Do the Rangers and Predators sync up on a Ryan Strome trade?

As the Rangers get closer to Ryan Strome’s arbitration date, the more likely it seems the Rangers keep him on a one year deal. However we do know the Rangers are still looking to trade him. A trade partner is going to be tough to find, but it makes you wonder if the Predators could be a destination for Ryan Strome.

Playoff Contender

The thing with trading Strome is that rebuilding teams or mediocre teams aren’t going to be interested in him. Teams that might want him are teams in the playoff hunt that could use some center depth. Strome is more of a bottom-six center on a contending team, especially when he doesn’t have Artemi Panarin as winger.

Nashville fits that mold. They are in their final years –likely– as a contending team and have two top-six centers in Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen. They have a lot of guys who could also play center, so the flexibility to play wing is also an interesting option as well. The Predators also only have 10 forwards signed, so there’s roster space. It might be a stretch, but there is at least some case for a trade.

Cap Space

The Preds do have the cap space to take on Strome’s expected $4.5 million cap hit on a one year deal. The problem is they are likely a budget team this season, which means it’s not so much the cap space but the actual dollars that matter.

So for this to work, the Rangers would likely need to take back a player that has dollars attached to him. That’s where this potentially hits a snag, as the Predators don’t have any players that fit this mold. The Rangers don’t want a multi year commitment either. So unless the Predators can find money in the budget for Strome, this won’t work.

The Trade Return

Don’t expect much for Strome. If the Predators are a match for Ryan Strome, then it’s likely just a mid-round draft pick coming back. He simply doesn’t have much value as an unsigned RFA who is one year from unrestricted free agency. Strome doesn’t have the pedigree or history that warrants much of a return either.

It looks like the Rangers are headed towards a one year deal with Strome. At least he will be good trade deadline bait, whenever that will be. The other option is sign him and then trade him in the first month of the season, like they did with Vlad Namestnikov last year. Just level set expectations when it comes to a return.