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With the Nashville Predators a year away from a cap crunch, and in need of a shake-up following an underwhelming season (by their standards), P.K. Subban has once again found his name popping up in trade rumors.
In this edition of the hotstove we share are our thoughts on which teams would be the best fits
*if* he is moved, which obviously is not a certainty.
Todd Cordell
From a style and need perspective, I don't think there is a better fit than Toronto. The right side of their defense is borderline pathetic from the perspective of a contending team. Subban would plug a huge hole and his ability to skate and move the puck would make life a lot easier on all the talented forwards the Maple Leafs have.
It'd take a ton of dancing financially (two, if not all three, of Patrick Marleau, Nikita Zaitsev, and Connor Brown need to move) in order to clear room for Subban. It's probably not realistic, especially with the other monster contracts on the books, but it sure would be fun to see. Something built around Kasperi Kapanen/Andreas Johnsson and a young defender like Timothy Liljegren might make sense.
As a bit of a wild card, New Jersey seems like a nice fit. They need another top-4 defender and more offense throughout the lineup. Subban checks off both boxes. The Devils are swimming in cap space so his lucrative contract is not an issue for them. It's also worth noting that acquiring a player of Subban's caliber – and drafting Jack Hughes – would make a compelling case for Taylor Hall to stick around long-term.
The Devils have been stockpiling assets for years. If they decide it's time to spend some, one would think they'd do so on a star.
Peter Tessier
There really should be no team that can't fit PK Subban into its lineup simply because of skill and who he is as a person. The complicating factor is what it will take to acquire him and which team has those assets.
Seeing as moving Subban is required for salary cap reasons then the Preds are likely looking for more affordable assets coming back and this deal becomes about picks and prospects- that will rule out a few teams. I see the situation as this: teams that need Subban, teams that want Subban, and teams that can afford Subban.
Need- Oilers, Canucks, Sabres, Detroit
Want- everyone not named Carolina or Montreal
Afford- Flyers, Colorado, Islanders, Florida, Detroit, Sabres
Try and figure out a deal with that list. Ideally, I can see the Canucks wanting him and making a pitch as they nearly landed him 3 drafts ago but does that make sense now? Should he be moved this is one deal that will be fascinating to watch.
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