Preds' Poile on trade market: We won't touch our defense in the near future
Don't even bother. Especially you, Joe Sakic.
As the NHL draft wrapped Saturday, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile had a message for his fellow GMs while focus shifts to the trade and free-agent markets.
"We will not be touching our defense in the near future here," Poile said, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan.
With Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene expected to eventually be on the move after a nightmare season in Denver, and Nashville boasting an embarrassment of riches on its blue line, there's been speculation that Poile could work something out with Avalanche GM Sakic. To wit:
Translation: Going to need to be real creative to find a way to appease Colorado in a Duchene deal. It's not there at this point. https://t.co/1vFGbclQQ5
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 24, 2017
Poile's team got to the Stanley Cup Final and finished two wins shy of the title on the back of its top four defensemen: Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, and P.K. Subban. If untimely injuries to forwards Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala didn't occur, who knows how the season would have ended.
Vernon Fiddler and P.A. Parenteau will not be returning to the Predators, David Poile says. Both are pending UFAs.
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) June 24, 2017
It appears other teams are set to follow the Preds' lead. The Calgary Flames made the most noise on Day 2 of the draft, acquiring defenseman Travis Hamonic from the New York Islanders for a first-round pick and two second-round picks.
That gives the Flames an impressive top-four unit of their own: T.J. Brodie, Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, and Hamonic.