Speculation: Trade deadline - March 2 - 3:00

[PerdFan]

That image of Poile in my head

Let me clarify, I what think should happen and what I think Poile will do are two different things. I agree Poile will probably stand pat unless it's a low risk rental or a grinder of some type. I'm giving my own 2 cents, not a prediction.

I guess we just have different definitions of blowing it up. Agree to disagree. I think we'd be fine without Jones for this year (assuming Ellis is ok). It will hurt in a couple years when he starts to break out. But right now? He's replaceable. Funny that you would trade Smith, who is more important right now than Jones IMO.

I don't know how Smith is more important if you have Kessel coming back. Kessel completely replaces Smith and is a BIG upgrade. Trade Jones and it leaves a hole we can't fill without another trade, not to mention one of our biggest trading chips to eventually nab a true 1C.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to trade Smith either , but in that scenario Smith is totally expendable...Jones is not.

 

[PerdFan]

Smith, and established 20 goal scorer and a first plus a F prospect (Watson/Sissons/Aberg) gets it done.Toronto has a ton of young D.

Disagree...Toronto has zero defensemen that equal Jones' #1D potential. Even Phaneuf would be on a 2nd pair here.
Venture out to the main board...they are as obsessed with obtaining a true #1D as we are in getting a true #1C.

 

[triggrman]

He did trade Klein.

And and boy that return. ....

 

[triggrman]

Disagree...Toronto has zero defensemen that equal Jones' #1D potential. Even Phaneuf would be on a 2nd pair here.
Venture out to the main board...they are as obsessed with obtaining a true #1D as we are in getting a true #1C.

Morgan Rielly has pretty high potential, might be slightly less than Jones but he has top pairing potential for sure.

 

[thecloser]

We could def. get Kessel and not give up Fiala, Jones, or Forsberg.

And I know I'm late but we're not changing anything, rather just gearing up for a deep playoff run. We're gonna need extra goal scoring help even if we're first in the league right now.

 

[Paranoid Android]

I don't know how Smith is more important if you have Kessel coming back. Kessel completely replaces Smith and is a BIG upgrade. Trade Jones and it leaves a hole we can't fill without another trade, not to mention one of our biggest trading chips to eventually nab a true 1C.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to trade Smith either , but in that scenario Smith is totally expendable...Jones is not.

We're starting to circle here... again we're not limited to 1 trade. A bottom pairing dman can be had for next to nothing.

But that's the million dollar question. Do we continue to wait for the perfect deal? Or do we take what's available while our window is open? Sure we can wait for a #1C to hit the trade market (who also needs to be willing waive their clause to come to Nashville), but there's a good chance that won't happen in the near future.

 

[Pred303]

about kessel specifically. i think some here are underrating his ability, easy to do with all the negatives circulating about him nationally about not playing a two way game, not backchecking, not fighting for pucks, being a minus on a team that's a net plus, etc. in other words, pretty much what everyone said about neal in PIT. but the differences between 20 goal scorers and 30 goals scorers and then between 30 goal scorers and 40 goal scorers in hockey isn't arithmatic, it's exponential. 40 goal scorers don't come along often in this sport.

i cann't help but wonder what kessel would be playing forward in front of our defense and goaltending though. Toronto's defense is so horrible and their goaltending so much worse that maybe those things stand out so much more there than they would here. maybe. does really make me wonder.

IF kessel would play hard and fit in, and IF he were willing to come here, and IF Poile was prepared to give up what it takes to get him (all big if's far beyond my pay grade), it would be interesting to say the least.

 

[PredsHabs]

about kessel specifically. i think some here are underrating his ability, easy to do with all the negatives circulating about him nationally about not playing a two way game, not backchecking, not fighting for pucks, being a minus on a team that's a net plus, etc. in other words, pretty much what everyone said about neal in PIT. but the differences between 20 goal scorers and 30 goals scorers and then between 30 goal scorers and 40 goal scorers in hockey isn't arithmatic, it's exponential. 40 goal scorers don't come along often in this sport.

i cann't help but wonder what kessel would be playing forward in front of our defense and goaltending though. Toronto's defense is so horrible and their goaltending so much worse that maybe those things stand out so much more there than they would here. maybe. does really make me wonder.

IF kessel would play hard and fit in, and IF he were willing to come here, and IF Poile was prepared to give up what it takes to get him (all big if's far beyond my pay grade), it would be interesting to say the least.

The way I see it is that Neal has a great shot but needs other pieces to make him better. Kessel does not need others to make him better he is on a different level.
We need a player like him who can help in the playoffs when games are a lot tighter.

 

[Pred303]

read a good canadian blogger article the other day that talked about true snipers and it made me think of neal and kessel and hull and kurri and others. about how frustrating it was to have them on your team for long stretches when they didn't do the 'little things' as well, when they seemed to be prima donnas, when they were generally pains in the ass to put up with in the locker room. how for mediocre teams they were nothing but a burden (like toronto). but how on elite teams, when you needed that one guy who could go out and get you that critical goal on his own when goals were so tight in the playoffs, that that guy who could generate his own goal out of thin air when others couldn't, they then made themselves worth their weight in gold (but then you have radulov, lol).

 

[token grinder]

Disagree...Toronto has zero defensemen that equal Jones' #1D potential. Even Phaneuf would be on a 2nd pair here.
Venture out to the main board...they are as obsessed with obtaining a true #1D as we are in getting a true #1C.

I don't need the main board group think and over reactions to see Reilly, Gardiner anf Percy are young, Franson and Phaneuf unfer 30. They have another goof kid in Matt Finn. They have young D and Morgan Reilly is going to be a top pair dman in this league. He is 20, and Toronto fans have no patience. Jones would look like he does up there.

They trade Kessel, they have a big gigantic hole in their top . Smith would fill that, Watson can slot into the bottom six behind Kadri and Bozak and possibly Nylander next year. And they use our #1 to get the BPA at 30.

Further more, it took a 25 goal scorer and a 3rd liner to get a signed 25 yo 40 goal scorer in Neal. We are giving tht up plus a first....

 

[thecloser]

I don't need the main board group think and over reactions to see Reilly, Gardiner anf Percy are young, Franson and Phaneuf unfer 30. They have another goof kid in Matt Finn. They have young D and Morgan Reilly is going to be a top pair dman in this league. He is 20, and Toronto fans have no patience. Jones would look like he does up there.

They trade Kessel, they have a big gigantic hole in their top . Smith would fill that, Watson can slot into the bottom six behind Kadri and Bozak and possibly Nylander next year. And they use our #1 to get the BPA at 30.

Boom! This all day.

TOR: Smith + Watson + 1st
NSH: Kessel

I'd even do Smith + Sissons + 1st and would even do Kamenev in place of Sissions/Watson but they wouldn't have an NHL player. I want Kessel...I think it'd be icing on the cake for our "out of nowhere" season thus far.

 

[Mypetrobot]

Just spitballing here. Some UFA's the preds could add for depth come playoff time. Anything look good?

Jagr
Vermette
C.Stewart
Briere
Franson
Methot
Frolik(depending on jets play out the season)

 

[Montross]

Just spitballing here. Some UFA's the preds could add for depth come playoff time. Anything look good?

Jagr
Vermette
C.Stewart
Briere
Franson
Methot
Frolik(depending on jets play out the season)

Personally I don't know if I make any moves. Top ten offense, top five defense- though I wonder how bad Ellis is truly hurt. Only move I might see is for a veteran backup goalie - I am not on the 'Hutton will be fine' side of things.

 

[Persona5]

Just spitballing here. Some UFA's the preds could add for depth come playoff time. Anything look good?

Jagr
Vermette
C.Stewart
Briere
Franson
Methot
Frolik(depending on jets play out the season)

If Ellis is out long term I would go after Zilicky from New Jersey. I would also look into Vermette as he would really help our FO's along with secondary scoring and the PK. Huge things when it comes playoff time.

 

[Mypetrobot]

If Ellis is out long term I would go after Zilicky from New Jersey. I would also look into Vermette as he would really help our FO's along with secondary scoring and the PK. Huge things when it comes playoff time.

Depth wise I don't mind who we pick up for cheap because of unseen injuries. I believe after the deadline the 23 man roster doesn't matter.

 

[dubgeek]

Just spitballing here. Some UFA's the preds could add for depth come playoff time. Anything look good?

Jagr
Vermette
C.Stewart
Briere
Franson
Methot
Frolik(depending on jets play out the season)

As a UFA, if Jagr could be had for pick(s) as a rental for a Cup run I'd be all for it. Adding that kind of talent w/o messing with the existing chemistry or losing a prospect seems like a no brainer.

 

[Mypetrobot]

http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=439739

Quote:
Teams have four different “roster” limits to balance under the league’s regulations; a 20-player “dressed list” for games, a 23-player active NHL roster, a 50-contract maximum, and a 90-player maximum reserve list.

...

The 23-man roster limit is in place from the conclusion of the preseason until 12:01 am on the day of the NHL’s Trade Deadline. After that teams are allowed to have an unlimited active roster at the NHL level, provided players are signed to one of their 50 contract slots. NHL teams are only allowed to dress a maximum of 20 players – 18 skaters and two goaltenders – for any given game, but those 20 must come from the 23-player active roster.

 

[thecloser]

i would add Jagr for picks but not a 1st. Vermette, i'm on the fence about because I know Arizona is going to want quite a bit for him and I'd rather use our 1st rd pick on a guy like Kessel if that even has any weight behind it.

If i'm trading a prospect other than Watson, I want a guy with some years left on his deal.I don't think a move messes with our chemistry, because we're in a spot with enough cap space to give up picks or a medium grade prospect to help with our run in the playoffs.

I want a Kessel deal, but would accept a Jagr deal if it was center around the right pieces. i.e 2nd rounder or something along those lines.

 

[jwhouk]

read a good canadian blogger article the other day that talked about true snipers and it made me think of neal and kessel and hull and kurri and others. about how frustrating it was to have them on your team for long stretches when they didn't do the 'little things' as well, when they seemed to be prima donnas, when they were generally pains in the ass to put up with in the locker room. how for mediocre teams they were nothing but a burden (like toronto). but how on elite teams, when you needed that one guy who could go out and get you that critical goal on his own when goals were so tight in the playoffs, that that guy who could generate his own goal out of thin air when others couldn't, they then made themselves worth their weight in gold (but then you have radulov, lol).

You basically just described Paul Kariya.

By the way - word is that he is intentionally avoiding all things hockey related, which is the reason why he was not at Teemu's jersey retirement ceremony yesterday.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Austin Watson + 2nd for Vermette, this needs to happen immediately. Boosts our offense, team defense, faceoffs, and PK without taking anything away from the team.

Imagine replacing Nystrom/Jokinen/etc. with Vermette.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Austin Watson + 2nd for Vermette, this needs to happen immediately. Boosts our offense, team defense, faceoffs, and PK without taking anything away from the team.

Imagine replacing Nystrom/Jokinen/etc. with Vermette.

Probably not going to get you Vermette. The price tag is going to be pretty huge. Even better than Vermette, I would love to add Doan or Jagr, but I think we are going to add a D-man and not a forward. The injury to ellis shows that we have no D-men to give up.

We aren't getting a number #1 center without moving Jones or Wilson or Fiala. I would be willing to move Wilson for Staal (depending on what we add) but I don't think Poile will be.

More than anything, we need to shore up our third line, which is the line of misfit toys. We need to define the role of that line and upgrade a few players on it.

 

[thecloser]

Dennis Bernstein: Scouting the Kings-Maple Leafs last night: Rangers (2), Predators, Bruins, Ducks (2), Blues, Canucks, Stars, Blackhawks (2), Blue Jackets, Sabres, Islanders, Canadiens, Coyotes, Avalanche, Capitals, Jets (2), Penguins, Lightning and Flames.

off of mynhltraderumors.com

I heard last night after work from someone close to the organization (i can't reveal who, but nothing substantial, just some talk) that he had heard of one mentioning of Kessel to Nashville. I asked him what the offer looked like and he told me he had heard..

Jones+Smith+2015 2nd for Kessel...

uh..no weight to this right now, but i don't know what I think about it. I added the piece from mynhltraderumors.com because I found it ironic that we are scouting them. although we could be scouting Mike Richards who looks to be on the market as well.

Nichols on Hockey: Pierre LeBrun on TSN 1260 on the Kings. Hear rumors that the Kings are trying to trade Mike Richards, and it could be more than just him. GM Dean Lombardi may be thinking about how long he can hang on to some others.

 

[alexmanu]

The Vermette love is lost on me. Don't think the guy is worth it at all.... Sorry.

 

[Infinite Jest]

The Vermette love is lost on me. Don't think the guy is worth it at all.... Sorry.

You probably haven't seen him play much. He's one of the top forwards in the entire NHL on faceoffs, strong defensively, good offensively. Basically he's exactly the type of guy you want on your team for the playoffs. Can play C or LW, would be a big upgrade to the roster.

 

[alexmanu]

You probably haven't seen him play much. He's one of the top forwards in the entire NHL on faceoffs, strong defensively, good offensively. Basically he's exactly the type of guy you want on your team for the playoffs. Can play C or LW, would be a big upgrade to the roster.

I've seen him play quite a lot and yeah he's not a bad player at all but I think he will cost us too much and I think our assets are valuable and our roster has some good young core players that I would prefer to spend our assets on a more elite option or cheaper option.