When forward Jonathan Marchessault criticized coach Andrew Brunette’s approach to the Nashville Predators offense in April, it added more fuel to the idea that general manager Barry Trotz would consider a coaching change this offseason.
Instead, Trotz doubled down on Brunette in May, committing to his second-year coach after one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
“Andrew Brunette is a good young coach,” Trotz said on May 5. “He had a tough situation this year in terms of our team, our makeup, how we came together or didn’t come together.”
Now, with Marchessault set to return for the second year of a five-year deal he signed last summer, there’s talk of the Predators potentially moving Marchessault before the 2025-26 season.
“Yes there is something here,” said Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in an interview on 102.5 The Game on May 29. “I think the (Predators) would consider a trade. It would have to be a preferred destination and I don’t think there’s a lot of them.”
What a potential Jonathan Marchessault trade could look like
Marchessault’s contract is going to be difficult to move. The 34-year-old is owed $5.5 million over the next four years — a tough sell for a guy who scored just 21 goals last year.
The other issue is trade protection in the contract. According to Puck Pedia, the contract includes a no-movement clause which states the team cannot move (trade, cut, waive, etc.) Marchessault without his permission. If the Predators approach him about a trade, Marchessault can submit a list of 15 teams he does not want to be traded to.
The no-movement clause limits the Predators’ options, but, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, there’s at least one team Marchessault would be willing to consider.
“I think in a perfect world, (Marchessault) would love to go to the Montreal Canadiens,” Seravalli said on the Daily Faceoff podcast on May 28. “I don’t know how open (the Canadiens) are to that, given the term on his deal. But you can see him helping a pretty good offense already to take that next step.”
The fit makes sense. Marchessault, who is from Quebec, played junior hockey with the Quebec Ramparts. He may like the idea of returning to his home province. The Canadiens may want to add a veteran, Cup-winning forward to a lineup with many developing young stars.
But the Predators should be prepared for a limited return, should they choose this route. A late draft pick or a low end prospect is the most Nashville could expect in a return — and it’s possible they’d have to send a draft pick along with Marchessault in order to sweeten the deal.
The situation isn’t pretty for Nashville. They need contract relief after last year’s exorbitant spending. They need to resolve an apparent player-coach conflict. They need to improve after a 30-44-8 season. Trading Marchessault only resolves two of those three problems, but it could be their only option.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.