Rumors are swirling that the Nashville Predators discussed a deal at the trade deadline with the Los Angeles Kings surrounding All-Star goaltender Juuse Saros. A David Pagnotta tweet and Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast mention the deal to varying degrees. Multiple first-round picks and prospects were the rumored return on the table for Saros. Instead, the Kings landed Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Korpisalo did not provide goaltending close to what Saros could have offered the Kings in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Kings suffered their second-straight first-round exit.
This alleged deal opens Pandora’s box for the Predators. If Saros’ talents are now on the table, a trade may occur as the Predators’ organization enter a re-tooling phase. Goalie of the future Yaroslav Askarov is on the way, and Saros’ $5 million cap hit for the next two seasons makes him a cheap, elite goaltending option for any team. So, what teams should be interested in trading for him?
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are the favorites to land Saros. Korpisalo is entering unrestricted free agency (UFA) and is likely gone in the summer. Saros would fill the void in the net for the Kings, making them an immediate contender to come out of the Western Conference. Trading him within the conference is risky for the Predators, but the package coming the other way may be too tempting. The Kings have a projected $7,336,666 in cap space this summer. The number seems high for a playoff team; however, they still have to sign their top restricted free agent (RFA) Gabriel Vilardi, and need a capable starting goaltender entering next season.
A package for Saros would consist of prospects and picks. The Kings are without their own first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, but their 2024 first-round pick would be on the table. Throw in Vilardi for salary-matching reasons, a prospect like Brandt Clarke, Alex Turcotte, or even Quinton Byfield, and other assets, and the Predators should bite. Trading with the Kings means the Preds embrace a rebuild. The Kings can offer a lot of futures. A haul of two of their top-five prospects and an assortment of draft picks may be the best package any team can piece together for Saros.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators are the Predators’ ideal trade partners if they want immediate help in return for Saros. According to Pierre LeBrun on Insider Trading, former 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat may have the Predators on his list of preferred trade destinations. The situation surrounding DeBrincat is murky, with the Senators taking him to arbitration as he is an RFA. Despite this, adding a skilled top-six forward with high-end talent is exactly something general manager Barry Trotz is looking for. Establishing the framework of a deal is easy, but the Senators would need to add something to the package.
The Senators do not have a promising prospect cabinet or an abundance of draft picks. They are in desperate need of a goaltender this offseason. They only have two goalies under contract through next season — Leevi Meriläinen and Mads Sogaard. Adding Saros to their up-and-coming roster would make them an immediate playoff threat with Stanley Cup contender potential. The Sens would need to part with one of their B-level prospects and add draft picks or players to add value for the Predators. DeBrincat is a fantastic start to a deal. The rest of the package depends on how much value the Senators are willing to part with from their already bleak prospect and pick pool.
New Jersey Devils
Like the Kings, the Devils can offer the Predators a boatload of draft picks and prospects for Saros’ talents. Luke Hughes is immediately off the table, but Alexander Holtz or Simon Nemec would bring needed value. Toss in Akira Schmid to be a stop-gap until Askarov is ready to be the Preds’ full-time goalie and lower-value assets, and a deal will form quickly.
The Devils exceeded expectations this season. A dominant regular season and a second-round exit are nothing short of successful, but their goaltending undid any aspirations of beating the Carolina Hurricanes. Schmid and Vitek Vanecek were awful in the playoffs. Both netminders could not seize the starting role for an entire playoff series. Adding Saros to a young core of Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and more would make them perennial Stanley Cup contenders. The Devils have the assets to pry Saros from the Predators and transform them into an elite hockey club. Gambling the future for immediate goalie help is the risk the Devils have to weigh before trading for Saros.
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Connor Hellebuyck will likely be the first elite goaltender traded this offseason. While in different situations, a Hellebuyck trade would lay the groundwork for value before the Predators deal Saros. The advantage for the Preds is Saros’ two years remaining at $5 million. That low cap hit, with possible retention, makes him available to any team with enough intriguing assets. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres are two other candidates to trade for him, but a lack of resources in Toronto and a budding star in Devon Levi make it harder to pull off. A Saros trade is not a guarantee this offseason; however, the rumors surrounding the All-Star and the package the Predators could receive make it much more likely.