Is the Timing Right for a DeBrincat Sized Trade?
Nashville isn't in "win now" mode. Perhaps they don't need to be in "trade now" mode either.
With less than a week to go before the draft, the talk about where winger Alex DeBrincat will end up continues around the NHL. While the Nashville Predators haven't been confirmed as being a potential trade partner with the Ottawa Senators when it comes to dealing DeBrincat, there has been enough speculation to keep Preds fans listening closely to any talk involving the 25 year old Michigan native.
DeBrincat's 27 goals and 66 point season in 2022-2023 with the Senators surpassed every player on the Predators roster last season, and his 39 assists would be second only to Roman Josi if they had been teammates this year. Under new head coach Andrew Brunette, the Predators are looking to focus on offensive production, and DeBrincat could certainly contribute offensively at both five on five and the power play.
There is plenty of online debate when it comes to a what a potential trade for DeBrincat might include in a deal with Nashville. Who would the Senators be interested in as a roster piece? Is a high value prospect and picks enough to start a conversation? DeBrincat is going to want a deal with term. The Predators have plenty of cap space, so how much value would Nashville put on his potential production four or five years down the road?
All of the questions - the who, the what, the how much - could be worth wrestling with if it weren't for that one other nagging question.
The when.
Is this the right time to trade for a player like Alex DeBrincat?
With a new head coach, a new direction that sounds like a fit for a player like DeBrincat, and plenty of draft capital and cap space, the timing may initially seem perfect. It's been awhile since the franchise has had a window with as favorable a trade situation as the Predators do now. It's clear the team is dedicated to a reset, which certainly could mean bringing in talent via trade and not just relying on familiar veterans and developing prospects.
What the Predators might not have right now is an accurate assessment of the roster Nashville is already paying. While the veterans may be familiar, the performances of players like Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, and even Roman Josi have been inconsistent in recent seasons. Setting aside the injuries that sidelined those three this spring, it's hard to know what their production will be with a new system, a new head coach, and a fresh faced Predators roster around them.
Young players like Luke Evangelista, Phil Tomasino, Jusso Pärssinen, Tommy Novak, and Cody Glass showed exciting promise late in the season, but assessing their ability to build off that success is just as challenging. Does the franchise have a future standout player already in the pipeline? Perhaps Joakim Kemell could fill that offensive finisher and power play scoring role for the Predators in a season or two without making a big trade for DeBrincat with a long term deal. Nashville isn't in "win now" mode. Perhaps they don't need to be in "big trade now" mode either.
Next season will give Nashville a longer, clearer look at what the franchise has in hand. At the end of 2023-2024, Trotz, Brunette, and Predators fans will have a better idea of who this team can be, what the roster holes are that need filled, and how much it's worth investing in a big trade to get this team into a championship conversation.