Nashville reshapes roster, sending Bunting to Dallas for a future draft pick. Another key piece departs as the Predators gear up for the deadline.
A fourth Nashville Predators player has been dealt as the trade deadline nears. Thursday afternoon, the Predators traded forward Michael Bunting to the Dallas Stars for a 2026 third-round draft pick draft
The Predators now have 11 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft: 1st (one pick), 2nd (two picks), 3rd (one pick), 4th (two picks), 5th (three picks), 6th (one pick) and 7th (one pick).
This is the second 2026 pick the Predators have acquired in a Bunting trade, as he arrived in Nashville via a trade that sent Luke Schenn and Thomas Novak to Pittsburgh for Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round selection in March 2025.
Bunting has had a massive impact on the Predators' bottom six this season, scoring 31 points (13G, 18A) in 61 games and logging 16 penalty minutes. The PIM total is a career low for Bunting.
He is in the final year of a 3-year, $13.5 million contract, which he originally signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. Bunting will be a unrestircted free agent at the end of this season.
The Predators have offloaded almost all of their pending UFAs at the trade deadline. Erik Haula and Tyson Jost are the last two Predators pending UFAs remaining on the roster.
Nashville hosts the Boston Bruins on Thursday at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena.
Nashville Predators trade deadline transactions
March 3
C Michael McCarron traded to the Minnesota Wild for a 2028 2nd round pick.
LW Cole Smith traded to the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2028 3rd-round pick and D Christoffer Sedoff.
March 4
D Nick Blakenburg traded to the Colorado Avalanche for the 2027 5th-round pick.
March 5
LW Michael Bunting traded to the Dallas Stars for a 2026 3rd-round pick.