Will Predators Trade Juuse Saros Before the March 8 Trade Deadline?
The ever-changing goaltender market remains one of the most intriguing situations, with the March 8th trade deadline just over a week away.
One name that continues to garner attention is Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros, a two-time All-Star considered amongst the top performers at his position. With multiple teams seeking help in goal, many wonder if GM Barry Trotz could move his franchise cornerstone between the pipes.
So far, Trotz has informed interested suitors he isn’t planning to trade Saros while the team remains in the playoff hunt, as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported earlier this week. But that hasn’t stopped clubs from inquiring about his services.
The New Jersey Devils, per Seravalli, are one team that’s expressed significant interest in the 28-year-old goaltender as of late. And it’s easy to understand why, considering they rank 26th in goals against per game (3.46) league-wide entering Wednesday’s slate.
Others with goaltending dilemmas could also explore Saros’ market, namely the Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings. But perhaps the Edmonton Oilers or Colorado Avalanche could come calling as well.
New Jersey, of course, hasn’t been shy regarding its pursuit of an impact netminder. The franchise was connected to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck before he inked an eight-year extension over the summer and reportedly came close to acquiring Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom earlier this month.
Saros hasn’t dominated as much this season versus previous campaigns, carrying a 24-21-2 record with respectable GAA (2.91) and SV% (.905) metrics. He also sits tied for 35th in the league in goals saved above expected (-1.9) among goalies who’ve made at least 20 starts.
That’s a step below where he was in 2022-23, posting a 2.69 GAA and .919 SV% with a pair of shutouts across 64 contests, finishing fourth in Vezina Trophy voting.
Even so, Saros would be an upgrade over most team’s current No. 1 goalie, with only a few exceptions. As a result, the Predators are undoubtedly seeking a massive haul in return, especially since he has another season of term beyond the current one.
From Nashville’s perspective, there’s little urgency to trade their starting netminder as his deal runs through 2024-25 and includes a relatively inexpensive $5-million cap hit. At 28, soon-to-be 29, the Finnish goaltender remains squarely in the prime of his career.
If there’s any motivation to move Saros however, it’s almost certainly because Nashville seemingly already possesses its goalie of the future in Yaroslav Askarov.
The 21-year-old, an 11th-overall selection by the Predators in 2020, has impressed with the organization’s AHL affiliate this season, recording a 21-7-1 record while sporting a 2.11 GAA and .920 SV% with five shutouts across 29 games.
Askarov has also compiled a trio of NHL appearances, two of which occurred last December. He stopped 27 of 29 shots against en route to a 3-2 victory – the first of his career – against the Washington Capitals on December 30th 2023.
It’d be quite surprising if the Predators traded Saros at this point, with the team controlling the second wild-card seed in the West. But all that could change if the right offer materializes.
Nashville, which has 22 games remaining, will aim to fend off one of its competitors Thursday night in a duel versus the Minnesota Wild, who sit six points behind them for that final playoff spot.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.