The Nashville Predators are making waves this season but for all the wrong reasons. After winning the off-season with the signings of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, the Predators find themselves near the bottom of the Central Division.
Predators general manager Barry Trotz has made it clear that if things do not turn around, he is ready to start the rebuild sooner rather than later.
"If we don’t get it going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan a little bit,” Trotz said on ESPN 102.5 The Game. "What we did in the summer was, as I said, fantasy hockey until we become a good team. If we do not become a good team then we’re going to see a lot more of our kids starting their process."
However, a source close to RG says those words are a little premature.
"I think it is more of a threat to get the players' attention and get their acts together on the ice," the source said. "Every player knows change is a real possibility and they could be traded. But this was a wake-up call to the players to start performing better."
As RG has documented in our exclusive interview with Utah Hockey Club's general manager Bill Armstrong, teams are always looking to improve. The Predators are no different. Nashville is looking for a second-line center. The problem is nobody is moving anything of significance at this time. Teams still don't know who and what they are.
And to be fair, if the Predators want to make a trade, they have some tough contracts to move. All the guys they signed this off-season have no-trade protection. The Predators kept their star goaltender, Juuse Saros, for another eight years. They do not have that many unrestricted free agents except for Gustav Nyquist and Dante Fabbro.
Fabbro's name continues to appear in trade rumors as a potential player the Predators could move on from.
"Fabbro's name continues to be brought up in trade circles," the source told RG. "The kid would blossom with a fresh start and change of scenery."
While no panic has set in just yet with a record of 4-9-1, these next few weeks will be crucial for the Predators. If things do not turn around to the general manager's liking, players might not be the only ones on the move.
While the message is patience, Barry Trotz is plotting his next move to shake things up, which includes the possibility of starting a rebuild earlier than expected; thus closing an already short championship window in Nashville.
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Jim Biringer
