Predators Turned Down 'Some Really Good Offers' for Steven Stamkos

The Nashville Predators had one of the more intriguing situations heading into the NHL trade deadline, with veteran stars like Steven Stamkos drawing serious interest from contenders. 

Yet despite receiving plenty of inquiries, general manager Barry Trotz chose not to move the veteran sniper. 

According to reporting from Kyle Morton of Daily Faceoff and comments Trotz gave to reporters after the deadline, the Predators turned down “some really good offers” for Stamkos while deciding to keep their veteran core intact for the playoff push.

Believe #Isles were among the few Eastern Conference teams who checked in with #Smashville on Steven Stamkos over the last few days.

Stamkos said last week he has no interest in waiving his NMC.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) March 5, 2026

Barry Trotz turned down strong Steven Stamkos offers

Trotz admitted the Predators received “a lot of calls” about Stamkos in the days leading up to the deadline, a reflection of how valuable the 36-year-old forward still is to contenders looking for scoring help, despite being in his 18th NHL season.

Stamkos endured a slow start to the season but caught fire later in the year and now leads Nashville with 31 goals and 51 points in 65 games. 

That resurgence made him one of the most attractive trade options available, especially for teams seeking a proven playoff performer.

Trotz on Ryan O'Reilly, Steven Stamkos, and Jonathan Marchessault not being traded today.

"If I get an offer that makes sense and knocks our socks off for what we're trying to do, I'm gonna take it to you, and you have the right to say yes or no."

— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) March 6, 2026

Despite the attention, Trotz decided not to pull the trigger. The Predators already moved several depth players for draft capital earlier in the deadline period, including deals involving Michael McCarron and Cole Smith, but they stopped short of trading their biggest names. 

Along with Stamkos, Trotz confirmed he also rejected strong offers for veterans Ryan O’Reilly and Erik Haula.

Predators prioritized the playoff race over selling

The decision ultimately came down to Nashville’s position in the standings. After digging themselves out of a brutal start to the season, the Predators climbed back into the Western Conference wild-card race, making a full sell-off difficult to justify. 

Trotz said Stamkos’ current scoring streak was a major reason the team wanted to keep him, noting the veteran forward “has to stay hot” as Nashville fights for a postseason spot.

Nashville is just two points out of a playoff spot with 17 games left to play, in what is a wide-open race for the two wild card spots in the Western Conference.

#Preds GM Barry Trotz says there were "a lot of calls" on Steven Stamkos.

— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) March 6, 2026

Stamkos also carries a full no-movement clause and reportedly had no interest in waiving it before the deadline. Even if Trotz had wanted to explore a deal further, the final call would have belonged to the player.

Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images