Predators Trade Rumors

"It may be a little surprising, but defenseman Kevin Klein hopes to return to the Preds next season. Klein was the No. 8 defenseman on the Predators during 2007-08 and played in just 13 games. Predators coaches felt he wasn't good enough to crack the six- or seven-man rotation on a regular basis, but the organization feared sending Klein to Milwaukee because he might have been claimed off waivers by another team. It turned into a season of many practices and few rewards for the 23-year-old Klein, a second-round draft pick in 2003. He said the experience didn't leave him looking for a change of scenery."

"Determining Steve Sullivan's status for next season will be one of the Predators' top priorities this offseason, General Manager David Poile said Tuesday. The high-scoring forward hasn't played since February of 2007. He had two back surgeries last summer and his recovery has been slow."

"The Predators are expected to announce new multi-year contracts for the coaching staff and scouts at a morning news conference today. The current contracts would have expired in June, but the new deals will keep the staff in place."

"No, Trotz feared that the voice on the other end of the phone might be informing him of his impending ouster. This is the life of a coach in the NHL. League-wide, the average tenure is less than three years. As the Preds' only coach in their 10-year history, Trotz knew he was pushing it."

"But if GM Kevin Lowe wants a nuclear deterrent, he'll have a few alternatives this summer. Wade Belak of the Florida Panthers will be an unrestricted free agent. Ditto for Jody Shelley of the San Jose Sharks, Darcy Hordichuk (Nashville Predators) and Todd Fedoruk (Minnesota Wild)."

"The Predators' game with San Jose on Tuesday was the first of a 12-game NHL gantlet that will determine whether this team makes the playoffs. Beyond that, it is a 3½-week referendum on the future of Barry Trotz."

"With the latest injury, Predators captain Jason Arnott said the trade deadline could take on more significance for the Predators by putting an even greater premium on the addition of another forward. It will not, however, change this season's trade atmosphere where a hotly-contested playoff race has left very few sellers."

"The Flyers remain in the hunt for 23-year-old Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter, sources say. The Predators have been scouting the Flyers for two weeks, and Suter is drawing attention. . . . The Flyers still would like a crack at Tampa's Dan Boyle, who will be unrestricted this summer, but forget about Lightning forward Brad Richards."

"Predators General Manager David Poile remained consistent in his approach to the trade deadline upon returning from the league's GM meetings this week. Poile said the Predators would be interested in acquiring a top-six forward but not if it comes at the huge expense of the past two seasons, which saw Nashville surrender a number of prospects and high draft picks for Brendan Witt and Peter Forsberg."

"Peter Forsberg has eliminated the Predators as one of the teams he’ll play for if he returns to the NHL this season. Predators General Manager David Poile said Tuesday he’d been in touch with Forsberg’s agent, Don Baizley, earlier in the day, and that Baizley had delivered the news."

"The Predators put another core building block in place Friday with the signing of forward J.P. Dumont to a four-year, $16 million contract extension. More signings are on the way. Predators General Manager David Poile repeated Friday that he will work out new deals for three high-profile restricted free agents — forward Martin Erat, and defensemen Ryan Suter and Shea Weber."

"J.P. Dumont will be sticking around Nashville past the trade deadline as the Predators will announce that they have signed the forward to a contract extension. TSN has learned that the Predators are prepared to announce that they have signed the 29-year old to a four-year deal worth $16 million. "

"Peter Forsberg said Thursday he would like to return to the NHL, and Predators General Manager David Poile confirmed he had been in touch with Forsberg's agent over the last couple of days."

"If the Predators do make such a move, it almost surely will be to add an offensive-minded forward to an occasionally goal-challenged club. "Our missing piece is a top-six forward,'' Poile said."

"In the firing-happy culture of pro sports, immunity is never guaranteed, and earlier this season Trotz appeared to be in trouble as the Predators struggled through two significant losing streaks. Management has shown patience, however."

" 1. Jim Rutherford, Carolina Hurricanes GM. Stanley Cup winner, the Toronto-area native is salary-cap smart. 2. Scotty Bowman, adviser Detroit Red Wings. Antsy architect might have second thoughts about a lesser role here. 3. Brian Burke, president and GM Anaheim Ducks. Only if Ducks miss the playoffs and MLSEL stays out of his way, both unlikely..."

"The Wings are roughly $5 million under the salary cap. But with the regular season about three-quarters done at the trade deadline, that projects to about $15 million worth of contracts. So the Wings could conceivably grab two or three high-profile players if they so choose. Here are some of the players who could be available Feb. 26..."

"The hottest player on the Predators is right wing J.P. Dumont. The hottest question surrounding him is whether he'll be wearing a Nashville uniform next season. Dumont, who enters tonight's game against St. Louis with a franchise-record 11-game point streak, will become an unrestricted free agent in July if he's not re-signed before then."

"Peter Forsberg practised with his hometown team Monday in what was seen as a possible sign of a comeback. The 34-year-old Forsberg has been sidelined with a foot and ankle injury since finishing last season with the Nashville Predators. But Sweden coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson said last week that the forward may try to play in the LG Hockey Games in Stockholm between Feb. 7-10. "

"The Pittsburgh Penguins might be willing to move centre Erik Christensen for help on the blue line. The Columbus Blue Jackets covet Christensen and would part with defenceman Duvie Westcott. New York Rangers assistant GM Jim Schoenfeld has been watching Columbus closely, but it's thought the Jackets are not ready to deal defenceman Adam Foote. With the news this week that Steve Sullivan is done for the year with back trouble, the Nashville Predators will be in the market for a scoring forward."

"The NHL's trade deadline is still some six weeks away, but as Predators General Manager David Poile looks ahead, he doesn't think there's an urgency to make any big personnel moves."

"Ovechkin, who can become a restricted free agent on July 1, has been the subject of some far-fetched trade rumours recently - with the latest one involving the Nashville Predators. And such rumours are news to Capitals owner Ted Leonsis..."I respect Alex and (general manager) George McPhee's commitment to keep the negotiations out of the media and frankly have wondered who is making up some of the things I have read."

"He doesn't have clearance to resume skating following a November setback with his foot injury, but Peter Forsberg is cautiously optimistic he may play in the NHL this season. The unrestricted free agent wants to play for a Stanley Cup contender and has a fondness for Colorado, Philadelphia and Nashville. But they're not contenders. The airwaves are ripe with speculation that Forsberg could wind up a Canuck."

"Will Glen Murray stay in Beantown or will he go? That's the question that will face Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli as the Feb. 26 NHL trade deadline approaches... There are several teams -- including Vancouver, Ottawa, Nashville, Detroit, Montreal and Pittsburgh -- that are believed to have made inquiries about Murray's availability. Right now, he's not going anywhere, but that could change."

"Leipold sold the Predators on Dec. 7 for $193 million after claiming he lost $70 million since 1998 and $27 million the past two years. But the Wisconsin native still clearly loves hockey and wants to stay involved in the sport. That has led to reports that Leipold is in talks to buy into the Wild in some fashion -- whether it's as a minority investor or whether it's buying out the shares of majority owner Bob Naegele."

""My passion for the team hasn't changed one bit. I love sports and I love hockey.'' Which leads to a question: Is there more hockey in Leipold's future? Published reports have linked him to a future purchase of the Minnesota Wild, but Leipold isn't saying much on the topic right now. "I occasionally see the rumor mill or I see an article that someone says I'm about to buy them,'' Leipold said. "I just really have no comment. There's really nothing at this point to report.''"

"The Hockey News is reporting that the city of Nashville has reached an agreement to sell the Predators to a local business group who will keep the team in Nashville for at least three years. THN.com is reporting that a prospective ownership group, led by local businessman David Freeman has an agreement in place to purchase the franchise from Predators' current owner Craig Leipold for about $193 million."

"Today could see the ownership plight of the Nashville Predators settled — for now, at least — with a Canadian listed as one of the new investors. And no, his name is not Jim Balsillie. It's Doug Bergeron, the Windsor-born chairman and CEO of VeriFone, a San Jose-based company that specializes in electronic payment products."

"Predators General Manager David Poile said he doesn't feel an urgency to make any trades, but if that changes soon he'll probably check price tags closer than usual. Nashville began the season near the NHL's salary cap basement. And with the team's change of ownership still unresolved it's unlikely current owner Craig Leipold, who reported losses of $27 million over the past two seasons, would authorize much of a payroll increase through trade."