Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The offseason is so close and the excitement of the NHL’s free agency frenzy is upon us. There is a ton of buzz surrounding the league and what players will become key moving parts. One team that should be aiming big for business is the Nashville Predators. Turns out, they are honing in on a key defenceman.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period discusses the Predators and Brett Pesce
The Carolina Hurricanes have a laundry list of free agents entering the summer. It is a mix of restricted and unrestricted free agents (RFA and UFA), but the names on the list are high profile. Key decisions will be made and there is a chance that some of those names hit the open market.
If there is a stacked blue line in the league, it is the Hurricanes. There is no shortage of depth at the position and it is a reason why they’ve had the success they’ve had. One of the key pieces on the blue line is Brett Pesce. Pesce helped anchor the second pair, as he primarily played with pending free agent Brady Skjei. Both are due new deals and Pesce is drawing interest from a few teams.
According to Pagnotta, the Toronto Maple Leafs will make a push for him if he available July 1st. The other team is the Nashville Predators, who are no strangers to wanting his services.
Pesce to Nashville Makes Sense
The latest NHL Rumours surrounding the Predators for once doesn’t involve goaltender Juuse Saros. Instead, it is a player they have coveted before. During the 2022-23 offseason, the Predators tried to trade and acquire Pesce but the deal never went through. Now that he is a free agent, landing him would be huge, and there is a fit for him.
Pesce has certainly earned himself a raise and the Predators have the salary cap to make it happen. Barry Trotz moved on from Ryan McDonagh in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, so there is room for Pesce.
Pesce would be a fantastic piece to play with a guy like Roman Josi. Given the way Andrew Brunette likes to play, Pesce is a perfect fit. He is good at both ends of the ice, blocks shots, and can help chip in offensively. He would be a key weapon and give the Predators tremendous depth at the position, which is something they’ve always had.
It remains to be seen where Pesce takes his talents, but staying down South isn’t out of the question.
Main Photo: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
