The Nashville Predators have already made a ton of moves. They welcomed Steven Stamkos to town after he signed a big four-year contract. Nashville also brought in Jonathan Marchessault on a five-year contract and Brady Skjei on a seven-year contract. Their summer shopping is largely done. But there could be a move or two to subtract from the roster.
Nashville has less than $1 million in salary cap space as we speak. This makes them salary cap compliant for the 2024-25 season, which begins in October. However, it doesn't leave the Predators a lot of room to work with. It's especially troublesome given that the Predators need to sign three restricted free agents before the season.
The Predators do have some trade candidates that could be of interest to other teams, though. Even if Nashville finds other ways to clear cap, these names are worth watching as the season draws near. Here are two Predators trade candidates other teams could consider ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Cody Glass is a trade candidate
Cody Glass entered the NHL with some fanfare as a first-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. However, he could never force his way into the Vegas lineup as they chased a Stanley Cup. In 2021, Glass was traded to the Predators in a one-for-one swap involving former second-overall pick Nolan Patrick.
Glass found success for Nashville during the 2022-23 season. The former sixth-overall pick scored 14 goals and 35 points that year. However, this success was not replicated in the 2023-24 campaign. In fact, Glass struggled to simply crack the lineup at times. He only played 41 games, scoring six goals and 13 points.
In a bottom-six role, Glass has shown he can be an effective contributor. That said, his $2.5 million cap hit no longer fits a Predators team with heightened ambition and little cap space. Glass could be traded this summer to sign their restricted free agents. If not, a bounce-back season would make him an intriguing trade candidate around the NHL Trade Deadline.
Dante Fabbro may not fit in the lineup
Dante Fabbro had some buzz around him before he debuted in the NHL in the 2018-19 season. However, he has not lived up to those expectations. Fabbro has seen his ice time decline over the last few seasons. And after the addition of Brady Skjei, it's unlikely Fabbro will return to his first-pairing role with Roman Josi.
Fabbro isn't a terrible defenseman by any means. Over the last three seasons, he has a defensive goals above replacement of 10.3. This is good for second among active Predators defensemen, according to Evolving Hockey. Only Roman Josi has a better DGAR over the last three seasons than Fabbro.
That said, Fabbro will likely need to contend for his roster spot this season. Josi likely forms the first pairing with Skjei. On the second pairing, Alexandre Carrier looks to build upon a successful 2023-24 campaign. This leaves him to battle with Luke Schenn and Spencer Stastney for playing time on the bottom pairing.
The Predators need cap space this summer. Fabbro currently currently carries a $2.5 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season. He is a trade candidate for Nashville at this point in time. If he fails to crack the starting lineup, his trade candidacy will certainly heat up. In any event, Fabbro is a player fans should keep on eye on as the upcoming season draws near.
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