Barry Trotz Thinks Most Teams Are Done Without A Few Late Summer Signings
The Nashville Predators were one of the most active teams on Day 1 of NHL Free Agency. If you want to look at the team that stole the headlines and made the most progress, it was the Predators.
Nashville signed Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei within a half hour of each other. They all wanted to play together to bring a winner to Nashville.
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The Predators also signed Scott Wedgewood as the backup goaltender to Juuse Saros, who received a contract extension on July 1, and defenseman Alexandre Carrier. The Predators are very well done, for the most part, which is why their GM is a wanted man.
TSN: Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz joined TSN Radio in Toronto and was asked by the host if he thinks there's anything left for NHL teams to do between now and the start of training camp.
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Bryan Hayes: “It was a busy two or three weeks in the NHL. And now that we are about to enter the middle of July, everything is quiet. How much work can you expect to be involved in? How much work do you think is left in the NHL between now and the opening of camp in a few months?”
Barry Trotz: “I don't think it's much. I think, if you look at a lot of teams, I think a lot of teams just push the buttons for the last player or two on their roster, and obviously, there are arbitration cases. Not too many. I think we have, but I think it's better to get your business done before the trade deadline or not at the trade deadline before free agency. You plan to find out what you want to add.
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See if you can add it and then after a few days, maybe a week and then things stabilize for a few weeks and you'll see that you get a second wave. I would say around the end of July, the beginning of August the people who haven't got a seat yet, but are still looking and you will find things for sale.”
The only issue surrounding the Predators now outside of their arbitration case is whether they will trade young forward Yaroslav Askarov before, during, or after the season.
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