Predators GM open to trading first-round draft pick

Tuesday, 06.17.2014 / 6:08 PM

By NHL.com Staff -  / NHL Live blog

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NHL Live blog
Predators GM open to trading first-round draft pick

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile joined NHL Live to discuss what's next for the organization and his plans for the 2014 NHL Draft.

The Predators own the No. 11 pick of the 2014 draft, which begins June 27 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN) at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Nashville finished the regular season 38-32-12 and failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I've made it known that we're trying to improve our forwards," Poile said. "We'd like to get a top-six forward if we could. If we can do that in a trade, that would be great. If that took trading a draft pick, or even our first pick, I would be open to that. I've made it known to a lot of teams that if they were willing to trade a top forward, I'd be willing to trade the No. 11 pick in the draft."

Poile is looking to build an up-tempo offense to suit new coach Peter Laviolette, who was hired to replace longtime coach Barry Trotz on May 6.

"One of the reasons why we didn't make the playoffs is because we didn't score enough goals," Poile said. "We changed our coach to Peter Laviolette, who we feel has a little bit different style than Barry Trotz, and we think it will be a little bit better offensively. We had some forwards in my estimation that probably didn't perform up to expectations. This is where I have to make a decision, whether it's some trades or should we come back with most of the same cast and give these same forwards a chance under Peter Laviolette and another system.

"We're going to look at all the opportunities that's presented to ourselves at the draft next week and then the following week at free agency, and we'll see what we come up with. But having Peter on board certainly changes the dynamics of our club a bit."