Predators received ‘lot of calls’ on Stamkos ahead of NHL Trade Deadline
Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz made headlines earlier this winter when he announced that he would be stepping down from the role after the conclusion of the season.
The legendary, long-time head coach of the franchise had given it a go in the main chair in the front office, but it was clear that the direction he took the club from a roster construction standpoint left a lot to be desired.
After spending big last offseason, the Predators flopped, finishing well out of the playoff picture. It looked like this year would meet a similar end, but Nashville powered past a horrible start to work its way back into playoff contention.
Still, with several other teams battling for the wild card spots and such a strong top of the conference making a first-round exit a virtual certainty even if they did sneak in, it made total sense for Trotz to close out his tenure by selling at the deadline and restocking the cupboard for whoever would take over this summer.
Predators fans had plenty of reason to be hopeful about what Trotz was going to accomplish at the deadline based on how he got started.
Trotz got a second-round pick from the Minnesota Wild in return for forward Michael McCarron, and then he landed a third-round pick for Cole Smith from the Vegas Golden Knights.
Those moves set the market high ahead of deadline day, and they had Nashville fans dreaming about what the returns could look like for veteran players like Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly.
Instead, Trotz opted to hang on to his veteran stars, though apparently it wasn’t due to lack of interest from around the league.
“There were a lot of calls on [Stamkos],” Trotz told reporters after the deadline, including Alex Daugherty of The Tennesseean. “He’s hot, and he’s got to stay hot because we’re in a playoff race.”
It makes sense that Stamkos would be of interest to contending teams. After a cold opening month, he’s been one of the hottest scorers in the league. His 30 goals have him tied for 15th among all NHL skaters.
Trotz said that he turned down some “really good offers” for not only Stamkos, but also for O’Reilly and Erik Haula.
Even if Trotz wanted to move Stamkos, he would not have the final say. In the days leading up to the deadline, Stamkos was reportedly opposed to waiving his no-movement clause to leave Nashville.
Regardless, given the returns he was able to net for McCarron and Smith, Trotz’s unwillingness to move his even higher-caliber trade assets represents a huge missed opportunity for the Predators to stockpile assets to help the next regime put their stamp on the organization.