime trade candidates. Mainly their pending unrestricted free agents who have yet to sign a contract extension.
Veteran winger Gustav Nyquist is certainly among the potential trade candidates. He could be of interest to a team looking to add scoring depth to the middle of their lineup. Nyquist is coming off a career-high 75-point season in 2023-24 and has a solid track record of offensive output in his career.
The Predators could also look to offload players with some term, but that would likely happen in the 2025 offseason. Veteran center Ryan O’Reilly, for instance, could interest teams looking to add a top-six center. Especially contending teams who already have a first-line pivot anchoring their star wingers.
Whether a Predators rebuild comes to pass certainly remains to be seen. Nashville has the talent to turn things around, and then some. In fact, they turned their season around in 2023-24. And that was without the star free-agent signings they made a few months later. In any event, a rebuild could be on the horizon in Smashville if things don’t improve soon.
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