How will PK Subban trade impact the Nashville Predators? – The Tennessean

CLOSE

Predators’ PK Subban on disappointing season Paul Skrbina, The Tennessean

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Money talks. As a result, the Predators had to send P.K. Subban walking. 

Predators general manager David Poile told The Tennessean last week “anything can happen” when he was asked about the possibility of trading Subban.

And anything did happen.

Nashville dealt the defenseman to the Devils on Saturday for defensemen Steven Santini, Jeremy Davies and second-round selections in 2019 and 2020 in what Poile described as a “business decision.”

In essence, the move was a salary dump — Subban, who turned 30 in May, is a $9 million cap hit for the next three seasons — to clear space for Roman Josi’s contract extension and the possible signing of a free agent, such as Matt Duchene, long a target of Poile.

Unrestricted free agents can begin talking with teams Sunday, though they cannot sign with new teams until July 1. The Athletic’s Craig Custance reported that Duchene would not strike a deal with the Blue Jackets before Sunday and said the Predators were a “frontrunner” to land him.

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Replay

• 1 of 30

• 2 of 30

• 3 of 30

• 4 of 30

• 5 of 30

• 6 of 30

• 7 of 30

• 8 of 30

• 9 of 30

• 10 of 30

• 11 of 30

• 12 of 30

• 13 of 30

• 14 of 30

• 15 of 30

• 16 of 30

• 17 of 30

• 18 of 30

• 19 of 30

• 20 of 30

• 21 of 30

• 22 of 30

• 23 of 30

• 24 of 30

• 25 of 30

• 26 of 30

• 27 of 30

• 28 of 30

• 29 of 30

• 30 of 30

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

The Predators have more than $13.5 million in cap space after making the move, according to capfriendly.com. Next year’s salary cap will increase to $81.5 million. No salaries were retained in the deal, Poile said, meaning the Predators cleared a huge sum.

The Predators are deep at defenseman with Josi, Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and, presumably, Dante Fabbro. But they are looking for a second-line center who can score and contribute on the power play, where the Predators ranked last in the NHL at 12.9 percent.

The reasoning behind moving a star like Subban is pretty simple, really. 

SO LONG, PK: Predators fans mostly complimentary of PK Subban after he’s traded to New Jersey

Josi could command $9 million-plus per season in his new deal, which wouldn’t kick in until the 2020-21 season. According to multiple reports, Duchene could cost upward of $9.5 million. The Predators also likely will try to sign restricted free agents Colton Sissons and Rocco Grimaldi and could opt to try to sign unrestricted free agent Brian Boyle.

Rumors of Subban’s possible exit from the Predators began in earnest after their season ended with a first-round loss to the Stars. He had 35 goals and 95 assists in 211 regular-season games with Nashville, and seven goals and 17 assists in 41 playoff games.

CLOSE

Predators GM David Poile on disappointing season Paul Skrbina, The Tennessean

He helped lead them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018 and their second straight Central Division title in 2019.

Subban, who missed 19 games last season with a lower-body injury, expressed his desire to stay with the Predators in late April but said he understood the business side of the game.

“We got close to our goal — didn’t achieve what we wanted while I was there and that hurts,” Subban said in an Instagram video Saturday after the trade. “You guys have an amazing group of players, led by Roman Josi.”

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Buy Photo

Replay

• 1 of 78

• 2 of 78

• 3 of 78

• 4 of 78

• 5 of 78

• 6 of 78

• 7 of 78

• 8 of 78

• 9 of 78

• 10 of 78

• 11 of 78

• 12 of 78

• 13 of 78

• 14 of 78

• 15 of 78

• 16 of 78

• 17 of 78

• 18 of 78

• 19 of 78

• 20 of 78

• 21 of 78

• 22 of 78

• 23 of 78

• 24 of 78

• 25 of 78

• 26 of 78

• 27 of 78

• 28 of 78

• 29 of 78

• 30 of 78

• 31 of 78

• 32 of 78

• 33 of 78

• 34 of 78

• 35 of 78

• 36 of 78

• 37 of 78

• 38 of 78

• 39 of 78

• 40 of 78

• 41 of 78

• 42 of 78

• 43 of 78

• 44 of 78

• 45 of 78

• 46 of 78

• 47 of 78

• 48 of 78

• 49 of 78

• 50 of 78

• 51 of 78

• 52 of 78

• 53 of 78

• 54 of 78

• 55 of 78

• 56 of 78

• 57 of 78

• 58 of 78

• 59 of 78

• 60 of 78

• 61 of 78

• 62 of 78

• 63 of 78

• 64 of 78

• 65 of 78

• 66 of 78

• 67 of 78

• 68 of 78

• 69 of 78

• 70 of 78

• 71 of 78

• 72 of 78

• 73 of 78

• 74 of 78

• 75 of 78

• 76 of 78

• 77 of 78

• 78 of 78

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Poile, who promised some changes this offseason, wasn’t finished after trading Subban. He sent the third pick of the second round, acquired in the Subban deal, to the Flyers for the 45th pick (second round), which he used to pick Egor Afanasyev. The Predators also received the 65th pick from the Flyers, which they used to select Alexander Campbell. 

Poile also said that unrestricted free agents Wayne Simmonds, Zac Rinaldo and Cody McLeod would not return not season, and sounded unsure about whether Brian Boyle would sign with the Predators.

The Devils, who selected Jack Hughes with the first overall pick in this year’s draft, were one of only a few teams with enough cap space to absorb Subban’s full contract.

Reach Paul Skrbina at pskrbina@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulSkrbina.

SO LONG: After Predators trade him to Devils, PK Subban thanks Nashville in Instagram video

CHOSEN ONE: Predators take center Philip Tomasino with first-round pick in 2019 NHL Draft

HAVE HER CAKE: PK Subban on goat cake he got for Lindsey Vonn: ‘She’s still eating it’