The Nashville Predators have to and are going to make moves this offseason to improve. It was a great step forward for the team in 2023-24 getting back into the playoffs, but the core three are in their primes and there's lots of space to bring in players to make the team a lot better. One defenseman in particular that the Predators had to have had their eye on for free agency is Brett Pesce. He's currently a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, but will likely hit the open market on July 1. Nashville has a need for a top-4 right defenseman and Pesce would fit that need very well. Unfortunately for the Predators, they aren't the only team with interest in adding someone of Pesce's caliber to their roster this offseason. Nashville isn't going to ridiculously overpay, but Barry Trotz knows how much cap space there is to work with as well and the time to improve and win is now. On 32 Thoughts: The Podcast [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/they-really-did-it/], Jeff Marek spoke to general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Tom Fitzgerald, and was told that "they still need veteran guys back there." Adding onto that, Elliotte Friedman said "I suspect they're one of the teams in on Pesce." It too makes a lot of sense for the Devils to target Pesce in free agency. The team just traded for starter Jacob Markstrom and moved Kevin Bahl, a defenseman on their roster. Goaltending can only take a team so far. The Devils have the talent to be a contender for the Stanley Cup and adding a top d-man like Pesce would greatly improve those chances. Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette speak to the media following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. Pesce is stellar defensively and has been a key part in the success of the Hurricanes over the past number of years. He has the ability to contribute some offense, but the 29-year-old's selling point is his shutdown ability. He immediately elevates any pairing he's on, kills penalties, blocks shots, and can even contribute on the second power-play unit. Pesce isn't necessarily a physical player, but he proves that a player doesn't need that element to be effective. He raises his physical game in the postseason though. I believe that Pesce is one of, if not the biggest names defensively that the Predators have to be in on this week and there aren't many other top choices that they can fall back on if Nashville isn't the team he ends up with on July 1. New Jersey is probably not going to make it easy for them. RECENT PREDATORS NEWS Maple Leafs Extending Woll Takes Another Saros Trade Suitor Off the Board [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/maple-leafs-extending-woll-takes-another-saros-trade-suitor-off-the-board] Why the Afanasyev Trade Wasn't a Complete Loss for Nashville [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/why-the-afanasyev-trade-wasnt-a-complete-loss-for-nashville] The Best Nashville Predators Picks in Each Round of the NHL Draft: First Round [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/the-best-nashville-predators-picks-in-each-round-of-the-nhl-draft-first-round] The Predators' Best Active Homegrown Player: Brought to You By Upper Deck [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players/the-predators-best-active-homegrown-player-brought-to-you-by-upper-deck]
