General manager Barry Trotz’s first NHL trade deadline is behind him with some fine-tuning done to his roster.
“I thought our scouts were dialed in on what the plan was and we had to pivot on the plan a little bit,” Trotz said. “A couple of weeks ago you’re looking at being a seller, this team has said loud and clear [what they are] and I want to help them. We were in a unique situation where we didn’t want to hurt our future. We wanted to prop up our team and make it better hopefully for the playoffs.”
The first moves came with Anthony Beauvillier being sent to Nashville from Chicago and Jaret Anderson-Dolan being claimed off of waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.
Nashville also shipped Yakov Trenin and defensive prospect Graham Sward to the Colorado Avalanche for Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick.
“We have a number of forwards coming, we need to get better at center ice and they can fill the holes we’ll have,” Trotz said of Predators future. “The area we have to restock is the backend and we started that with [Tanner Molendyk] last year. We had good reports, our scouts liked them and with Colorado, they identified him as a good player and they signed him [Thursday].”
All of the moves Nashville made on the eve of the trade deadline can be seen right here.
After the clock hit zero Trotz had an update on defenseman Alexandre Carrier who was not traded at the deadline.
“We’re still talking, we’re not there yet but at the same time both sides have to come together,” Trotz said. “We’re going to work together to see if we can make both sides happy.”
Alex Carrier getting a skate blade swapped out during warmups.
Trotz also commented on his approach to having a talented goaltending prospect in Yaroslav Askarov and current starter Juuse Saros.
“It will be situational, that’s probably the best way,” Trotz said of having the two goalies. “I don’t think there’s any inherent timelines where we have to say our decision is made.”
Trotz was not going to accept unproven assets for Saros at the end of the day. He compared his situation to when the Tampa Bay Lightning was going from Ben Bishop to Andrei Vasilevskiy.
“We have one fantastic NHL goalie who is a superstar and we have one in the minors who is a superstar in the minor league and trending toward the next step. We’ll find that out,” Trotz said. “When you have time you want to use it and that gives you a lot of clarity.”
Tyson Barrie remained on the team as well and at the end of the day there were two options for Trotz.
“Wherever we were after the deadline he was going to continue to be that great teammate and be ready to go for us or any other team,” Trotz said. “I always look at our depth and we also have not only the 23 guys but also goaltending and a defenseman like Spencer Stastney.”
At the end of Trotz’s presser, he announced three contracts were awarded.
-Defenseman Dante Fabbro 1-year at $2.5 million
-Forward Mark Jankowski 2-year two-way deal worth $775,000 in year one then $800,000 in year two
-Goalie Gustavs Grigals 1-year, two-way worth $775,000 at the NHL level for the rest of the 23-24 season.
Dante Fabbro walking into the arena before taking on the Buffalo Sabres on March 7, 2024.
On Friday the Predators acquired forward Jason Zucker from the Arizona Coyotes for a 6th-round pick this summer.
“He’s very competitive and has a good hockey IQ, he’s driven and brings a lot of life,” Trotz said of Zucker. “When it gets dirty and nasty he can do that too and fits right into our game. Having the flexibility in our cap space made it easier to get him.”
Trotz said Zucker and Beauvillier have the opportunity to make the case for something other than his new players being rentals for the remainder of the regular season.
Nashville also dealt forward Denis Gurianov to the Philadelphia Flyers for Wade Allison. Both have spent more time in the AHL than the NHL this season, a move that bolsters the depth of both organizations.
Before the Predators left for their back-to-back this weekend Beauvillier and Anderson-Dolan met with the media after making the trek to their new home.
Beauvillier got pulled into general manager Kyle Davidson’s office yesterday to let him know he was going to be a Predator and the forward said he was excited by the news.
“Coming to a team that is playing really well right now, it’s always hard to play against them when you play them. Happy to come here and get to push with them,” Beauviller said.
Trotz and Beauvillier go back to their New York Islanders days (2018-2022).
“I had a couple of chats with him [after the trade] and he seemed really happy,” Beauviller said. “I’m thrilled to be here and it was good to see him yesterday and it made the transition really easy for me.”
Beauvillier has now been traded three times since Jan. 30, 2023, and twice this season with the first coming back on Nov. 28, 2023, from the Vancouver Canucks to Chicago. Life has been spread thin for the 26-year-old who has 14 points in 45 games this season.
“It’s been a crazy year for sure. I’m pumped to be here and play some good hockey and have a push for the playoff with these guys,” Beauviller said. “Seems like a really fun group of guys and I’m ready to go to war with them.”
In his junior hockey days in QMJHL Beauvillier played against Predators defensemen Jeremy Lauzon and Alexandre Carrier. He was teammates with former Predators skaters Samuel Girard and Freddy Gaudreau when he was with the Shawinigan Cataractes.
At no cost to the Predators, Anderson-Dolan was picked up as a depth piece who could also contribute in the AHL. He’ll slot in wherever the Predators need him.
“I gotta prove that I belong here and do what’s made me successful in the past,” Anderson-Dolan said.
Cody Glass and Mark Jankowski are faces that Anderson-Dolan mentioned by name of whom he already knows.
“I know Glass I played world juniors with him and Jankwoski. I played against a bunch of guys that are already here. A couple of familiar faces but it’s also good to make new relationships,” Anderson-Dolan said.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Top photo courtesy of Nashville Predators
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