Barry Trotz and the Predators want a top-4 pick

Everyone knows it. The next NHL draft is full of talented players.

Teams with a top-10 pick are in luck. They will, after all, have the opportunity to select a youngster who has the potential to become an excellent NHL player.

This is, in part, why Barry Trotz announced this morning that he would be aggressive in his pursuit of a first-round pick.

The Preds currently hold first-round picks #15 and #24… And the team’s new GM should use them to interest some clubs. Trotz would love to have a top-4 pick, one that could change the face of the franchise in the long term :

It reminds me a little of the Flyers situation. The Philly outfit is counting on picks #7 and #22 in the next auction, and they too, it seems, want to move up a few rungs.

Daniel Brière’s plan would be to draft Matvei Michkov. Knowing that the Preds want a top-4 pick, I think it’s worth asking which player Nashville has targeted. Adam Fantilli? Will Smith? Leo Carlsson?…

Matvei Michkov?

Speaking of the Predators…

The deal that sent Ryan Johansen to Colorado is an interesting one for the Preds.

Barry Trotz was able to free up salary on his payroll by sending Johansen’s bad contract to the Avalanche, and in return, the GM got his hands on Alex Galchenyuk.

“Chucky”, as he was affectionately known in Montreal, spent most of last season in the AHL with the Avalanche’s club-school, and did well with 42 points (16 goals) in as many games.

But with the big club, he was never able to perform. He was blanked in all 11 games he played in 2022-2023 in the National League, which is a bit of a shame.

We really wondered if the Preds would give him a chance, probably his last, to make his mark next year… But it looks like he’ll just be passing through Nashville.

After all, the Predators have no intention of signing him, and the former Canadian will become an independent player on July 1.

I get the impression that Galchenyuk’s future lies in Europe.

After all, the player is 29 and still has some great field hockey left in him. Except that it simply hasn’t worked out in the National League for a few years now, and the situation must be frustrating for the player.

It’s a bummer, but that’s the way it is. In the end, he’ll be able to boast a total of 146 NHL goals…

And he’ll be able to spoil his family, since he earned almost $25 million during his career in the Bettman circuit.

In bursts

– Nice way of looking at it.

– Still.

– This will be one to watch.

– Oops.

– He’s got a mouth on him, obviously.

Bogaerts was not shy about expressing his thoughts ⚾️ https://t.co/bqhWsgGIee

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) June 26, 2023