Under-the-Radar Predators Forward Drawing Interest on Trade Market

Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron skates with puck behind the net

Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O'Reilly... these are the "big names" from the Nashville Predators that are getting most of the oxygen in the chatter about trade candidates if they decide to sell.

But Elliotte Freidman tells us that we should be keeping our eye on another, under-the-radar Predators forward as we approach the deadline.

Obviously, everyone cares about the big Nashville guys, but the other guy I think for the Predators that is going to be a name out there is McCarron. He's a fourth line center, does the things you need to do in the postseason, I think he's gonna be a guy out there as well.

Granted, it's hard to describe the behemoth, physical forward as "under-the-radar" for anyone who comes across him on the ice, but with the big star names on the Preds roster, he can get overlooked as another pending UFA.

McCarron is in the final season of a two-year deal with a $900,000 cap hit. He's logging a career-high 14:23 of ice time per night this season, with 10 points in 52 games. The hulking 6-foot-6, 232-pounder has already handed out 148 hits, just one shy of his career best set last year. He registered over 100 penalty minutes in each of the last two seasons, and is just about on pace for that again this time around.

He's the kind of big body teams like to have around for the playoffs, when the going gets rough. Nashville should be able to collect a decent draft pick for him.

In nine seasons, across 354 NHL matches, McCarron has 72 points and 827 hits. He's averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time per night. This is his sixth year with Nashville, after spending parts of three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens to start his career.

We should note that the Predators haven't quite thrown in the towel, as they are five points out of a playoff spot going into Saturday's play.