Predators Acquire Erik Haula in Veteran-for-Prospect Trade with Devils

The Nashville Predators have acquired 34-year-old forward Erik Haula from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for 22-year-old defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick (#99 overall), the teams announced on June 18, 2025.

TRADE ? Forward Erik Haula is back in Smashville!

The Devils receive defensemen Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 4th round draft pick.

Full trade details » https://t.co/zSBJ04llDR pic.twitter.com/8ERP9LwcHC

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 18, 2025

Haula returns to Nashville after a previous stint in 2020-21, when he posted 21 points in 51 games. With 759 NHL games under his belt and a Stanley Cup Final appearance with Vegas in 2018, Haula adds veteran experience to a Predators roster that continues to walk a fine line between rebuilding and competing. He carries a $3.15 million cap hit for the final year of his deal.

The move appears to reflect a strategic shift in Nashville’s approach, as the addition of Haula—alongside older players like T.J. Brodie (35)—raises the team’s average age and signals a possible push for short-term competitiveness.

For the Devils, the trade opens cap space and brings in Hanzel, a former fourth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2023. Hanzel notched 149 points and a +72 rating in 218 WHL games with Seattle and played a key role in their 2023 championship run. While he has yet to establish himself at the pro level, the Devils see upside in his long-term development.

This deal is going to give the Devils some cap space to make moves, while the Predators get a familiar face and someone they believe they can trust.

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