After missing the playoffs in the 2022-23 NHL season, the Nashville Predators bounced back in 2023-24 and exceeded many people's expectations by making it back to the post-season with a record of 47-30-5 but were sent home after a competitive six-game first-round series with the Vancouver Canucks.
Despite their successful year, the Predators no doubt have many areas throughout their roster that they could upgrade to get to the next level as they chase the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
Luckily for Nashville, GM Barry Trotz has plenty of resources to work to help improve his team. Specifically, the Predators have over 26 million to use during free agency. As we have seen over the past few years, NHL players are starting to make it no secret that they may prefer to play in states with no state income tax which Tennessee falls under.
In their first-round series against Vancouver, the Predators gave the Canucks everything they could handle, and their reputation as one of the league's premier defensive teams lived up to the hype as they did an excellent at keeping Vancouver to the outside for a majority of the time. Unfortunately for the Predators, their downfall in that series was they could get the puck in the Canucks net on a consistent level, despite Vancouver star goaltender Thatcher Demko only playing in game one of that series.
If the Predators want to build on last season and become one of the best teams out West, Trotz is going to have to do everything in his power to get help on offence for Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and one of the best offensive defenseman in the league in Roman Josi.
Here are some candidates I could see the Predators trying to bring this off-season.
Martin Necas (Via Trade with Carolina)
Jake Guentzel (Via Free Agency)
Nikolaj Ehlers (Via Trade With Winnipeg)
Jake DeBrusk (Free Agency)
Sam Reinhart (Free Agency)
Tyler Toffoli (Free Agency)
Mitch Marner (Via Trade With Toronto)
Patrik Laine (Via Trade With Columbus)
With the amount of cap space they have, the Predators have the potential to not only acquire one of these talented forwards but perhaps even two. My favourite scenario for the Preds is landing Sam Reinhart in Free Agency on a seven-year deal in free agency, then calling up the Winnipeg Jets to land a deal that would send winger Nikolaj Ehlers to Nashville who is heading into the final year of his contract. If the Jets cannot get an extension done with Ehlers, it might finally be time for Winnipeg to move on Ehlers before potentially walks for nothing in 2025.
Sam Reinhart 2023-24 Stats: 57 Goals, 37 Assists, 94 Points, 82 Games
Nikolaj Ehlers 2023-24 Stats: 25 Goals, 36 Assists, 61 Points, 82 Games
Nevertheless, the Predators have plenty of options on their off-season whiteboard, with tons of cap space and resources to work with this summer. Depending on how Nashville decides to use the assets at their disposal to their advantage over the next few months up until the trade deadline, don't be surprised if the Predators are one of the last teams left standing in 2025.
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