With the recent injury to Dante Fabbro, the Nashville Predators recalled Spencer Stastney. This was bound to happen because his name was being mentioned as a prospect Barry Trotz wanted to see get more time in the NHL to finish up the season. While it could have happened with a trade at the deadline, there were no defensemen moved and this is how things have played out for now.
Stastney will get 2-3 weeks to prove himself in the lineup if Fabbro returns on schedule and nobody else gets injured. This isn't exactly a ton of time, but it is enough after he is already showing his skating ability and compete level.
The young defender has already turned 24 this season, but since he signed his contract and the waiver exemption started in 2022-23, he has this season and next to remain exempt. While this does allow for more flexibility for the Predators in terms of potentially having him in the minors at times next season, Stastney has outgrown the AHL and is ready for a third pairing role at the very least.
He isn't playing a ton this season in the 10 games he has dressed, but there are some solid defenseman on the team that have earned their playing time and know the system better. Stastney will likely just continue filling in on the third pairing until the lineup gets healthy again, but as he gets more comfortable in the NHL and earns his spot on the team, there is a tough decision to be made.
The contract extension talks with Alexandre Carrier weren't close the last time Trotz was asked, but there is a desire to keep him. The Predators kept the pending UFA past the deadline instead of trading him, meaning that he is a valued piece on the team to be either used as a rental or re-signed. The Predators want to extend him, but I believe that the decision to discuss a contract was based on how close the young defenders in the AHL were to becoming full-time members of the team.
Being a right-shot defenseman, it's more difficult to come by someone like Carrier, but the Predators will have two righties left on the roster if he leaves in the offseason. It's not rare to see a team with four left-shot defensemen and two right-shot defensemen, so I'm sure the Predators can manage.
If Stastney shows that he is ready for the NHL before the end of the season or before Carrier is re-signed, this will allow the Predators to hold strong on what they appear to be wanting Carrier to sign for. I think the hold-up has to do with term, and not money. Fabbro just signed a one-year deal. If Carrier can't settle on the same and Stastney can step in, there will be a shift in the defense ahead of next season.
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