Nashville Predators: Grading Their Deadline Trades

The Nashville Predators were one of the more active teams at the NHL Trade Deadline, here is their report card for their trades.

The Nashville Predators were looking to load up on forward depth before NHL Trade Deadline in order to set them up for a long Stanley Cup Playoff run.  When the NHL Trade Deadline concluded the Nashville Predators made four big trades, some were good and some were questionable.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile does not shy away from making big trades, especially one-for-one player trades, as seen with the Shea Weber and P.K. Subban trade.  Serving for almost 22 years as the Predators general manager, David Poile has been less than average.  Poile is the longest-tenured GM in the NHL, a couple of days ahead Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland (served as GM since July 18, 1997).

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The difference between David Poile and Ken Holland is the latter has won the Central Division ten times, won the regular-season conference title five times, won the President’s Trophy four times, won the most regular season games with 789, won the most postseason games with 118 and won the Stanley Cup four times.

Comparatively, David Poile has been to 11 playoff appearances, holds a 49-56 playoff record, is the winningest GM, won one Western Conference Championship, one President’s Trophy and one Regular Season Western Conference Championship (if that means anything).

When you look at the numbers that Poile has put up during the regular season, they are good. However, when it comes to winning playoff games, the games that matter, the Predators have struggled to have any success. If this were any other GM in the league, it would be shocking if they had their job for 22 years given the fact that they have nothing to show for in the playoffs.

Due to the lack of success in the playoffs, I think seeing how these recent trades play out during the playoffs will serve as a big decider for the Predators moving forward. Pretty soon the Predators core of players will start to fizzle out and they will have to determine their identity. In a competitive, tight and big Western Conference, the Predators are going to have to grind out the rest of the way.