The Nashville Predators’ big spending spree last summer isn’t working out quite like they hoped. After throwing huge money at Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, they’re sitting near the bottom of the NHL with just 29 wins in 80 games.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that thought they were loading up for a championship run.
Now they’re staring at the third-best odds to land the top pick in this year’s draft – not exactly what they had in mind when they opened their checkbook last July.
Meanwhile, up in Vancouver, the Canucks are dealing with their own disappointment after missing the playoffs again. They’re stuck in fifth place in the Pacific Division, and they’re really feeling the loss of J.T. Miller at center.
That’s where things get interesting.
Thomas Drance of The Athletic thinks the Predators and Canucks might have something to talk about – specifically about Stamkos heading to British Columbia.
The Canucks desperately need help at center. Ever since Miller left for the Rangers, Elias Pettersson has been carrying too much of the load down the middle.
Sure, Stamkos isn’t having his best year – he’s 35 now and playing on a struggling team. But he can still light the lamp with the best of them. He’s got 27 goals this season, and he’s still deadly on the power play where he’s scored 14 times.
Here’s what makes this really interesting: Vancouver’s head coach Rick Tocchet used to work with Stamkos in Tampa Bay. That connection could be huge.
Plus, Stamkos brings exactly what the Canucks need – leadership and experience. He’s got two Stanley Cup rings and a Mark Messier Leadership Award on his shelf from his time as Tampa’s captain.
For a Vancouver team looking to take the next step, that kind of veteran presence could be exactly what they’re missing.
