The Nashville Predators have acquired forward Nick Baptiste from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Jack Dougherty, the teams announced Monday.
Predators get Nick Baptiste from Sabres for Jack Dougherty
Baptiste appeared in 33 games with the Sabres last season, picking up four goals and two assists. He was Buffalo’s third-round pick in 2013.
Dougherty has yet to make his NHL debut. He spent the past two full seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Nashville’s American Hockey League affiliate. He notched one goal and 11 assists in 63 contests with the Admirals last season.
The Predators took Dougherty in the second round of the 2014 draft.
Early Analysis
In the grand scheme of things, this trade may not mean much to either team. Baptiste does have his upside and could be a good bottom-six forward for a team like Nashville if he gets called up from the AHL. In that case, there is no doubt that he will get an upgrade in linemates. Not to mention, he could see some time on the penalty kill. For now, if he stays in the minors, he will definitely help out. He’s not huge at 6’1″, 205 lbs, but if he can further improve on his hockey IQ skills, Baptiste can use his size to his advantage and earn himself a call-up.
Dougherty, on the other hand, also had some upside. As mentioned earlier, he was a second round pick. With Buffalo still in a rebuild mode, he could very well get a chance at cracking the roster and becoming either a seventh defenseman or even a starter. The 22-year-old is also 6’1″. He weighs in at 185 Ibs. Not to mention, he’s a right-handed shot. In his draft year of 2014, he was projected to be a first-round pick by most scouts. He managed to slip down to the 51st pick. From what has been said, he’s not a threatening offensive defenseman. Dougherty is your topic stay-at-home defenseman. He skates well and finishes most of his checks. Where he lacks is his hockey IQ. He will need to improve on that if he looks to be a full-time NHLer.
Who won?
Right now, it’s too early to say. It’s basically a swap of minor league players that have the potential to be something more. Only time will tell how things pan out. For right now, it’s safe to say that it’s a fair hockey trade.
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