Contender faces imminent trade with 26 players under contract

Chris MacFarland wasted no time reshaping the Nashville Predators this summer. The new general manager brought in seven players over the course of a month, adding forwards Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Nils Hoglander, Adam Edstrom, center Mavrik Bourque, defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, and winger Alex Kerfoot. The roster is deeper, more talented, and significantly more crowded.

But all that activity has created an unavoidable problem. Nashville currently has at least 26 players under contract for the 2026-27 season, well above the NHL's 23-man roster limit. Something has to give before opening night, and trades appear to be the only realistic solution.

"It's going to require some tough decisions," MacFarland told reporters at Bridgestone Arena on July 1. "Moving some players that maybe you wouldn't normally look to move in order to improve key areas of the ice."

The most obvious candidate to go is Lyubushkin, the 32-year-old defenseman who came to Nashville as part of the Bourque acquisition from Dallas. His inclusion in that deal helped the Stars manage their salary situation during a contract dispute with Jason Robertson, while allowing the Predators to avoid surrendering a first-round pick in an offer sheet. It seems unlikely Lyubushkin ever suits up for Nashville, given that the blue line already features bigger, faster puck movers in Nicolas Hague, Brady Skjei, and Nick Perbix.

A way more complicated move involves Jonathan Marchessault. The veteran forward was candid about his disappointing performance last season, admitting he didn't make a difference for the team. His underlying numbers tell a troubling story as well. His 5-on-5 expected goals percentage has dropped every year for the past five seasons, falling from 55.0% in 2021-22 with Vegas to just 44.3% with Nashville last season. Moving his $5.5 million cap hit will likely cost the Predators something in return, but the deal may be necessary to create both roster space and financial flexibility.

A third possibility is young forward Joakim Kemell, whose development has stalled after managing just 10 goals in 48 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals last season. MacFarland has already moved two former first-round picks this summer in Fedor Svechkov and Zach L'Heureux, so dealing another wouldn't be unprecedented. Kemell is only 22, which could attract a team willing to take a chance, though the return would reportedly be modest.

The clock is ticking. MacFarland built the roster he wanted this summer, and the next phase of his plan requires trimming it down. With three players over the limit and training camp approaching, at least one significant trade feels not just likely but inevitable.