Buyers or Sellers?
Mostly finished but possibly a buyer. The Predators have already made a big trade this year when they swapped Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen, and Nashville also seems to believe Jimmy Vesey will be able to join the team as soon as Harvard's season is over. The Predators are locked in a battle for the wild card, however, and if there is a player available who can help their cause, there is no reason for Nashville not to jump on it.
Team needs
Depth offense. Depending on when Harvard's season ends, Vesey would be a great addition for this reason, but the Crimson could play deep into March or April. It would also help matters if Colin Wilson could live up to expectations, but that looks like wishful thinking. Therefore the best route for the Predators could be picking up a rental depth forward. Whether there would be a decent player along those lines available is another question.
Key Players
Carter Hutton
Pekka Rinne has had his share of problems recently, but the Predators would be crazy to give up on him. Meanwhile, Carter Hutton does not seem like he would be a starter down the line for Nashville, so it might make sense to include him in a package now, especially since his recent performances might have increased his trade value. But dealing a goaltender is not a huge priority for this Nashville team, and it seems more likely that the Predators would simply stay quiet at the deadline.
Arielle Aronson covers the NHL and special features for FOX Sports. You can follow her on Twitter @aharonson28.
