Top Los Angeles Kings prospect Brandt Clarke has had an up-and-down season, particularly in the last few weeks. Clarke, 21, had sat out two straight games as a healthy scratch before returning to the Kings' lineup on Saturday, but a continued lack of playing time could make him the perfect Nashville Predators trade target. The 2021 eighth-overall pick watched from the press box as longtime Kings talisman Drew Doughty returned from a preseason ankle fracture; Los Angeles lost 3-0 to Florida and Tampa Bay on back-to-back nights, respectively. But, Clarke actually put together quite the solid season before recent playtime cuts and Doughty's inevitable return. Playing as an NHL regular for effectively the first time, the Nepean, Ont., native has appeared in 48 games this season, scoring three goals, 21 assists, and 24 points to complement his plus-8 plus-minus rating. The Hockey News' Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discuss the Nashville Predators' season-high five-game win streak and whether they have turned their season around in time. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that two of Clarke's goals and only seven of his points in total have come on the power play. While not a big-time shooter, it's clear Clarke is getting comfortable driving offense at the NHL level as a 21-year-old. But, would the Kings move on from him now that Doughty is healthy in order to try and go all-in one last time? Doughty, 35, is not getting any younger. Neither are the 37-year-old Anze Kopitar or the 38-year-old Trevor Lewis. Starting goalie Darcy Kuemper, 34, has battled inconsistent play in recent years, which may only get worse as he ages. The Kings' biggest issue is that they are 28th in the NHL in goals, similar to the struggling Predators at 31st. If he's open to making a big swing for the future, Predators general manager Barry Trotz has three 2025 first-round picks and two 2025 second-round picks at his disposal. That is, of course, secondary to what the Kings need, which is immediate scoring help. Names like Ryan O'Reilly [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/nashville-predators-trade-ryan-oreilly-only-under-these-conditions] and Gustav Nyquist [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players/nashville-predators-gustav-nyquist-added-list-nhl-trade-targets] stand out there. It is also worth noting that Clarke, averaging only 17:01 as a defender playing in the NHL as a regular for the first time, has more points this season than Phillip Danault (23), Quinton Byfield (23), and Trevor Moore (20). That is a bad sign for the Kings, but it might tell them to ignore any potential phone calls from the Nashville area, where the Predators are in pole position to try to take advantage of their misfortunes. The Kings remain in a playoff spot with their 27-17-6 record and 60 points, but staunch defending and top-tier goaltending will only take them so far with an offense as toothless as theirs in its current state. Time will tell which direction Los Angeles goes. As for the Predators, Trotz already took a chance on Justin Barron, and though it hasn't always been pretty, it shows the direction the former head coach is trying to take the franchise. Clarke fits that bill and would provide a higher ceiling than any other young defenseman in the Predators' system. Visit The Hockey News Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/] team site to stay updated on the latest Predators news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/ex-predators-forward-mikael-granlund-big-stars-trade], game day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/game-day] coverage, player features [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players], podcasts [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/podcasts], and more.
