Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show on if the Nashville Predators could make some big moves at the trade deadline.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “Barry Trotz was on this program last week. And you know, we had the conversation about, you know, trade deadline approaching. What are you open to? And a lot of the conversation revolved around the obvious, which is, the players decide. The players decide which direction we’re going. But Trots did say we’re prepared to be one, like we’re prepared to be both, either the buyer or either the seller as well.
It was interesting to you know, he referenced the reports from last year and listen, I’m guilty party I was one of them, the reports from last year that talked about him, you know, looking to move up into the draft, maybe get as high as four. I believe that, you know, the netminder Jaroslav Askarov was, was part of that offer or package from Nashville and, you know, he brought it up and didn’t dispute it.
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You know, he talked about, you know, other deals that he’s that out there before. Almost sort of chumming the waters in a lot of ways and he said this elsewhere subsequent to, chumming the waters for Nashville may be doing something big at trade deadline.
Can you see Nashville being one of the teams that does something big Elliotte at deadline?
Friedman: “Well, I mean, like when Pierre comes out with a report like these a couple of weeks ago, that they would trade Saros if Byfield was like the kind of return. Like those things don’t come out by accident. You know, you’re not making that up out of thin air.
So what that says to me is that you know, he’s let it be known that if there are good young players available for some of his veterans, not all of them, some of his veterans he would absolutely considerable it. So that’s kind of the way I look at it, is that they’re you know, they’re looking for, they’ve given some of their young talent and opportunity to play this year. Some of them have done well and some of them haven’t.
Like the tough one is you know, for this them this year has been Cody Glass. And this is a talented guy who took a step last year, but he’s really struggled this year. So now if you’re in Nashville, you’re kind of looking like okay, what are we dealing with.
But look, I think Barry Trotz has sent out, they went out this year and they surprised people by going out and signing (Ryan) O’Reilly and (Luke) Schenn, right? And, you know, they’re, they’re in the race. They are in the race. It was a bad point for them to give up night, but they are in the race.
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And I, but I think they’re looking at big picture. And if, and I don’t think Trotz is unwilling to do something big if it’s the kind of young piece that he thinks can really help them.”
