Could the Oilers Pluck Two Star Players From the Predators?

Changes will be coming to the Nashville Predators sooner rather than later. It was said that an extra emphasis would be put on the performance and results of their two-game trip to Sweden, and given how things went, we could be nearing the end of the road for this group.

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Aside from a last-minute goal to salvage an overtime win in game one, Nashville was shut out for the other 119 minutes of action against a Pittsburgh team not known for its defensive prowess.

Just about every Predator has been mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks and months, outside of captain Roman Josi, and that includes stars Filip Forsberg and Juuse Saros, who analyst Tyler Yaremchuk believes the Oilers should attempt to acquire in a package deal next summer. 

“If you can just keep your powder dry this year, July 1, Forsberg-Saros combo deal, boom. How in business are we?” Yaremchuk said.

The 31-year-old Forsberg is in year four of the eight-year, $68 million extension he signed with the Predators in 2022, while the 30-year-old Saros just began the first season of the eight-year, $61.92 million extension he inked with Nashville in 2024.

Edmonton Should Be All Over Nashville’s Top Talent

Whether it is in fact Forsberg or Saros, or both, the Oilers should unquestionably be sniffing around the Predators’ situation all season long and into the summer. 

A rebuild of sorts feels inevitable in Nashville, and given the timeline and urgency to win in Edmonton, any of their veteran stars make sense as trade targets. Along with Forsberg and Saros, Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Michael Bunting all could be intriguing options for Stan Bowman to kick tires on.

Acquiring any of those aforementioned players will be tough to pull off in-season. Taking on such big contracts, along with putting together a strong enough return package, might not be possible until the summer, which is why Yaremchuk suggests they stay patient.

Even eight months from now, the odds of landing one of them will be slim, but the Oilers can’t sit back anymore; it’s time to push all of the chips in to win a Stanley Cup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Next: Three Players the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Trade to Shake Up Their Roster