Predators, Oilers, Wild make early moves to close gap on Avs
Confronted by the harsh reality of the Tampa Bay Lightning moving on from him and with memories still fresh of being on the wrong side of the Stanley Cup championship handshake line, Ryan McDonagh approved a trade to the Nashville Predators.
The Predators also lost to the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche when they were swept out of the first round. In adding McDonagh and re-signing Filip Forsberg, Nashville hopes it’s beginning to close the gap on Colorado.
“We did get beat by Colorado, the team that won the Stanley Cup, so that’s in our conference — that’s our measuring stick,” general manager David Poile said Monday. “No false illusions: We have still a ways to go, but I do feel today that a year older for a lot of the younger players and adding McDonagh, I think we’re going in the right direction.”
Nashville is not the only team with that measuring stick in mind. The Edmonton Oilers, swept by the Avalanche in the conference final, Minnesota Wild and others around the West are chasing the champs by making moves even before free agency begins.
The Oilers gave up draft picks to clear salary cap space in an effort to re-sign scoring winger Evander Kane, even while giving his agent permission to talk to rival clubs. The Wild re-signed MarcAndre Fleury to give them one of the NHL’s top goaltending duos. And even some emerging contenders like the Los Angeles Kings extended some young players who could help them follow in Colorado’s path.
“Obviously it’s difficult” to stay on top, said Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic, who was promoted after winning GM of the year honors. “Everybody’s dream is to win the Stanley Cup, and now we’re the Stanley Cup champions, so we’re going to get everybody’s best game.”
Their next game isn’t until Oct. 12, and those challenges already are beginning. Nashville bulked up on the blue line with McDonagh, who won two consecutive Cups with Tampa Bay and has never missed the playoffs in his 12-year NHL career. The veteran defenseman known for his toughness essentially had his choice of destinations because of trade protection in his contract and would not have picked the Predators if he didn’t think they could get to the top.
“It was right away a big point for me to realize that this group was competitive and has all the pieces that I believe you need to win a Cup,” McDonagh said. “You want to always be contending, making the playoffs and going on deep runs, and this team has it all.”