Golden Knights Acquire Cole Smith From the Predators

This is the second trade in just a few hours for the Predators. Earlier, they traded Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild.

Golden Knights Add Grit

Smith is a 30-year old forward who is in his sixth NHL season. In 41 games in Nashville this season, the Minnesota native has scored six goals and added four assists.

However, Smith’s biggest contribution is his grit. He does not average much ice time, but he is not afraid to use his body to make a play. Smith currently has 119 hits on the season, which ranked second on the Predators. Interestingly enough, the team leader was the aforementioned McCarron, so the Predators have traded their two hit leaders within hours of each other.

On the Golden Knights, Smith will likely slide into a bottom-six role. His physicality will be welcomed as they look to make a run in the playoffs. Teams that want to contend typically benefit from having someone who is not afraid to get rough in the trenches.

Smith is an unrestricted free agent after this season. He is likely to just be a rental and will hit free agency this summer.

Predators Continue to Deal

The Predators appear to be committed to selling at this trade deadline. Two pieces have been moved already, and there is still the possibility of Steven Stamkos being moved before Friday’s deadline.

Sedoff was a 2020 draft pick and was deemed a “project” for the team that drafted him. However, he does carry a lot of upside, and his game has improved in the seasons since his draft. He has always been a strong passer, but his skating has improved, which has allowed his already-present strengths to flourish even more.

As far as the draft pick goes, we will have to wait until 2028 to see who the Predators pick, assuming they do not move the pick in a later trade. However, every pick has the opportunity to produce something great, and for a team looking to turn things around, there is no such thing as too many draft picks.

Market Affected?

As mentioned earlier, gritty players are beneficial to contending teams. It will be interesting to see if any players like Smith are moved, and if they are, how the return compares to what the Predators got.

Check in with The Hockey Writers as we continue to break down trade coverage heading into Friday’s trade deadline!