Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The free agency frenzy is upon us! Also, the next wave of players get to hear their name called as they get drafted into the NHL. Good times are ahead for hockey fans and players. The buzz around the league is growing and teams are getting their ducks in a row. Today’s rumours swirl around the Nashville Predators.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period discussed the defenceman and the Nashville Predators
To begin the summer, General Manager Barry Trotz started things off with a trade. He sent Ryan McDonagh back to the Tampa Bay Lightning and cleared away some salary cap space. Not only do the Predators have the draft picks, but they have the salary cap space. Safe to say, the Predators are going to make noise this offseason.
After making the playoffs, the team is looking to make upgrades to further cement their playoff status. The team did well under first season coach Andrew Brunette. According to Pagnotta, the Predators are looking to upgrade the back end. In addition, they’ll look to do so via trade or free agency. Pagnotta has two names that the Predators have interest in, so let’s take a look.
Brett Pesce
The latest NHL Rumours surrounding the Predators are around defenceman Brett Pesce. He has been linked to the club before and has also seen as a fit for the New Jersey Devils. There could be a bidding war for Pesce and the Predators have the money to make it work.
Pesce has spent his career down South, so going to the Predators would be fine with him. Also, he would be the perfect complimentary piece to Roman Josi. Pesce is not the biggest point producer in the league. But what he lacks in production he makes up for his defensive ability.
Pesce does a great job of getting into shooting lanes and suppressing the opposition. In addition, he is a shot blocking machine and is truthfully a goalies best friend. He is a player that would excel under Brunette and would be a player that can play in multiple situations. In his time with the Carolina Hurricanes, he has played on the power play and penalty kill. Furthermore, he can play on the top two pairs and eat big minutes. This would be a great add for the Predators, but so is another player.
Sean Walker
The other addition to this set of NHL Rumours is that Sean Walker is another target for the Predators. He was essential to the success of the Philadelphia Flyers before he moved on to the Colorado Avalanche. He and Nick Seeler went on to be a great pair for the Flyers. Walker has shown flashes of offense, but is more known for his shutdown ability.
With adding Walker, the Predators are getting a player who is unafraid to be physical. He is willing to finish his checks and is willing to sacrifice the body to get into shooting lanes. Walker did show that he can handle a heavier workload and be a great depth piece on a contending team. With the Predators wanting to add to the back end, Walker is a great fit.
Main Photo: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
