Insider: Trotz's Rebuild Plan for Predators is More Like Renovation
We have now had some time to sit with the comments made by Barry Trotz about the Nashville Predators and his rebuild plan. This can't of course be a teardown and also doesn't seem like a rebuild in the traditional sense either.
With all of the big names on the team and the contracts handed out recently, this is far too early to scrap it all. Darren Dreger noted that Trotz' comment is "taken out of context. What he meant was rebuild in terms of renovation. Not rebuild in the traditional sense."
If Trotz did mean do a teardown, keep losing, and get a high pick this season, the only similar situation in recent memory would have to be the Chicago Blackhawks as soon as they acquired Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury, only to struggle like the Predators have and sell everything. The difference is that there are a number of core pieces on this Nashville team that are signed for multiple years. Chicago didn't have that.
Dreger also said, "Trotz may have to insulate further" The team has the pieces to do that with three first-round picks, two second-round picks, and tons of talented prospects to package off in one or more deals who might not be able to squeeze into the Predators at any point in the near future.
The Predators brought in a lot of talent, but with the age of their top players, winning has to be the first and only priority right now. For Trotz and the Predators, "It's more about bringing in materials to add to construction, not a rebuild or teardown."
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It's not often a team can have an elite goalie like Juuse Saros, a Norris Trophy winner like Roman Josi, and a goal-scorer like Filip Forsberg on the same team at the same time playing at the top of their games. Many teams struggle for just 1-2 of those. The Predators have all of that, a strong group of veterans who are former champions, and a good group of young players to complement that. If this opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs and chase a Stanley Cup passes them by in this window to win, you never know when another one will come around.
The Predators have even more cap space to work with this season after Dante Fabbro was picked up off waivers and $2.5 million was cleared. There are some obvious needs like a second line center and a top-4 right shot defenseman.
I can't imagine Trotz waits for too much longer to pull off a deal despite how difficult it has to be to trade for either of those needs Nashville has. There have been a couple of losses since his comments and there is getting less and less time to turn things around each passing day.
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