Nashville Predators: Why the Preds Need to Be Buyers at the Trade Deadline

The hockey world beating to death the possibility of Nashville Predators' star blue-liners Shea Weber and Ryan Suter being on the trading block has shifted focus away from the more realistic potential deals in Smashville.

It isn't all about the money to these two faces of the franchise. It's about being on a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup.

Both players obviously love being Predators and want to bring Nashville its first Cup. But they are both in the prime of their careers and are being enticed by the possibility of playing for perennial contenders like Detroit and Philadelphia.

Nashville arguably has its best team ever this year, as they have one of the top goalies in the universe and are among the NHL elite. However, it's still uncertain whether their sputtery offense can outscore the league's top teams. 

Although, it's safe to say either Suter or Weber would love to see an elite scoring forward added to the roster rather than compromising in order to free up cap space. 

Making a move for a player like Carolina's Tuomo Ruutu, Edmonton's Ales Hemsky or Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski would be an immense boost to both Nashville's Cup chances and their shot at re-signing Suter and Weber through the foreseeable future.

Ruutuis would bring experience and is also coming off his most productive season, so he would answer two questions for Nashville. Hemsky is undoubtedly a great scorer, but is in the wake of an ugly contract situation with the Oilers that will most likely lead to his departure. 

Maple Leafs' alternate captain Grabovski would be a great get and his point totals for 2011-12 would be just three points out of the team lead if he were a Predator.

The Predators lost Alexander Radulov in 2008 by way of the Russian hockey league (KHL), and hopes have always been high among Nashville fans that his scoring firepower will find its way back.

Radulov has won a championship and MVP in his role with Salavat Yulayev, already cementing his place as one of the best in KHL history. He's still under contract with the Predators should he take his talents back to the world's premier hockey league.

He had the third-most points (58) for the Predators in 2007-08, his last year with the team.   

The price wouldn't be cheap, though. Nashville would have to give up some of their young defensive talent and budding stars to make a big deal happen. But it would all be worth it if they were able to retain two future Norris Trophy winners for the rest of their careers. 

Time to roll the dice, David Poile.