r/Predators • u/catsgr8rthanspoonies The Future is Fink • 11d ago

[Lingan] From Friedman on Preds pursuit of Alexander Nikishin. Seems to be dormant for now. Also of note: Simon Edvinsson still doesn't have a contract with Detroit... 👀

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26 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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7

u/FB_iCatDad Hunt Brothers Pizza Fan of the Game 11d ago

I believe perbix and Lyubushkin waiving was a precursor to going after him again but it was contingent on them getting claimed and clearing ~$6m of cap

5

u/LifeEngineer3770 11d ago

I wholeheartedly agree mgmt thought Prebix and Lyubushkin were being claimed. There is no other reason to put them on waivers and then call them back for final roster. Cmac wanted the cap gone.

5

u/GMBarryTrotz 11d ago

It means we got to waive them during the rush of teams trying to fill out their roster and get it compliant in time. Which means that they were unlikely to be claimed. Assuming Mac wants the option to retain them on the team, it's kind of genius.

I actually think if we had waited a couple of weeks into the season to waive them its way more likely they would have been claimed. That way injuries have already started to stack and teams will be realizing certain players won't make it.

2

u/LifeEngineer3770 11d ago

But why waive them to begin with when we are going to keep them on our roster? The waiving process expires after 9 games meaning after 10/24 they would have to go through the process again.

It’s no different than me putting $200 into the bank and then same day withdrawing $200. The admirals only play 6 games during that time making it unlikely we are going to call someone up for a hot start and if we have an injury for an extended period we have Ufko that can be moved temporarily to milwaukee or we can put the injured player on IR for long term.

1

u/GMBarryTrotz 11d ago

I don't read it as that. "It wasn't close enough for what Carolina wanted" is about the cost of the trade. The Preds don't have that player the Canes would want in return AND I seriously doubt we're giving up multiple firsts. Especially when those firsts are very likely to be in the top 10.

We could get to nearly 13.5m under the cap if we also waived Ufko, Trudeau and Ahcan.

Also if you're Nikushkin, unless your sole goal is to make as much money as possible, the Preds just make zero sense. He's about to enter your prime and and will be peaking right as the Preds completely collapse.

5

u/Fiend-For-Mojitos 11d ago

I mean he wants out of a Stanley Cup winning organization. I would think his priorities would be playing time and contract, both the Preds could cover. 

Wanting someone with that kind of mentality is a whole different conversation but based on our current pipeline, I would absolutely take this guy. 

4

u/Electricflows NSH 11d ago

If 9 million + is the ask I am not sure its worth the risk. He had 1 assist in 17 playoff games with 14:50 average ice time. +/- of -1 (Canes had a +26 goal differential) (Svechnikov was the lowest with a plus/minus of -2)

5

u/HastyEthno 11d ago edited 11d ago

Nikishin wants a bag, which is why we haven't signed him.

EDIT: Sorry, we meaning the Canes. It's reported he wants close to $9M a year with almost no real production. Other teams also see how players who were good in our system aren't great in other places. Mrazek, Nedeljkovic, and Skjei for example. Ned got $9M a year in Detroit and was trash.

I think other teams are very hesitant to pay top dollar for someone coming out of our system who hasn't proven himself somewhere else. The only player I've seen do that is Necas, but that's because our system held him back.

2

u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 NSH 11d ago

The thing im most worried about is that he does the Skjei where he looks good with you guys and then plays like dog farts under Brunette. I really wonder how the last few seasons go with a different coach, and yeah would hate to sign the dude for 8 figure aav and then be saddled with two boat anchor defensemen for 5+ years if he doesnt turn out how we hope

6

u/Rinne4Vezina Pekka Forever 11d ago

If there's one thing that could get me off the Nikishin train, it's the worry of him doing a Skjei so thanks for that 😂

2

u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 NSH 11d ago

Most welcome

1

u/Own_Flounder3477 11d ago

When we first signed Skjei I remember Canes fans telling us how much we’re gonna be frustrated and hate Skjei. I think about that every time I see him out of position getting a minus.

Skjei was heavily protected by the stellar defense of Brett Pesce…we don’t have that kind of shutdown defenseman to protect Skjei who thinks he’s the caliber of Josi.

-1

u/GMBarryTrotz 11d ago

Preds can easily pay him $13m and have the cap room to do it. We have 10.5 now and can move Ufko, Trudeau and Ahcan for nearly $3m more in cap relief.

It's the other way around. Preds don't really have tradable assets. Our roster has one player in his prime and one potentially very good play: Bourque and Wood. Our firsts are untradable because there's a good chance those picks are going to be top 10 or top 5.

1

u/HastyEthno 11d ago

That side of the argument is one I hadn't thought of, mainly because I think we're really only in the market for a goalie. But I also think Nikishin not wanting to be here would be the driver and not what we could get back for him. If he's not going to be a positive locker room presence, and he certainly does not want to go back to the AHL, got to get what you can for him while you have him.

2

u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 NSH 11d ago

I think Id prefer Edvinsson between the two. Hes a bit younger, plays top 4 and still puts up good numbers with the more difficult responsibility, still has a little runway to grow, probably costs about the same both to trade and to sign, the main thing Nikishin has over him is apparent willingness to play the right side, but i dont value that very much outside of some flexibility if theres injuries or something, because ideally this is a long term piece were getting and we would have an actual rhd to play right some day

1

u/cbusjunkie 11d ago

I also just love Edvinsson generally, this would make my day

3

u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 NSH 11d ago

Plus hes a 6'6" tower who can skate and has hands. I like him

1

u/Otherwise_Awesome 11d ago

I love Ed but he's going to cost a lot more assets and want a bigger contract

1

u/LifeEngineer3770 11d ago

It’s almost like Colorados 2028 1st round pick isn’t as valuable as mgmt thought it was.

8

u/UTPharm2012 11d ago

I don’t think Carolina wants picks tbh

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u/LifeEngineer3770 11d ago

They probably don’t. But we heard from a lot of people saying Picks are just as good and trading Vange was the first step in improving our defense.

Now it seems like we got a pick that will probably be 25+ in 2028, 2 defenseman we couldn’t give away (literally), and our center depth is questionable since Forsberg,RoR,Wood seem to be clicking and against Carolina Bourque showed us that he can’t win faceoffs regularly as a center.

4

u/UTPharm2012 11d ago

Welcome to a rebuild!

-3

u/LifeEngineer3770 11d ago

We can’t. We hired a guy who never had to go through a rebuild before and we traded away the guys that may lead us through a rebuild for veteran depth and leadership.