The Nashville Predators are willing to trade goaltender Juuse Saros, but that doesn’t mean he will leave the team by March 8, reports our contributor Pierre LeBrun.
This all-important update comes as the Predators fall four points behind the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues, the two teams that would be drafted into the Western Conference if the playoffs began today today. The Predators have also played more games than the Kings and Blues.
The New Jersey Devils have reportedly spoken with the Predators about Saros, given that they are looking for reinforcements in net. Thursday night, Saros was thrown out of the game after giving up four goals on fourteen shots against the Dallas Stars.
The 28-year-old goaltender has a 20-21-2 record with a 3.05 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage – by far his worst stats since the start of his career.
His 4-year contract worth US$20 million will expire after the 2024-2025 season.
Saros, who finished 3rd in the Vezina Trophy voting in 2022, has a career record of 167-116-29 with a 2.64 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. His assistant Kevin Lankinin is 6-4-0 with a 3.35 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage this season.
The organization’s best hope at this position is called Yaroslav Askarov and is currently playing with the Milwaukee farm club in the American Hockey League. He is 18-6-1 with a 2.17 goals-against average and .921 save percentage this season. He stopped 27 of 29 shots against the Washington Capitals on December 30, his only start in the National Hockey League this season.
