For Colorado Eagles fans, the turnover in Loveland this offseason is starting to feel less like roster tweaks and more like a full reset — and now another familiar name is gone from the blue line.

The Washington Capitals have signed veteran defenseman Jacob MacDonald to a one-year, two-way contract, ending his second stint with the Eagles. The deal was announced by Capitals senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick.

For Colorado, it's the latest in a string of departures that has quietly stripped away much of the core that helped power a deep Calder Cup Playoff run just a season ago.

Head coach Mark Letestu, who guided the Eagles to the Western Conference Final in his first year behind the bench, was poached by the Vegas Golden Knights to join their staff as an assistant coach. On the back end, Jack Ahcan departed on a two-year, two-way deal with the Nashville Predators, taking one of Colorado’s most reliable puck-moving defensemen with him. Up front, veteran forward T.J. Tynan, a long-time fixture across multiple stints in the organization, also moved on, signing with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Now MacDonald joins that list — and in some ways, his exit hits differently.

At 33, he was one of the most productive offensive defensemen the AHL has seen in the modern era, and was still producing when healthy.

In an injury-shortened 2025-26 season with the Eagles, MacDonald still managed 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in just 17 regular-season games. He added two more points in 17 playoff appearances as Colorado pushed all the way to the Western Conference Final.

But it’s his body of work that sets him apart.

MacDonald ranks seventh all-time among AHL defensemen in goals with 103, a rare milestone for a blueliner. His peak came in 2024-25, when he put together one of the most dominant seasons by a defenseman in league history. He won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman after scoring a league-record 31 goals from the blue line and finishing with 55 points to lead all AHL defensemen.

He was just as dangerous on special teams. 13 of his goals came on the power play — the most among AHL defensemen — and he tied for the league lead with five game-winning goals from the back end. That season earned him First Team AHL All-Star honors and a selection to the All-Star Classic.

Across his AHL career, MacDonald has played 357 games and recorded 260 points (103 goals, 157 assists) with Springfield, Albany, Binghamton, San Jose, and Colorado. A significant portion of that production came on the power play, where he’s totaled 134 points.

His production has shown up everywhere he’s gone. In 2017-18 with Binghamton, he led all AHL defensemen with 55 points and earned First Team All-Star honors. In Colorado during the shortened 2019-20 season, he again led all defensemen in goals with 16 and was named a Second Team All-Star.

He also brings NHL experience, appearing in 135 games with the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, and San Jose Sharks, recording 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists). In the AHL postseason, he’s appeared in 35 Calder Cup Playoff games with 11 points.

MacDonald’s path has been anything but linear. Undrafted out of Cornell, he began his pro career in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals before carving out a long, productive career as one of the most consistent offensive defensemen in the league.

Now, as he moves on to the Capitals organization, the Eagles are left to piece things back together. Not just after losing a high-end scoring defenseman — but after watching another key part of a once-promising core walk out the door in what has become a defining offseason of change.

The Montreal Canadiens are known for being protective of their players. It’s not because the media want to speak to a particular player or prospect that they’ll get to speak to them. We had prime examples of that when Patrik Laine joined the organization or when Jakub Dobes said he wouldn’t understand if he were sent down to the Laval Rocket last season. So when development camp came around, mere days after Jeff Gorton intrigued a lot of people when he said that summer is long and that plenty of things could happen and could make Michael Hage reconsider his decision to go back to school, it wasn’t a given that the Habs would make the exciting prospect field questions, but they did. That was the right call.

After Gorton insinuated the door was still open for Hage to join the Habs this season, it was obvious that the youngster would be grilled about that possibility and the reasons which motivated him to make that call. Despite being only 20 years old, the youngster spoke with calm and eloquence, making it clear that it wasn’t a decision he had made in the heat of the moment but one he had really thought through.

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Essentially, the young man believes he still has things to improve before making the jump to the NHL, and he wants to help Michigan win a national championship. It’s admirable that he has the maturity to prioritize those things over the temptation to turn pro and maximize his earnings earlier, because the sooner you get through your ELC contract, the sooner you can sign a big-money deal. To see Hage prioritize his development rather than choose to get to the dollar bags quicker shouldn’t be all that surprising, really. Kent Hughes has made it clear that the Canadiens, when they draft a player, want to draft character players. Players who will want to be part of a team and work toward one objective: winning, not toward maximum earnings.

When Hage committed to Michigan, he did it to win there, and last year that didn’t happen. The high ankle sprain he suffered threw a spanner in the works, and he couldn’t play as much or as well as he would have had he been healthy for the Frozen Four. At the same time, when he joins the Canadiens, he wants to be the best player he can be, and in that sense, he reminds me of former Habs captain Max Pacioretty.

Suivez les points de presse des espoirs des Canadiens en direct du camp de perfectionnement

Tune in now to live media ops with Canadiens prospects from development camp#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/x7C9sNrRlH

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 1, 2026

Back in 2009, Pacioretty had raised more than a few eyebrows in town when he declared in November that his development would be best served with first-line, full minutes with the Hamilton Bulldogs rather than by playing part-time, fourth-line minutes with the Canadiens. The Habs had still called him up, and after 52 games in which he put up only 14 points, they sent him back down to Hamilton, where he was really given a chance to blossom. There’s nothing wrong with an athlete wanting to improve and to be as good as they can be when they make the jump to the NHL. Last season, the American-born winger was a special assistant to coach Brandon Naurato at Michigan, where Hage is playing. I’m not implying that he swayed Hage’s decision; the young man is clearly mature enough to make up his own mind, just highlighting the fact that patience can be a virtue. Given that the Habs’ brass are advocating for fans to be patient with them as they try to keep improving the team by any means possible, they can hardly be mad at Hage for asking the same of them.

Hage wants to be a center in the NHL, and he knows there are still things he needs to work on to do that. He mentioned he wants to get better at carrying the puck up ice, making the players around him better, taking those big faceoffs in the dying moments of a game, being a better player on the defensive side, and, of course, being better when playing without the puck.  Sure, he could work on that in the NHL, and he will no doubt continue working on them when he does turn pro, but it’s wise to keep working on those things at the NCAA level. When he takes that next step, the level of difficulty will be much higher, and the NHL is not a development league.

Not so long ago, the Canadiens were in full rebuilding mode and cared very little about results; they focused heavily on development, but that's no longer the case. Now, Montreal wants to win; their core players have all committed long-term to the team, leaving money on the table, and they want to keep making the playoffs and improve. There’s nothing wrong with Hage wanting to be as good a player as he can be when he joins them; that’s not a selfish move on his part, far from it. Just as Pacioretty once did, Hage knows what he feels is best for him right now, and seeing him stick to his guns is a testament to his commitment to being the best player he can be; that should be seen as good news for the Canadiens.

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Long before the summer ends, there was a glimpse at the current generation of Colorado Avalanche prospects at Family Sports Center this past week. It was three days of practices, the first two in smaller groups and then on the third day Jared Bednar and his staff ran a NHL-style practice with the full group participating.

Arguably the top prospect for the Avalanche in attendance was the newly drafted Beckett Hamilton. The 74th overall pick flashed some individual skill you’d expect for someone taken early in the third round and was one of my top three standouts from the practices. The right handed center has a lot of tools to offer including precise puck handling in traffic, playmaking with good vision, is a volume shooter with a heavy shot and good on his edges. Watching him put a couple plays in sequence together offers an idea of what a well-rounded player Hamilton could be at the next level. As one of the few Avalanche prospects not heading to the NCAA and returning to the CHL this fall, he’s expected to join the Avalanche for NHL training camp in September.

Jake Fisher was my second standout as he really showed the maturity he’s gained in his game through two years playing at DU. There was a polish and poise to his game as well as that consistency and nose for the net, which speaks to his readiness to reach the next level. Drafted in the fourth round in 2024, Fisher is 21-years-old currently and wouldn’t look out of place on the Eagles right now so it will be interesting to see when he decides he’s ready to turn pro.

The third standout from development camp was defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce, who in particular put on a show the third day in the joint practice. He’s gained some confidence and comfort in the process over the last year and was able to show his goal scoring ability the whole morning. Dell’Elce has always reminded of a left handed Malinski but as he begins to round out his game it’s now even more evident. The 2025 third rounder is a good transition player with speed and likes to shoot the puck as well. As he’s heading into his junior year at UMass, perhaps Dell’Elce is not too far off from a pro contract as well.

The rest of the 2026 Avalanche draft class which were in attendance included the two fifth round defenseman Cole Tuminaro and Teddy Lechner. Both have size and are right shots but other than that their games couldn’t be more opposite. Tuminaro has the reputation of being a tough customer and heavy hitter but in this setting with little game action, he didn’t have much opportunity to bring the thunder. I liked that he was able to show other parts of his skill set, and while raw, there were glimpses of speed, puck handling and offense generation that makes him a more interesting prospect than just the token big strong guy in the system. Lechner showed he’s a much more cerebral type and kept up with the group well considering he was drafted just out of high school.

Other prospects of note who were present at development camp was one in Christian Humphreys. He certainly looked confident coming off his Memorial Cup win and was trying to flash a lot of offensive skill. Defenseman Linus Funck had a little more laid back approach but scored on a slap shot in the shootout, which is always fun.

It was an intriguing group of goaltenders with the newly drafted Tobias Tvrznik and Alexandre Raymond on hand. So was 2024 fifth round pick Louka Cloutier who had an outstanding year at Boston College. All the goalies did well but the one who turned heads the most was the newly signed undrafted free agent Nikita Novosyolov. He might impact the organization more than was perceived when he signed.

On the needs some work end of the spectrum was a trio of defenseman. First, the fact that KHL Nikita Ishimnikov was in attendance at the camp was a surprise because he is not signed to the Avalanche nor is expected to be anytime soon. Still, he took his time this year to partake in this annual organizational activity. At first his smooth skating and puck handling were evident but the skating in transition and play with teammates could use some improvement.

Fellow prospect Tory Pitner has been hampered with injuries and only played in six games with the Pioneers in the last year and it showed as his game now needs to get up to speed. Likewise for Chris Romaine who has only played in 27 games over two seasons at Ohio State, which is probably why he’s transferring to Maine next season.

The Avalanche announced that the next time the prospects are scheduled to hit the ice will be at the annual Rookie Tournament, which will be held in San Jose this year. Colorado is expected to play two games at the showcase on September 12th and 13th. It is highly likely that a day of rookie camp practice will be held in Denver on Friday, September 11th. All details including roster will be released much closer to the event.

The Colorado Avalanche have already taken a swing on a reclamation project this offseason, but some fans believe general manager Joe Sakic isn’t done yet—with calls growing for another gamble, this time on Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright.

Let's cut to the chase. Prior to the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright was widely projected to go first overall. But on draft night, he slipped to fourth. The reasons weren't about skill or hockey sense—those were never in question. Instead, scouts pointed to concerns about his intensity and, at times, his consistency of engagement from shift to shift.

So instead of the Montreal Canadiens taking him first overall, they went with Juraj Slafkovský, and in hindsight, that decision has aged remarkably well. The 6-foot-3 forward has developed into a true cornerstone in Montreal. In just his fourth professional season, the 22-year-old posted his first 30-goal campaign, finished with 73 points, represented Slovakia at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, and added 12 points in 19 postseason games. The Canadiens walked away with a legitimate star and a foundational piece.

The Seattle Kraken selected Wright, and to this point, it simply hasn't gone as planned.

While Slafkovský stepped directly into the NHL, Wright's development took a much different path. His first two professional seasons were split between the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, and the Kraken. During that span, he appeared in just 16 NHL games, recording five goals and two assists.

The last two seasons have been Wright's first real opportunity as a full-time NHL player.

In 2025-26, he appeared to be turning a corner, finishing with 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 79 games. While Seattle missed the playoffs, the season offered encouraging signs that the former fourth-overall pick was beginning to establish himself as an everyday NHL contributor.

That momentum didn't carry over.

With the Kraken finishing 34-37-11 and missing the postseason for a second straight year, Wright's production dipped to 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 74 games. The statistical regression reignited some of the same concerns scouts voiced before the 2022 NHL Draft. His talent has never been the question, but his ability to consistently impact games—particularly when the stakes aren't at their highest—has remained a point of debate throughout his young career.

Whether that's a fair assessment or not, it's become part of Wright's NHL story. Four years after entering the league as one of the most highly touted prospects of his generation, he's still searching for the consistency that made him the consensus No. 1 overall pick—until he wasn't.

That uncertainty has naturally fueled speculation about whether a change of scenery could unlock the player many projected would become a franchise centerpiece. It's also why some Avalanche fans have floated Wright as an intriguing buy-low trade target.

On paper, the fit is easy to understand. Colorado has built a reputation for identifying players whose value has dipped and putting them in positions to succeed alongside an elite core. If Sakic believes Wright's ceiling is still there, acquiring a 22-year-old former top prospect before he fully breaks out is exactly the kind of move contenders occasionally regret passing on.

The timing also makes the conversation more realistic. According to reports, the Kraken and Wright are mutually working toward finding a trade this offseason, meaning Seattle is open to moving the former fourth-overall pick if the right deal materializes.

But should the Avalanche be the team to make that move?

That's where the conversation becomes much more complicated.

Colorado isn't searching for reclamation projects anymore. It's searching for players who can help win another Stanley Cup immediately.

This is a locker room driven by Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Martin Nečas and Josh Manson—a veteran core that has built one of the NHL's strongest cultures around accountability, preparation and consistency. MacKinnon, in particular, the reigning Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy winner, has never hidden his expectations. If someone isn't pulling their weight, he'll let them know and sometimes in brutal fashion. It's one of the many reasons Colorado has remained among the league's elite for a number of years now. 

Wright's talent has never been questioned. His consistency has.

Those same questions that followed him into the 2022 NHL Draft—his nightly engagement, intensity and ability to impact games every shift—still linger four years later. While there have been flashes of why he was once viewed as the consensus No. 1 prospect, they haven't become the standard.

Could Colorado's leadership group help him unlock another level? Absolutely.

But that's a different question than whether the Avalanche should spend valuable assets to find out.

The Avalanche have done well to replenish some of their draft capital this offseason and still possess intriguing young assets like goaltenders Ilya Nabokov and Trent Miner, along with defenseman Mikhail Gulyayev. Moving any combination of those pieces—or future draft picks—for a player whose development remains uncertain feels difficult to justify for a team operating squarely within its Stanley Cup window.

Wright may be one of the NHL's most intriguing change-of-scenery candidates this summer. But for a team with championship aspirations and a dressing room built on demanding standards, the risk may ultimately outweigh the reward.

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to see shades of Mason McTavish in new Vancouver Canucks prospect Adam Novotný’s game. After all, that’s the player the 24th-overall pick in this year’s draft says he models his game after. 

“Rob Wilson, our coach [with the Peterborough Petes], he told me that I’m so similar to him, and then I started to watch him a little bit more when I was here,” Novotný told the media during Vancouver’s development camp. “He’s a great player, competitive, versatile, can play a lot of roles, and it’s just fun to watch him.” 

The fact that Novotný fell to 24th was a surprise for many, including Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson. The forward was projected to go anywhere from 13th-overall to 26th, with the majority of scouts and media projecting him to be picked in the late-teens. Novotný didn’t have any particular inkling as to where he’d go until the Canucks’ pick appeared on the horizon. 

“Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations from the draft, but as it was getting closer to the 24th pick and I knew the Canucks were there, so I had like a little bit of an inside feeling, and I’m happy it worked out this way, because it’s such a great organization and I’m so happy to be here.” 

Evidently, Novotný is happy that things worked out with him landing in Vancouver. The Canucks couldn’t agree more.  

“He was a guy that we targeted. The way he plays, again, his character, his interview was very well-received,” Johnson had said after drafting the forward last week. “He exudes winner, compete, along with obviously a skill set, the amount of goals he scored, his size, he’s already very physically mature, the way he skates — again, it was a player that we felt that at 24 we were extremely lucky to get, and again he’s got pro habits at a young age.”

Part of the comparison to McTavish comes from the fact that, like the now-St. Louis Blues forward, Novotný has also played for Peterborough in the OHL. The new Canucks forward also holds the potential of becoming a lethal goal-scorer while maintaining an eye for other sides of the game. This skill of his was apparent throughout camp, but most-notably so during the prospects’ scrimmage on the final day. 

Two goals and a slick assist during the scrimmages were only the cherry on top of what was overall an impressive skate for the young winger. 

Adam Novotńy on the board at the #Canucks development camp scrimmage! pic.twitter.com/2Plv2XqQzX

— Jaden Teja (@jadenteja_) July 2, 2026

“First of all, his awareness and his skating ability looks really strong with a good posture,” Canucks development coach Mikael Samuelsson said of Novotný after the camp’s scrimmage. “He’s skating around there with a smile on, and you can’t forget about that. Some guys get tight, but he seems to enjoy it, he seems to love what he does and that’s a good start.”

As a whole, however, the development camp experience is something Novotný didn’t plan on overlooking. With great resources in former NHL veterans like Samuelsson, Mike Komisarek, and Alex Edler, as well as Olympic medallist and PWHLer Jenn Gardiner, Novotný headed into camp just hoping to soak everything in. 

“Just gives me so much experience, meeting new guys and great coaching staff here, and the organization is just really good,” he’d said during camp. “We have a great program here, and I’m enjoying every moment, because not every guy can experience this, and I’m so excited to be here, and it’s just so much fun.” 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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As NHL free agency creeps into its fifth day, there's still a sizeable group of former Ottawa Senators waiting for the phone to ring.

Fifteen ex-Sens remain unsigned after becoming unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Some will almost certainly land NHL contracts. Others may have to settle for AHL deals, head to Europe, or begin thinking seriously about retirement.

Four of the 15 unsigned former Senators were once first-round picks by the organization, making them a good place to start.

Former Senators First-Round Picks Still Unsigned

• Colin White (21st overall, 2015)
• Shane Bowers (28th overall, 2017)
• Curtis Lazar (17th overall, 2013)
• Logan Brown (11th overall, 2016)

Colin White, Ottawa's 21st overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, still appears on the books for the Sens. After buying out the final years of his contract, Ottawa will carry an $875,000 cap charge for each of the next two seasons.

White spent last season with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda, where one of his teammates was another former Senators first-rounder, Shane Bowers, who also just became a UFA.

Selected 28th overall in 2017, Bowers was Brady Tkachuk's teammate at Boston U. before becoming part of the blockbuster Matt Duchene trade with Colorado just months after being drafted. After eight professional seasons, he's still searching for a breakthrough that has never come.

One former Senators first-rounder who's carved out a much better career is Curtis Lazar.

Senators fans will never forget Lazar picking up and eating a cheeseburger that had been thrown onto the ice during the famous Hamburglar run of 2015. While the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft never developed into an offensive threat, he's quietly put together a decade-long NHL career as a dependable depth forward.

After recording six points in 45 games with the Edmonton Oilers this past season, it'll be interesting to see whether another NHL team gives him an opportunity.

Then there's Logan Brown.

Chosen 11th overall in 2016, Brown spent last season with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, producing 16 points in 31 games. His skating at the NHL level has always been a concern, but injuries have been an even bigger obstacle. 

Unsigned Former Senators Goaltenders

• Matt Murray (SEA)
• Cam Talbot (DET)
• Marcus Högberg (NYI)
• Hunter Shepard (MTL)

Goaltenders make up another sizeable chunk of Ottawa's unsigned alumni.

The most intriguing name is Matt Murray.

Murray won back-to-back Cups with Pittsburgh in his rookie and sophomore seasons. But his game faded over the next three years, and so the Pens traded him to the Senators, who promptly signed him to a four-year, $25-million deal. He appeared in 47 games for the Sens over two frustrating seasons before they convinced Toronto to take him off their hands.

He appeared in just five games with the Seattle Kraken this season, but he was excellent, posting a 2.21 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. But a quick glance through Murray's injury history makes it hard to imagine another team investing significant money in him.

Cam Talbot is also still looking for work.

Pierre Dorion acquired Talbot from the Minnesota Wild in 2022 in exchange for Filip Gustavsson, hoping the veteran would finally stabilize Ottawa's crease. Talbot spent one season with the Senators before leaving as a free agent. Despite being 39 years old, his body of work suggests he could still attract interest as a veteran backup.

The other former Senators goaltenders still available are Marcus Hogberg and Hunter Shepard.

Hogberg who made a return to the NHL with the New York Islanders organization the past two seasons, and Hunter Shepard.

Shepard spent most of last year in the Montreal Canadiens organization after Ottawa traded him in March, along with Jake Chiasson, in exchange for forward Riley Kidney.

The Rest of the List

The remaining unsigned former Senators are:

• Mike Reilly (Carolina Hurricanes)
• Austin Watson (Detroit Red Wings)
• Travis Hamonic (Detroit Red Wings)
• Vladimir Tarasenko (Minnesota Wild)
• Evgeni Dadonov (New Jersey Devils)
• Matthew Highmore (New York Islanders)
• Boris Katchouk (Philadelphia Flyers)

The list is an interesting mix of players at very different stages of their careers.

Although his production has declined from his peak years, a veteran winger like Tarasenko, with more than 300 NHL goals on his resume, will get a new NHL deal. When he signed with Ottawa three years ago, it was almost four weeks into free agency. He had a bounce-back year in Minnesota with 23 goals and 47 points.

For some of the others, the road back to the NHL may be more difficult. 

Once the initial frenzy dies down, as it's starting to right now, jobs become increasingly scarce. Some of these players might still be on NHL opening-night rosters in October, but others have likely already played their last game in the league, even if they don't know it yet.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

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It's been a little over a month since Chris MacFarland was hired as the Nashville Predators' next general manager, and he's stayed busy.

Since June 2, MacFarland has signed six players, traded for five more and drafted eight. He's also dealt three players, including Fedor Svechkov and Zach L'Heureux. 

Erik Haula was also not resigned; he joined the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent, and Tyson Jost and Kevin Gravel have not been offered extensions as UFAs. 

Making a handful of roster moves out of the gate, MacFarland hinted at more on the defensive end.

"The back end is something that we want to find a little bit more puck skill and a little more transition as part of our game," MacFarland said. "It's not easy to do, right? As you can see by free agency, there weren't a lot of those defensemen available. 
There's a reason for that. Those are the hard-to-get assets." 

The Predators' defense struggled immensely last season, which ran counter to Barry Trotz's notion that the defense had been "fixed" during 2025 free agency with the acquisitions of Nic Hague and Nick Perbix. 

With the blue line seemingly on MacFarland's radar, here's which players are likely on the trading block. 

Justin Barron 

Barron was extended a qualifying offer, but as of July 4, he has not signed it. If it's not signed by July 5 at 4 p.m. CST, he will enter player arbitration, a battle that will likely not go his way. 

His last contract was two years, $2.3 million, with a $1.150 million annual hit. Barron's qualifying offer is reportedly listed at $1.2 million annually. 

It may have been strategic by MacFarland and staff to offer Barron and force his hand. The 24-year-old defenseman recorded nine points in 52 games last season and had just 12 points in 45 games the season before. 

While Barron is one of the Predators' more active defensemen, he has struggled to produce in his two seasons in Nashville. Negotiations for him to either get more money or a longer contract will likely not fall in his favor. 

Nic Hague 

Trotz talked a big game about Hague when he arrived in Nashville in the 2025 offseason. He said that Hague was going to play in the top pairing with Josi and would give the defense "back-end depth." 

Hague was injured in the preseason and didn't return until late October. When he returned, Josi was injured, and the pair didn't get to play until late November, on an already compressed schedule. 

While Josi eventually found his edge, Hague did not, putting up almost identical numbers to his time in Vegas when he was playing on the third pairing. In 62 games played, he had 15 points and a plus/minus of -10. 

It can be argued that Hague could've put up bigger numbers if he wasn't injured, but at the end of the day he didn't make this defensive unit any better. 

In the second year of a four-year, $22 million contract with a $5.5 million annual hit, it's a contract that's not impossible to move. At 6-foot-6, he brings a height edge that other teams may be looking for. 

His six team no-trade list also doesn't come into play until the 2027-28 season. 

Nick Perbix

Another piece acquired by Trotz in the 2025 offseason, Perbix should have a bit more potential in the backend as one of the Predators' better skaters, but struggled to give them enough of a push.

In 79 games, Perbix had 20 points but a plus/minus of -14. Recording 197 speed bursts between 18 and 20 miles per hour, Perbix could be suited better for a role on Nashville's bottom pairing, but may not be ready for a top-four role.

He has proven before in Tampa that he can be a contributor with 20 points in the 2022-23 season and 24 points in the 2023-24 season.  

In his final year of a two-year, $5.5 million contract, the Predators aren't risking too much by keeping him or trading him. Could get a little bit more back if he's traded, but it could be worth staying patient and trying him for one more year. 

Adam Wilsby 

It's likely that MacFarland will want to hang on to Wilsby as a 25-year-old entering the final year of his ELC. He's young and just finished his first full NHL season. 

In 58 games, Wilsby had 16 points off a goal and 15 assists. He is debatably the Predators' fastest skater on the backend and could be a step closer to finding his game this season.

At the same time, that aspect could be enticing to other teams. He fits the build that more squads are looking for in their defensemen- guys that are quick and have an offense-first mindset. 

Nashville will likely stay with Wilsby for another year, wanting to wait until he reaches RFA status, but it wouldn't be a massive surprise if MacFarland ops to trade him. 

Brady Skjei 

It's highly unlikely that the Predators will be able to move Skjei with a no trade clause a 15 team no-trade list and five years left on a seven-year, $49 million contract with a $7 million yearly hit. 

While Skjei hasn't put up the same numbers that he did in Carolina, he's been a decent piece for Nashville on the backend.

This past season, he had 26 points in 82 games, recovering from a rough start to the year, during which he posted one of the worst plus/minus ratings in the NHL. 

He's a player the Predators could get a bit more for on the market, but his contract is going to scare potential suitors away. At 32-years old, Skjei will be 37 by the time his deal is up.