There’s one more day until the clock strikes zero on making or submitting trades in the NHL. Teams have been busy the last two days with little time left to make a deal.
The Nashville Predators dealt forward Yakov Trenin to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday afternoon alongside the unsigned defenseman Graham Sward.
In return, the Predators picked up Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick whom Colorado just signed to his entry-level contract today before dealing him to Nashville.
Sward is currently the WHL’s 2nd highest-scoring D-man this season. He has 73 points in 58 GP for Wenatchee.
Hanzel leads the Seattle Thunderbirds with 50 points in 58 games this season. He was drafted in the sixth round (187th overall) last summer. He joins Luke Prokop and Reid Schaefer as prospects who played for the Thunderbirds, and just last season won the Memorial Cup.
The one skater has been acquired so far from the Chicago Blackhawks. Nashville sent a 5th-round pick for the draft this summer over to the Blackhawks for forward Anthony Beauviller.
Beauviller’s agent confirmed the move following Nashville’s media availability on Thursday morning.
Anthony Beauvillier in action during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in St. Louis. (Jeff Roberson/AP)
The 26-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent this summer as well. He has 14 points in 45 this season after being dealt earlier this year. To start the season he was a Vancouver Canuck and was traded to Chicago (11/28/23) for a different 5th-round pick in the draft this summer.
Predators general manager Barry Trotz coached Beauviller in New York when they were both members of the Islanders organization.
Beauviller scored 129 points in 271 games while Trotz was his coach in New York.
Now the attention is fixed on a few other players who have been part of trade conversations in the last few weeks.
Defenseman Tyson Barrie has been scratched 28 times entering Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Earlier in the season Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported his agent had permission to speak to other teams about a potential fit elsewhere.
“Just trying to stick in there and be a good teammate and work hard and be ready for a chance whether that’s here or elsewhere,” Barrie said. “We have a great group of guys in here playing some really good hockey. I feel like a big part of the team off the ice. Not ideal to not be playing, it’s a special group in here so it’s made it easier.”
Barrie and Trotz have been transparent with each other about the situation, which has helped both sides out in the future.
“He’s trying to find what’s best for the Preds and at the same time trying to be fair to me and give me an opportunity to play and continue to be an NHL player,” Barrie said. “There’s no guarantees on anything, it’s tough with salary and teams up against the cap, we’ll see how it shakes out.”
Mentally Barrie said he’s had some good and dark days this season as a member of the Predators. He’s fortunate for the length of his career to this point and hopes it’s in the right place moving forward.
In the meantime Barrie has nursed a small injury he had this season and been in the gym to work on himself. He said he felt good going into the All-Star break but since then has just played three games.
“It’s been an interesting season no doubt but we have a good staff, good people showing up every day putting the work in and doing the best they can to stay in shape in case someone needs me,” Barrie said.
Defenseman Alexandre Carrier is another name being floated around in trade conversations. While it’s been speculated Carrier would be a solid defender for the right price to a playoff team, in his mind he’s not worried about any talk surrounding his future.
“This is really the first year it’s happened,” Carrier said in early February of his name being part of trade chatter. “I have to focus on my game, I’m here and I want to win here no matter what’s being said on the internet. I have to focus on myself and the team.”
Carrier has played this season alongside defenseman Jeremy Lauzon the most. The duo has combined for 31 points this season and established a strong bond. Both defenders have said in conversations that they speak French with one another during games.
Carrier is a UFA at the end of the season and Trotz will have to decide on his future, whether that’s before the deadline on Friday or this offseason.
Stay tuned for all the latest news on the Predators as they have 19 games remaining in the regular season.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Top photo courtesy of Nashville Predators
Comments