NHL Trade Buzz: Predators willing to give up first-round pick

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are 19 days remaining until the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. ET,, and the buzz is just starting. The Nashville Predators made two trades Wednesday and are williing to give up a first-round pick in another potential move. Will the Minnesota Wild trade for a center with Mikko Koivu out for the rest of the season? Here is a look around the League at the latest deadline doings.

Nashville Predators

The Predators aren't averse to making another move prior to the NHL Trade Deadline and are willing to pay a higher price for the right fit.
"I know in my conversations that I've had around the League with various teams in the last couple of weeks, that seems to be a common thing, a first (round) pick and a prospect," general manager David Poile said Wednesday. "If we get into a bigger deal, I guess we might have to do that and we're willing to do that."
Nashville did that last season when it acquired forward Ryan Hartman and a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 26 for forward prospect Victor Ejdsell and a first-round and fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.
On Wednesday, the Predators acquired forward Brian Boyle from the New Jersey Devils for a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. They also acquired forward Cody McLeod in a trade with the New York Rangers for a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Boyle has 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 47 games this season. He can help Nashville's power play, which is tied for 30th in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens (12.9 percent). Also, Boyle (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) and McLeod (6-2, 204) bring size to the Predators, which Poile said he wanted after the suspension of forward Austin Watson (6-4, 204) the loss of forward Zac Rinaldo (5-10, 192), who will have season-ending shoulder surgery.
Nashville is second in the Central Division, three points behind the Winnipeg Jets.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild were dealt a tough blow with center Mikko Koivu out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee. He was injured Tuesday in a 5-4 shootout loss at the Buffalo Sabres.
The Wild (26-22-5), who hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference and are three points behind the Dallas Stars (28-21-4) for third place in the Central Division, may have to reassess their plans prior to the NHL Trade Deadline.
The 35-year-old Koivu had 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 48 games this season.
General manager Paul Fenton told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press on Monday that any moves he were to make would depend on how Minnesota was doing as the deadline approached.
"We continue to talk about that," he said. "I certainly think we're a good enough to team to make the playoffs. Hopefully we continue to play that way so that we're adding and not subtracting."
There could be options at center such as Kevin Hayes of the New York Rangers. He told NHL.com on Jan. 29 that he'd like to remain with the Rangers but he knows a trade is possible.
Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique could be on the market, as could Florida Panthers center Derick Brassard, who was acquired with forward Riley Sheahan in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann on Friday.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche want scoring help before the
2019 NHL Trade Deadline
, but they won't put either of their two first-round picks in the 2019 NHL Draft in play to make it happen, GM Joe Sakic said Tuesday.
The Avalanche have their own selection in the 2019 NHl Draft and the first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, which was part of the return when Colorado traded Matt Duchene on Nov. 5, 2017. Ottawa is last in the NHL with 43 points, four fewer than the New Jersey Devils and would have the best odds to win the draft lottery if it finished there.
Sakic also said the Avalanche don't want to trade any of the organization's top prospects, such as defensemen Cale Makar and Connor Timmins and forwards Shane Bowers and Martin Kaut, for short-term help in their push to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second straight season.
"We're looking at the big picture here. We love what's coming," Sakic said. "It's a process, and we're not going to deviate from that plan. If there's a player that can help us that isn't going to include one of those (first-round) picks and top prospects, then we'll look at that.
"We have three weeks to go (before the deadline) and we'll see where we are at that time. It's very important (to make the playoffs). Right now, things have slipped, but I believe in the guys in that dressing room, that we can right the ship."
The Avalanche (22-22-8, 52 points) have lost four straight and are two points out of the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. They have two games in hand on the Vancouver Canucks, who hold the second wild card, but have won five of their past 23 games (5-15-3).
Sakic said Tuesday he has been putting out feelers for the past three weeks to see who might be available.
"We like our back end and we like our goaltending, but we just [have] to get them playing with more confidence," he said. "If we can add some scoring, that would be our priority."
Colorado's top three forwards -- Mikko Rantanen (23 goals), Gabriel Landeskog (29) and Nathan MacKinnon (27), who often play together on the same line -- have combined for 79 goals. The other 13 forwards who have played this season have a total of 71 goals.
The Avalanche play the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NBCSWA, ALT, NHL.TV).
-- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Dallas Stars

The Stars (28-21-4, 60 points) have won a season-high five straight games and are third in the Central Division of the Western Conference, eight points behind the second-place Nashville Predators. Dallas has two games in hand on Nashville.
The Stars are 29th in goals per game (2.60), so it wouldn't be surprising if they sought scoring depth at the NHL Trade Deadline.
General manager Jim Nill made two trades in January, acquiring Andrew Cogliano
from the Anaheim Ducks
to add speed at forward and and acquiring Jamie Oleksiak (6-foot-7, 255 pounds) from the Pittsburgh Penguins to add size at defenseman.
Scott Burnside of The Athletic said that though acquiring a No. 2 center is a possibility, a source close to the Stars suggested
picking up a rental forward who's can play wing
is the more likely scenario before the deadline.
Other than Tyler Seguin (22), Jamie Benn (19) and Alexander Radulov (14), the Stars do not have another player who's reached double figures in goals this season.
There are some top-scoring wings set to become unrestricted free agents July 1 who might interest the Stars, including Micheal Ferland (Carolina Hurricanes), Mats Zuccarello (New York Rangers) and Gustav Nyquist (Detroit Red Wings).
Don't forget Nill was the assistant GM in Detroit for 15 years before he took over the Stars in April 2013, so there's history there.
The Stars will play the Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, FS-SW, NHL.TV).
-- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
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