Next move Predators must make after Chris MacFarland hiring

The Nashville Predators hired Chris MacFarland as their new general manager, bringing him in from the Colorado Avalanche. Barry Trotz has been moved into an advisory role as Nashville looks to rebuild its roster after a dreadful season. MacFarland will take some time to get the lay of the land, and once he does, the first move should be obvious. It is time for the Predators to trade Steven Stamkos, among many other veterans.

Stamkos joined the Predators before the 2024-25 season, signing a four-year deal worth $8 million per year. His first year was a disaster, managing only 53 points as the Preds tumbled to a 30th-place finish. This year, the two-time Stanley Cup Champion scored 42 goals, but Nashville still did not make the playoffs.

The Predators do not have a great prospect pipeline, so getting anything back for Stamkos would be a positive. There are a lot of other players they could trade, including Ryan O’Reilly, who would not bring back the same return. Roman Josi is heading into the second-to-last year of his contract, but he is a career Predator and the current captain. MacFarland needs to turn over the roster, and trading Stamkos is the best way to start.

Sometimes, the first move a new general manager makes is to fire the head coach. Andrew Brunette has struggled in Nashville, but MacFarland may keep him. Trotz stuck by him through some tough times, and the team strung together some wins late in the year. Elliotte Friedman reported that MacFarland has a six-year contract, so he won’t be in a rush to change coaches.

The Predators are not close enough to contention to keep their veteran core together. Anyone they can trade to pick up picks and prospects, they should trade. That includes Stamkos, but it does not stop there.

The Predators can trade many of their veterans this summer

MacFarland has some trade protection to work around to make any trades this offseason. Stamkos, Josi, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei all have no-movement clauses. If those players do not want to leave Nashville, it will be impossible for MacFarland to get rid of them. But if the general manager is honest about the direction of the franchise, those veterans should want to chase a championship.

The worst move of Barry Trotz’s general managing tenure came in the 2024 offseason when he traded Yaroslav Askarov to the San Jose Sharks. Askarov was a first-round pick by the Predators to be the goalie of the future. Instead of moving on from Juuse Saros, they traded Askarov and signed Saros to a long-term deal. If there is any way for MacFarland to trade Saros, he has to do it.

There has been a lot of consternation about the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending situation, and the Predators could take advantage. Having Saros on this team at $7.74 million for five more years is illogical, and they will need a new, younger goalie for the future. If MacFarland can unload Saros’ salary, he has a no-movement clause as well; it would be a great piece of business.

The Predators need to change course and get younger under general manager Chris MacFarland. His track record with the Avalanche is based on adding veteran pieces to an elite core, including Brock Nelson and Nazem Kadri. Can he tear down a team and rebuild it through the draft and trades? Or will he try to patch the holes on this sinking ship by signing free agents? Given his long contract, it could be another year before these trades. But if MacFarland wants to get the most out of those trades, they should happen now.

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