The Nashville Predators are open for business.
And for teams eyeing a trade-deadline upgrade at the forward position, the Predators offer a variety of intriguing veteran options – Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, and Jonathan Marchessault could all be on the move in the coming weeks.
Eighteen months ago, Nashville shockingly emerged as the victors of free agency, having won the signing sweepstakes for both Stamkos (via Tampa Bay) and Marchessault (via Vegas), and locking up goaltender Juuse Saros on a max-term deal. The veteran forward additions in particular were the moves general manager Barry Trotz hoped would enshrine Nashville as a dangerous Western Conference contender for the next few seasons.
The on-ice results since those signings, however, have been disastrous.
Nashville ranks 30th in goal differential (-94) over the past two seasons, besting only the rebuilding San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks. More problematically, four Central Division foes – the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and Utah Mammoth – all feel miles ahead right now, and the organization is already amidst a front office change with Trotz announcing his retirement plans mid-season.
That paves the way for the Predators to hit the reset button and move one or more of these veteran forwards to another contender. There’s also a financial interest in doing so – if Nashville’s contention window is getting pushed further out, players the age of Stamkos (36), O’Reilly (35), and Marchessault (35) no longer fit. However, the shorter term remaining on their contracts could be a risk another team is willing to swallow, considering the pedigree:
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All three of these forwards have aged gracefully relative to their peers – it’s not often you see such lofty individual scoring numbers for guys in their mid-30s. But individual scoring isn’t the only part of the game that matters; what’s killed Nashville over the past couple of years is woeful defensive numbers, a team that routinely concedes heaps of scoring chances in front of a suddenly leaky Saros and Justus Annunen.
Identifying the right potential trade deadline fit, to that end, must consider all elements of the game. If a team needs a bona fide goal-scoring sniper, perhaps Stamkos is the right fit. If a team is looking for a more two-way capable player down the middle, that might be the defensively minded O’Reilly. But I thought it interesting to look at each player’s overall contributions (measured by way of Goals Above Replacement, capturing a player’s total on-ice impact across all game states) relative to a replacement-level player.
What does it look like for the three veteran forwards? Simply put, a different story for each:
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Let’s talk through each of the three potential trade targets, and why teams might show interest in each.
Jonathan Marchessault Jonathan Marchessault (George Walker IV/PC)
Jonathan Marchessault
Of the three veterans in Nashville, no one’s play has seemingly deteriorated faster than Marchessault. The Predators are being outscored 31-to-17 (-14) with Marchessault’s line on the ice, and though the goaltending behind him has been woeful, you do wonder if the smaller and older Marchessault is struggling to have a meaningful defensive impact.
Even expected goal rates – which are blind to goaltending performance – see Nashville conceding heaps of opportunities against with Marchessault deployed (3.5 expected goals against per 60 minutes played vs. 3.7 actual goals per-60 conceded). He’s spent time with three forwards this year in Erik Haula, Michael Bunting, and the aforementioned Stamkos, a respectable mix of middle-six forwards but not a group that’s getting any sort of results.
Notably, Marchessault also missed 14 games with a lower-body injury. The hope here is that you have the chance to buy low on a veteran skater just two years removed from a 42-goal season, and that the playing environment for Marchessault in Nashville is sinking his play – and not vice versa.
Ryan O’Reilly Nashville Predators Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (90) plays during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) (George Walker IV/AP)
Ryan O’Reilly
O’Reilly is aging gracefully and is one of the few reasons the Predators have remained somewhat competitive in the Central Division this year.
The vaunted two-way centre has always posted incredible defensive results and that’s true again in his age 35 season – the otherwise leaky Predators are giving up just 2.5 goals per 60 minutes with O’Reilly deployed, playing most of his minutes with Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista.
O’Reilly’s added scoring touch (20 goals in 57 games) should make him one of the most coveted targets at the trade deadline, and if the on-ice play isn’t enough, the contractual risk is just as alluring – O’Reilly’s cap hit is nearly half that of Stamkos’ and the deal expires in April 2027, which is the sort of contract every contender will be evaluating over the next week.
Seven Stamkos Nashville Predators Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) (George Walker IV/AP)
Steven Stamkos
At one point in his career, Stamkos was on the short list of best hockey players in the world. The 36-year-old doesn’t move quite the same way he used to, but his individual shooting talent and scoring prowess remain fully intact, and teams looking to juice their offensive production will check in here.
Stamkos’ 28 goals into the Olympic break position him for a bid at another 40-goal season, which would be the eighth in his illustrious career. One particular note about Stamkos: he remains one of the league’s better weapons on the power play, his nine goals there ahead of the likes of Boston’s David Pastrnak and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.
Stamkos, however, could be a more complicated add. His $8 million dollar cap hit won’t be easy to squeeze onto a contender’s roster without some version of salary retention, and the 36-year old still has 2.5 years remaining on his current deal.
It will be fascinating to see how aggressive Nashville is moving off one or more of these names leading up into the trade deadline, but the environment is set up for the Predators to be firmly in the seller’s seat leading up to the March 6 deadline.
Data via Natural Stat Trick, NHL.com, Evolving Hockey, Hockey Reference
