Preds one of contenders if Flyers deal Forsberg - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 02/13/07 - Tennessean.com
The Predators made one important trade acquisition over the weekend when they picked up physical defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski to bolster their blueline.
But it's what may lie ahead that has plenty of local hockey fans excited.
The Philadephia Flyers are considering moving two-time Stanley Cup-winning center Peter Forsberg before the Feb. 27 trading deadline and Nashville seems a logical option for the 2003 NHL MVP.
The Predators could use another play-making center to put between wings Scott Hartnell and Alexander Radulov, and Forsberg — if he chooses to waive the no-trade clause in his contract — would like to go to a title contender.
"At this point in time in his career, he wants to win the Stanley Cup,'' said Gary Green, an NHL analyst for the TSN network in Canada. "He's not going to go any place he doesn't have that chance, and there's no question in my mind the Predators do have a good chance.''
Predators General Manager David Poile can't comment on other teams' players because of NHL tampering rules.
"We're in the thick of it in terms of talking to everybody who's available,'' Poile said. "I've been on the phone with a lot of general managers in the past week or so. That's how we traded Josef Vasicek, how we found out Atlanta was interested in a center iceman and how we wound up with Vishnevski. That's how it works.''