Preds Weekly Update for February 27, 2023: Poile Retirement & Trade Updates

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Hockey is a lot to keep up with and if you’re a busy Middle Tennessean but are still a fan of the hometown Predators, we have your weekly Nashville Predators update with everything you need to know right here.

Last Week

February 21st, 5-4 shootout win vs the Vancouver Canucks

February 23rd, 6-2 win at the San Jose Sharks

February 26th, 6-2 win at the Arizona Coyotes

To start with, our questions have been answered. The Nashville Predators are sellers at the trade deadline. Not only are the Preds sellers, but they are ushering in a whole new era of Nashville Predators hockey.

It all started on Saturday, when Predators forward Nino Niederreiter was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2024 second round draft pick.

Then, Sunday is when things got crazy. At 5:30 the official Nashville Predators Twitter account tweeted out the announcement that David Poile would be retiring on June 30th. Poile is the only GM in Preds history, and the all-time winningest GM in NHL history. Barry Trotz, the first ever head coach of the franchise, would be taking over as GM and President of Hockey Operations effective July 1st. Poile will remain with the team after these changes but in an advisory role.

Poile’s “parting gift,” if you will, to the franchise was a trade that came down four hours after the big announcement about his future. The Predators had traded Winger, Tanner Jeannot, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a haul of draft picks and Defensemen, Cal Foote.

Shortly after, a final announcement came that the Preds had acquired Winger Isaac Ratcliffe, from the Philadelphia Flyers for “Future Considerations,” which just means compensation would be finalized at a later date.

As far as game outcomes go, Nashville actually had a great week. The game against the Canucks was a nail-biter where the Preds almost gave away the game after building a lead. It was nice for Nashville to hold on and get this win, but it came at a price, with Ryan Johansson sustaining an injury that required surgery, and he will be unavailable for the rest of the season.

Against San Jose, Nashville was firing on all cylinders. The power play was near perfect on both sides of the ice and, without Forsberg or Johansson, the Predators obliterated the Sharks. The game-winning goal was scored in the second period as the Preds secured a 6-2 win on the road.

With Nino Niederreiter in Winnipeg, Johansson injured and Forsberg injured, Nashville was going to need someone to step up. The Captain, Roman Josi, did just that. He netted two goals on the way to another 6-2 win for the boys in gold on the road against Arizona.

This Week

February 28th, at 7:00 vs the Pittsburg Penguins (NHLPP|ESPN+|Bally)

March 2nd, at 6:00 at the Florida Panthers (NHLPP|ESPN+|Bally)

March 4th, at 7:00 at the Chicago Blackhawks (NHLPP|ESPN+|Bally)

With our buying or selling questions completely answered, we could see an entirely new Predators team on Saturday against Chicago. It will be interesting to follow the new direction of the team with fresh faces, new ideas, and a bright future ahead.

The Predators are now 29-22-6 with 64 points. That is 5th in the Central Division, 10th in the Western Conference, and 19th in the NHL.

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