Predators In Prime Position to Offer Sheet Lightning Forward

With news that the NHL and NHLPA have resolved some of their financial differences, with a 2020-21 season start date in view and with talk GMs in the NHL are getting back down to business, perhaps it’s time to revisit the idea of an NHL organization tending an offer sheet.

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Sure, it’s unlikely considering the uncertainty of the NHL marketplace and the tendency of NHL clubs to steer clear of upsetting other GMs, but there are teams in a prime position to try going the offer sheet route and there are other teams in a lousy position to match. According to Adam Gretz of NBC Sports, such is the case when it comes to the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Specifically, Gretz notes that the Predators are in a good spot to offer sheet Anthony Cirelli from the Tampa Bay Lightning. There has been some talk that the Predators in are on a couple of bigger-name free agents and there is chatter that they’d like to add before the season gets underway on January 13th. Perhaps one of the easier ways to do so is by plucking a valuable asset from a team like the Lightning — a franchise who would have few options to match an offer.

Gretz admits that Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (Columbus Blue Jackets) are better players and would make for more impactful targets, but the idea would be to go after a player the Predators could actually land. Cirelli wouldn’t cost nearly as much in the way of compensation or salary and Tampa is already behind the 8-ball when it comes to figuring out their own salary cap problems. The right timing and the right offer means Nashville could land a player that would help immediately.

What Would the Offer Look Like?

Gretz suggests that an offer sheet in the $4.5 to $5.5 million range would probably do it. He notes the Predators still have more than $12 million in salary cap space and their full allotment of draft picks for the 2021 class. That’s all it takes and that puts the Preds in a position not a lot of other teams are in — those teams don’t have the space or the assets to make an offer.

Gretz adds that Nashville could go as high as $6.5 million and only give up a first-and third-round pick. It might be worth it too since Cirelli is only 23 years old, has 50-plus point potential, and as Gretz writes, is a “Selke-level defender, finishing 11th two years ago in the voting and fourth this past season.” Not a bad trade off unless the Predators turn out to be a lottery team.

Next: Golden Knights Are Trying to Trade Max Pacioretty