NHL Trade Rumors: Jonathan Marchessault To Be Traded By Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators are now Chris MacFarland's team and his first order of business could be moving Jonathan Marchessault.

The veteran winger hasn't worked out at all since signing with the Predators a couple of summers ago, and now, MacFarland has some creativity to tap into if he wants to move the expensive winger. Marchessault is signed through the 2029 season and does own a no-movement clause. He's earning $5.5 million AAV, and last season, appeared in 62 games, scoring 12 goals and adding 19 assists, for 31 points.

Marchessault is believed to be open to a change of scenery, and insider David Pagnotta reports, a move could be on MacFarland's to do list early on in his Preds' tenure.

David Pagnotta: I think it’s a little bit of restructuring. I don’t know if I want to categorize it as a retool, but it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be a rebuild. This is a ‘get us back on track,’ and ‘start to veer us back in the right direction.

I think they’re going to restructure some of the roster. They’ve got some good young kids in the system; they’ve got some good pieces. We know some pieces that haven’t worked, like Jonathan Marchessault, for example. Maybe his mindset changed because I think he’s willing and open to accept the trade to the right environment, but does MacFarland come in and have a conversation, and does he explain what the direction of this team is? I think the mission is to get back into contention and back into the playoffs. Their captain has two years left on his contract, and I think everybody wants to kind of go in the right direction in terms of competing, and they’ve got a decent balance anyway with some of the young kids coming up.

Keep an eye on the Predators. MacFarland is going to be busy putting his fingerprints on this roster as soon as the NHL Draft in a couple of weeks from Buffalo.

Photo credit:  Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images