Last weekend, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman dropped a bombshell during “Hockey Night in Canada.”
Trade rumors had begun to swirl around the struggling Predators, but Friedman added another layer of intrigue during the broadcast’s “Saturday Headlines” segment.
“There’s talk about what they’re going to do,” Friedman said. “Word is maybe only three untouchables — Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Pekka Rinne, who’s toward the end of his career. I think other than that, the Predators are willing to listen on just about anybody. That includes Filip Forsberg.”
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That last line landed like a gut punch in Nashville. How could the Predators even entertain the idea of trading Forsberg? Are they nuts?!
Forsberg has been the Predators’ primary source of offense and entertainment this season, leading the team with nine goals and 17 points in 18 games. (No other forward has more than four goals or eight points.)
It would not be a stretch to say that the Predators would be a lost cause without Forsberg, who has had a direct hand in 13 of the team’s 41 goals.
Opponents have no choice but to respect Forsberg whenever he has the puck. On Tuesday, three Red Wings defenders converged on Forsberg during a Predators power play, opening a lane for him to send a cross-seam pass to Eeli Tolvanen.
“I haven’t seen him this good,” Rinne said. “He’s a leader out there off the ice and on the ice and scores huge goals for us and makes huge plays. He’s a force out there. He does it all, plays physical and creates a lot. Very important player for us.”
Friedman did not say that the Predators are dangling Forsberg as trade bait or that they are even trying to move him. The wording of Friedman’s report suggested that the Predators would not immediately dismiss offers for him.
With the exceptions of Josi, who has a no-movement clause, and possibly Rinne for sentimental reasons, no Predators player should be off-limits if the price is right. (Rinne, whose preference is to stay in Nashville, can select 10 teams he would accept a trade to as part of his modified no-trade clause.)
Rebuilds require tough decisions, and there is no doubt that Forsberg, 26, would net the Predators a big return.
Predators management is approaching the April 12 trade deadline with an open mind. As Friedman wrote in his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Forsberg and certain other Predators players — he specifically mentioned Dante Fabbro — “will be difficult to pry loose.”
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Goal-scoring wingers in their primes such as Forsberg are not readily available. At the 2019 deadline, for example, the Senators turned Mark Stone into highly touted defensive prospect Erik Brannstrom and a second-round pick.
Although Stone is considered a more well-rounded player than Forsberg, the Predators could reasonably request a similar return package. It is not a perfect comparison, but it at least provides a loose framework for a hypothetical Forsberg trade.
| Player | Age | Games | Goals Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
26 | 366 | 0.34 | 0.85 | |
26 | 476 | 0.37 | 0.78 |
The Predators have a lot to consider in the coming weeks. Salary-cap flexibility is a key component of a successful rebuild, if that is what the organization decides to do. Forsberg will need a new contract after next season, and a cap hit in the $7.5 million to $8 million range seems like a reasonable estimate.
Forsberg is eligible to re-sign with the Predators this summer. Agent J.P. Barry said Wednesday that contract negotiations will not begin until then, which he said is not unusual for players who have one year remaining on their deals.
The Predators could create cap space for a new Forsberg deal by moving either Ryan Johansen or Matt Duchene and getting out from under one of their $8 million cap hits, but that will be challenging.
Another important aspect of a rebuild is surrounding young players with the right veterans, which is part of the argument for keeping Forsberg. He has grown as a leader and would set a good example for the organization’s forward prospects.
“It’s been great to follow his progress,” Rinne said. “Obviously, everybody knows his talent, but as a player and a guy and a leader, I think he’s been taking strides every single season.”
Few NHL players are truly untouchable, but Forsberg is trying to play his way into the conversation.
“The biggest thing I see right now is he’s using his size and speed all in one motion,” Johansen said. “He’s just a very powerful player right now. It just looks extremely hard to defend for the opposition. I know I wouldn’t want to be playing against him right now. He’s driving our bus. He looks fantastic, and I love how he’s doing it the right way and doing it the hard way, too.”
(Photo: Scott Audette / NHLI via Getty Images)