However, that\u2019s just not how these searches work. The Predators\u2019 next general manager might not be determined until the offseason, with a lot of candidates getting their shot to discuss their vision of the team.<\/p>\n
With no succession plan for the general manager, Trotz probably thought it unwise to sell everything off. He probably wanted to make sure the new general manager had some trade assets or building blocks.<\/p>\n
Wonky Value<\/p>\n
The trade market was bizarre this season. It was considered a seller\u2019s market, which should\u2019ve been great for Nashville. They did well in trading away depth forwards that wouldn\u2019t have been on the roster next season.<\/p>\n
However, with the value they got for that depth (Bunting, McCarron, Blankenberg, Smith), they might have demanded too much for pieces like O\u2019Reilly and Perbix. Very few first-line centers were traded during the trade deadline, with Nazem Kadri being the biggest example.<\/p>\n
Related: 4 Reasons the Canadiens Didn\u2019t Trade Patrik Laine<\/a><\/p>\n There\u2019s also another year on the Perbix and O\u2019Reilly contracts. If Nashville traded both of them away, would they settle for worse value than the market commands? They probably felt best to try next year with both of those pieces.<\/p>\n Clause Protection<\/p>\n Another thing that could\u2019ve hindered Nashville in their plans was clause protection. This applies to Steven Stamkos<\/a> and Jonathan Marchessault.<\/p>\n Stamkos has a no-movement clause on his deal, so he got to decide where he wanted to go. He gave the Predators three options: the Tampa Bay Lightning (his old team), the Wild, and the Stars. The Predators probably thought it unwise to trade him in-division, and the Lightning would\u2019ve needed to unload a veteran on a pricy contract to the Predators (Oliver Bjorkstrand?) to clear the cap room. The Lightning decided on Corey Perry instead, reuniting with the winger to bring some scoring depth and leadership.<\/p>\n With Marchessault, it was always a pie-in-the-sky idea that Nashville would trade him. He had a 15-team no-trade list, and he\u2019s signed for less per year than Stamkos. However, unlike Stamkos, who leads the team in goals (31) and provides solid offensive value, Marchessault has lagged. He has just 11 goals and 10 assists through 46 games. That didn\u2019t do well for his trade value.<\/p>\n Playoff Push?<\/p>\n Yes, it sounds crazy to think the Predators could push for the playoffs, especially with how awful this core looked last season. However, the Western Conference is incredibly shallow. The Los Angeles Kings currently hold the last wild-card spot, with just 69 points on the season. The Predators have 67 points this season, so they\u2019re a game away from it already.<\/p>\n For that reason, O\u2019Reilly and Stamkos had informed the team that they didn\u2019t want to be traded. They wanted to see the season through, and with at least a fighting chance, they wanted to prove they could lead this team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n Elliotte Friedman: [Ryan O’Reilly] has told the team that he doesn’t want to go; he wants to be part of the\u2026team for the playoff push; Steven Stamkos, I was told, is in the same boat \u2013 32 Thoughts (3\/2)<\/p>\n \u2014 NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The playoffs are always unpredictable. The Predators made their run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final as a wild-card team. It\u2019s a different circumstance, but perhaps Trotz wanted to give this core one last chance to dance.<\/p>\n The Haula Debacle<\/p>\n With all that being said, it\u2019s still unbelievable the Predators didn\u2019t trade Erik Haula<\/a>. The bottom-six center would\u2019ve been perfect for a contending team, and with the returns Nashville got, Haula could\u2019ve netted them a premium.<\/p>\n Haula has 10 goals and 21 assists through 65 games. That\u2019s an increase in production from last season (11-10-21), and he\u2019s currently on pace to produce more than his 2023-24 season (16-19-35). Surely, there was a team that needed a two-way middle-six center like Haula. Plus, he\u2019s an unrestricted free agent after this season, so he could walk away for nothing after this season anyway.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/p>\n After the madness of the trade deadline, the Predators currently sit with the majority of their trade pieces still around. O\u2019Reilly and Perbix are under contract until 2027<\/a>, Stamkos until 2028, and Marchessault until 2029. It\u2019s a bold decision from Trotz, and Nashville fans will anxiously wait to see if it pays off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Steven](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Steven-Stamkos-Predators-3-1200x800.jpg\")
Steven Stamkos, Nashville Predators (Jess Starr<\/a>\/The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Predators_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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