Trotz discusses Johansen trade ahead of 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville

In trading away one of the Nashville Predators' centerpieces on Saturday, incoming general manager Barry Trotz kicked off what should be an eventful week for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft's host city.

The Predators traded center Ryan Johansen to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Alex Galchenyuk, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Nashville agreed to pay half of Johansen's remaining $8 million salary in each of the next two seasons.

Hosting the draft for the first time since 2003, the Predators will have a league-high 13 selections when the event gets underway with the first round Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS). Many of those picks are the result of four trades Nashville made prior to the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.

"We're set up as a franchise with what we did at the trade deadline, the picks we acquired, [and] with this move here, for salary cap [reasons]," Trotz said. "Obviously with the number of things that are happening in Nashville, it's a great place to showcase not only the city of Nashville, but the franchise, the organization, all the things that make Nashville such a great place to live and play."

In 533 games spanning eight seasons with the Predators, Johansen had 362 points (110 goals, 252 assists). Acquired in January, 2016, in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he was a big reason Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17. Johansen scored 13 points in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games before a thigh injury kept him out of the Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But with the Predators making the decision before the trade deadline that it was time to remake their roster, it seemed likely that the 30-year-old would not be a part of their future. Nashville traded defenseman Mattias Ekholm to the Edmonton Oilers, forward Tanner Jeannot to the Tampa Bay Lightning, forward Mikael Granlund to the Penguins and forward Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets before the deadline.

Nashville missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 this season and has not won a round since 2018.

"We can wish upon a star and see if we can go one more round, but it hasn't happened," Trotz said. "Since 2017, we haven't done much. I think it's time to create a new core. I think [defenseman Roman Josi] got lots of hockey left, [goalie Juuse] Saros has lots of hockey. [Forward Filip] Forsberg has got lots of hockey. Those are three pretty good pieces out of the gate."

In addition to freeing up space under the salary cap, Trotz said the Johansen trade will give more opportunity to younger centers such as Cody Glass, Tommy Novak and Juuso Parssinen. The three were some of the players who kept the Predators in the chase for a Western Conference playoff berth late into this season, even after the trades and a number of significant injuries depleted the roster.

"Yeah, [in addition] to those guys, we've got a number of draft choices that are coming out next year, and we've got some guys who are natural centermen who are playing the wing as well who are going to get some opportunity," Trotz said. "So between the number of draft choices, the flexibility in terms of our salary cap … We may have to take a step backward to take a step forward, but I feel really confident in what the kids did last year, our goaltending, getting a healthy Filip Forsberg back and Josi back.

"You see the play of some of the young guys. We're just a few pieces away from -- I want to say top pieces that need to grow - to being sort of back in that race again."

Trotz said it's unlikely the Predators will try to sign Galcheynuk.

"No, at this point we'll look at what's out there," Trotz said. "We've got free agency [starting on July 1], so I'm sure he'll go to free agency. We'll look at it, but probably I'll say that might be a pass."