NHL insider Pierre LeBrun with an update on the Marner to Nashville trade rumors

In case you missed it earlier today, Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz made a big move by shipping veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh and a 4th round draft pick back to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick and a 7th round draft pick.

The Predators didn't retain any of McDonagh's salary, thereby freeing over $6.75 million in cap space. The Preds now have over $26 million in cap space heading into the offseason, albeit with at least half a dozen players or so to add to their roster. They currently have just 15 NHL contracts on the docket for next season.

With some speculation that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner could be in play on the trade market this offseason, there have been rumors swirling that he could be headed to Nashville. Trotz was asked about the rumors this morning and gave a pretty sly, tongue-in-cheek reply to reporters.

Check it out:

This very much had, "I'm just here so I don't get fined" vibes to it. 

You can tell that Trotz has more to say, but he doesn't want to risk earning himself a fine for tampering from the NHL.

For what it's worth TSN insider Pierre LeBrun reports that the Leafs haven't talked to anyone about a potential Marner trade, however.

From LeBrun:

Stay tuned. Where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

Read below for our earlier report on the McDonagh trade, published by Hockey Feed staff writer Trevor Connors.

This just in, the Tampa Bay Lightning have re-acquired veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh from the Nashville Predators less than two years after first trading him to the Preds.

The Lightning sent a 2nd round and a 7th round pick to the Preds in exchange for McDonagh and a 4th round pick.

Check it out:

The 34 year old defenseman played 74 games with the Preds this past season, scoring three goals and 32 points. He has two years left on a contract that pays him $6.75 million per season for the next two seasons.

It's worth noting that there is no salary retention in this deal and that the Lightning are now just $5 million under the salary cap with at least five contracts to sign or re-sign this offseason. All of that is to say that don't be surprised if there's another move to come from the Lightning this offseason.

Read below for the official press release announcement from the Lightning:

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired defenseman Ryan McDonagh and the Edmonton Oilers’ fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Tampa Bay’s second-round selection in 2025 and its seventh-round pick in 2024, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.

McDonagh, 34, played in 74 games with the Predators last season, recording three goals and 32 points to rank second among Nashville defensemen. McDonagh led the Predators with a plus-19 rating and ranked second among all Nashville skaters in blocked shots (139) and average time on ice (21:47) in 2023-24. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound blueliner averaged over five blocked shots per 60 minutes (5.17) for the 12th time in his career.

A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, McDonagh has played 14 seasons in the NHL between the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Nashville. He has appeared in 928 NHL games, recording 76 goals and 389 points with a plus-246 rating. McDonagh was a Stanley Cup Champion with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 and tallied one goal and 13 points during those playoff runs.

McDonagh is a former first-round draft pick (12th overall) of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2007 NHL Draft. He was twice selected as an NHL All-Star in 2016 and 2017.