Cue Penguins Trade Rumors; Predators ‘Trying’ for Deal

RALEIGH, NC — The Nashville Predators are chumming the NHL trade waters, and it seems the Pittsburgh Penguins are taking a look.

Despite being a preferred destination for three high-profile free agents on July 1, Nashville is off to a 4-8-1 start and drawing the consternation of general manager Barry Trotz. Nashville lost again Wednesday night, falling to the Washington Capitals 3-2 at Capital One Arena.

It would seem the influx of big-name new players, such as Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, has disrupted the chemistry of the team that became a juggernaut last season after coach Andrew Brunette canceled a team event that was to be the U2 concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Nashville went on a tear following their punishment, leaping from four points out of the playoffs on Feb. 18 to an eight-point cushion through the final 28 games.

Trotz was not shy about threatening his team this week.

“I’m trying to do some things right now,” Trotz said on Nashville’s 102.5 The Game. “We will be limited a little because of the contracts that we have … but if we don’t get going, then I’m going to start our rebuild plan.”

Trotz clarified that he did not mean a tear-down rebuild but rather clearing space for a couple of young players in the lineup.

Enter Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, who was spotted at Capital One Arena Wednesday night as the Predators visited the Washington Capitals. Pittsburgh Hockey Now can confirm Dubas did not take the team charter to Raleigh for the Penguins game Thursday night but took a commercial flight to Washington, D.C. instead (it was Dubas’s bad luck to have the gate next to this reporter).

The Penguins are also off to a middling start at 5-7-2, having blown four multi-goal leads in the first 14 games, including a 3-1 third-period lead against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, which resulted in a 4-3 shootout loss.

Trotz also said in the radio interview that he was looking for draft picks and would stockpile younger players over the next few years while keeping a competitive NHL team—very similar to Dubas’s strategy in Pittsburgh.

For any of my Pittsburgh followers, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is in attendance for WSH/NSH tonight in DC.

— Ed Albert (@ealbert410) November 7, 2024

Tantalizingly, Nashville has a couple of young defensemen matriculating at the AHL level who could be ready soon–which means veteran defensemen such as right-handed third-pair d-man Luke Shenn might come available, for a price, of course.

Schenn, 35, is a noted stay-home defender who is not beloved by the analytics community but valued by general managers. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound rearguard has one more year left on his contract, which counts $2.75 million against the cap.

Perhaps Dubas would be willing to part with some of the bounty he acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the Kevin Hayes at the NHL Draft. After the initial trade, St. Louis came back to re-acquire the second-round pick they surrendered in the original deal so they could use it to lure restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Edmonton Oilers. In the process, the Dubas surrendered St. Louis’s original 2025 second-rounder in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2025 third-rounder.

The prized get for the Penguins might be LHD Jeremy Lauzon, who is 27 and makes just $2 million on a contract that expires after this season. Lauzon is scoreless and minus-6 in 13 games this season, but he’s 6-foot-1, 204 pounds, and can skate well. He’s also not averse to sticking up for teammates, but his offensive acumen hasn’t translated to points. He registered just 14 points in 78 games last season.

Lauzon is playing top-four minutes in Nashville and the team has only depth defender Marc Del Gaizo behind him, so such a deal might get more complicated than a singular player each way.

Nashville also has a couple of young forwards at the AHL level, including 2022 first-round pick RW Joakim Kemell (17th overall), who is putting up increasingly good statistics. If Trotz is hoping to clear space for Kemell, perhaps Dubas could fortify the Penguins’ forward crew with a player such as Gustav Nyquist, as Sullivan keeps Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby together on the top line.

Nyquist, 35, is another veteran with a track record of moderate offensive production who can play center or wing. He will be a free agent after this season and carries a cap hit of $3.125 million.

Last season, Nyquist exploded for a career-high 23 goals and 75 points. He had never before scored more than 21 goals and 53 points.

The Predators certainly have a couple of assets the Penguins could use to improve a shaky defense corps or a group of forwards without enough offensive pedigree.

It’s unlikely that Dubas merely went to Washington for the night-time monument walk and to pre-scout Washington, whom the Penguins play on Friday, but anything is possible. Dubas and Trotz have already hooked up on one trade this year when the Penguins acquired Cody Glass and a third-round pick in August.