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Nashville Predators on The Hockey News
Nashville Predators' Three Best Draft-Day Trades
By Rob Couch,
13 days ago
There has been a lot of nothing on draft day for the Nashville Predators in their history, but a few even trades and some wins have come out of it. Surprisingly, I can confidently say that the Predators haven't lost a draft day trade.
Nashville has a lot of money and eight draft picks in the first four rounds of this draft. While the team tries to get better, this is a recipe to do so and make a move at the final big event before free agency opens. Before that happens, let's take a look at the three best trades made on draft day by the Predators.
3. 2021 - Nashville Has a Rising Star on Their Hands
The Predators knew who they wanted in 2021 when the team traded up into the first round and chose Zachary L'Heureux 27th overall. The Carolina Hurricanes moved back to 40th and got the 51st overall pick on top of that.
L'Heureux was an absolute beast in the playoffs for the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 10 goals and 15 points in 15 games after a strong regular season. He has made a great case to be considered for a roster spot next season on the Predators.
Scott Morrow and Ville Koivunen aren't bad players, but Koivunen is playing in Liiga (Finnish hockey league) and Morrow is doing alright in the NCAA. As it stands right now, the Predators have a talented player in L'Heureux who is absolutely going to make an impact in the NHL sooner rather than later. The book is still out on the two players drafted by the Hurricanes.
St. Louis Blues Receive: 2013 fourth-round pick (Zachary Pochiro)
It is always very fortunate when what seems like a nothing move at the time turns out to be a great decision later on. This is what happened for the Predators here. There didn't seem like any risk at all to trade their fourth-round pick in 2013 for one the year later and get a seventh-round pick for it.
The seventh-rounder turned into nothing, but the fourth-round pick in 2014 gave the Predators Viktor Arvidsson who is a very good player and a top-6 forward in the NHL. He had three great seasons in his early-to-mid 20s for the Predators and has spent the last three seasons in Los Angeles with the Kings.
The Predators cashed in on their patience and Arvidsson has turned into a much better player than Zachary Pochiro who might've been in Nashville if the trade wasn't made. He signed an entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues and never saw NHL action.
1. 2019 - Perfect Time to Part Ways
Nashville Predators Receive: Steven Santini, Jeremy Davies, 2019 second-round pick (Bobby Brink), & 2020 second-round pick (Marat Khusnutdinov)
New Jersey Devils Receive: P.K. Subban
There was never a more perfect time to trade a player who was about to decline at a fast rate than when the Predators parted ways with P.K. Subban. At the time of the trade, Subban was coming off a bit of a down season, but not many foresaw his quick downfall from there.
After scoring 35 goals and 130 points in 211 games for the Predators over three years, he finished his career in New Jersey after three seasons of producing only 17 goals and 59 points in 189 games.
Media Availability: Barry Trotz (11:40)
Moving a $9 million AAV Subban wasn't the only win in this trade. The Predators managed to also get two second-round picks who have both turned into NHL players, just not for Nashville since both picks were moved in separate deals later on. Mash both the moving of a declining player on a bad contract and getting two picks to use that both turned into NHL players and this is the best draft day trade the Predators have made.
Nashville has the opportunity to make a game-changing move at the draft this year that could turn into a potential great move for the franchise at this time. The team could give up some good pieces for the future, but if the Predators do make a trade and it helps now, it could be all worth it. We'll have to wait and see how active the Predators are.
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