With free agency looming and a lot of big names reportedly on the trade block, it looks like Nashville Predators defenceman P.K. Subban could be added to the list.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Toronto, as well as the Vancouver Canucks, are showing interest in the 30-year-old blueliner, who has been with the Predators since being dealt by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2016.
Subban is signed through the 2021-22 campaign and is currently the highest-paid player on the Predators' roster with an annual cap hit of $9 million. Heading into the offseason, Nashville has just $6.1 million in cap space and six free agents to address, four of them being UFAs. Clearing Subban's salary would surely free up a lot of space and allow the Predators to continue building a Stanley Cup calibre roster, but they would have to be sure the return is enough.
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The 6-foot, 210-pound defenceman's past season was one to forget, as a back injury limited him to just 63 games while he struggled to return to full strength. In turn, Subban's production saw a decline; he had just nine goals and 35 points after having recorded 59 points just a season ago. He was also less physical than he was in the past and also had almost 60 giveaways as he struggled with puck possession. However, summer will allow him to recover and start anew next year, and it appears he could also have a clean start if he sees a change in scenery.
The Leafs seems to have a lot of interest and could put themselves ahead in the race, but they still have to figure out what to do with Mitch Marner. The restricted free agent is expecting a big pay raise after putting up back-to-back 60-plus point campaigns in his first two seasons and capping off his team-leading performance with 26 goals and 94 points in 2018-19. Marner, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, has also said he is not interested in a max-term deal, and that Toronto is not ready to offer him a deal that pays $11 million per season.
The Maple Leafs don't have the cap space to pull off that kind of deal, especially if the salary cap does go down, and GM Kyle Dubas has made it clear the team may not match an offer sheet.
Therefore, trading for Subban rides heavily on Marner's decision, and they would have to make sure they can offer a decent return that oculd clear some space; some of the names being thrown around include Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen and of course, Nikita Zaitsev, Dreger reported. Whether or not that would make a Subban deal possible remains uncertain, though, as these players wouldn't compensate for the void that on defence would be left by Subban.
Vancouver was interested in trading for Subban back in 2016, and now, the Canucks could be back in the mix. Unlike Toronto, the Canucks have over $23 million in cap space and more than enough to not only take Subban, but to address their free agent needs this summer. Still, they would have the problem of sending a worthy return the other way, as they would likely have to offer up a name like Christopher Tanev or one of their top forwards.
Subban's high-paying 2014 contract extension with Montreal had a no-movement clause that would have kicked in on July 1, 2016, but he was traded just two days prior. Therefore, it was up to the Predators in regards to whether or not they wanted to honour the NMC, which they elected not to. So, Subban cannot oppose any proposed deal.