Story by
Ranking the most likely Predators to be moved after free agency adds
- Story by
- Ranking the most likely Predators to be moved after free agency adds
Chris MacFarland was busy on July 1, adding three players in his first free agency day as Nashville Predators general manager.
After adding forwards Ross Colton , Jack Drury , Nils Hoglander , and Adam Edstrom in June, MacFarland added center Mavrik Bourque , defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and winger Alex Kerfoot when free agency opened. The Predators now have seven new faces in the locker room headed into the 2026-27 season.
Advertisement
But while MacFarland made the Predators deeper and more talented, he has invited a new problem. With at least 26 players under contract for next season, how do you get down to 23 by opening night?
"It's going to require some tough decisions," MacFarland told reporters at Bridgestone Arena on July 1. "Moving some players that maybe you wouldn't normally look to move in order to improve key areas of the ice."
Here are three candidates for Nashville to trade, ranked by likeliness to be moved.
PROEJCTED LINEUP: Nashville Predators projected lineup following Chris MacFarland's trades, free agency
Advertisement
1. Ilya Lyubushkin
2025-26 season stats: One goal, eight assists (53 games; 15:44 TOI)
It's highly likely the defenseman doesn't play a game for the Predators. In the trade to acquire Bourque from Dallas , Ilya Lyubushkin's inclusion was a key part of the negotiation. It helped the Stars clear salary during their contract standoff with Jason Robertson , and it helped the Predators avoid sending a first-round pick as compensation for an offer sheet.
Lyubushkin, 32, has some size (6-foot-2, 206 pounds), but the Predators already have that. Nicolas Hague , Brady Skjei , and Nick Perbix are all over 6-3 and fit the system better as puck handlers. Lyubushkin also ranked in the bottom half of the NHL in speed among defensemen last season, according to NHL Edge . He's not only not an upgrade, he doesn't close a skill gap for Nashville right now.
Advertisement
If he's patient, MacFarland can wait for a team to get desperate in training camp and ship Lyubushkin out for a late-round draft pick.
2. Jonathan Marchessault
2025-26 season stats: 12 goals, 19 assists (62 games; 16:42 TOI)
Back in April, forward Jonathan Marchessault was brutally honest about not meeting expectations in Nashville.
"I'm aware that if I play the way I played this year, I'm not going to bring any team to the playoffs," he said on April 20. "There's guys that made a difference this year and there's guys that didn't make a difference. I didn't make a difference this year."
Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault speaks during media availability at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, April 20, 2026.
That's a different Marchessault than the one who seemed to blame the disappointment of 2024-25 on coach Andrew Brunette's system. Maybe he has looked inward and turned a new leaf.
Advertisement
But I'm not sure MacFarland is convinced. He's a data guy, and Marchessault's underlying numbers have seen a steady decline the past five seasons. Here's his 5-on-5, on-ice expected goals percentage by year, according to Natural Stat Trick :
-
2021-22 (VGK): 55.0%
-
2022-23 (VGK): 52.2%
-
2023-24 (VGK): 51.0%
-
2024-25 (NSH): 47.9%
-
2025-26 (NSH): 44.3%
It's time to find Marchessault, 35, a new home. Convincing a team to take on his $5.5 million cap hit will make the trade hurt, but it's probably necessary.
3. Joakim Kemell
2025-26 season stats: One goal, two assists (16 games; 10:25 TOI)
MacFarland has already shipped out two former first-round picks in Fedor Svechkov and Zach L'Heureux, so what's one more?
Advertisement
Joakim Kemell has potential as an offensive weapon, but his development has hit a wall. He scored only 10 goals in 48 games for the Milwaukee Admirals last season — not what you want from a shoot-first, power-play specialist in his second season in the AHL.
Kemell is only 22. Maybe there's a team out there willing to try again. MacFarland wouldn't get much in a trade, maybe a third-round pick or the equivalent.
NEW HIRE: Nashville Predators hire Vukie Mpofu as assistant general manager
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com . Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1 . Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds .
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ranking the most likely Predators to be moved after free agency adds
