Latest news with #Trotz
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Nashville Predators: 'I feel very comfortable': Barry Trotz unfazed after Nashville Predators fall to No. 5 in 2025 NHL Draft lottery
Barry Trotz (via Getty Images) Barry Trotz not surprised as Nashville Predators' fall to No. 5 pick in NHL draft lottery Today's the Day – Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz (Finally) Addresses the Media Who are Nashville Predators' best prospects at No. 5? Nashville Predators' future guided by three first-round picks in 2025 NHL Draft The Nashville Predators won't be making franchise history with a No. 1 pick this season. Instead, they will pick fifth overall— down from their pre-lottery ranking of third— following a shake-up in the NHL Draft lottery on May 5. The New York Islanders jumped to the top from No. 10, and the Utah Hockey Club moved ten spots to No. 4, bumping Nashville down the general manager Barry Trotz, though, the news wasn't completely astonishing. 'When you're up against the field, in terms of the odds, there was a likelihood that that could happen,' he said. 'I was hoping it didn't. But at the same time, I feel very comfortable, we're still going to get a good player to add to our pool.'Although the Nashville Predators were denied top choices such as Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer, the scouting staff of the team is poised to capitalize on their prized is Nashville's first top-five pick in more than a decade — the previous one being in 2013 when they drafted defenseman Seth Jones at No. 4 overall. And although falling two spots hurts, Trotz says it won't interfere with the team's draft plan."(The lottery result) doesn't change a whole lot. You have a little more clarity because you know where you're picking," Trotz said. "At (No. 5), the options before us will send us in different directions than we thought."Included among the probable targets are a list of high-upside European and North American forwards, some of whom surfaced as serious contenders in recent the first three prospects on the board, the Nashville Predators are considering other types of versatile forwards that add a blend of size, skill, and goal-scoring Martone , an OHL Brampton Steelheads' 6-foot-3 winger, is a name continuing to gain traction. Playmaker and scorer, Martone had 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) on the year in just 57 games. Size and scoring potential could be the perfect mix for Nashville's evolving top six. Another option is Roger McQueen of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. At 6 feet 5 inches, McQueen provides two-way skill and physicality, even with an injury-curtailed season in which he still posted more than a point per centre Caleb Desnoyers has also joined the discussion after a breakout season with 84 points for the Moncton Wildcats. An elite skater with exceptional hands, Desnoyers is one of the biggest risers leading up to the of Europe, Djurgardens IF teammates Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund bring opposing but complementary attractive skill sets. Eklund, the 5-11 right wing, topped the team in scoring, while Frondell, the centre when healthy, provided glimpses of elite-level vision and playmaking skills after missing time with a knee Predators enter the 2025 NHL Draft not only with the No. 5 selection but also armed with two additional first-round picks. This gives Barry Trotz and his scouting staff plenty of flexibility to balance their prospect pool and add both immediate and future-impact read: 'Always had that passion and love': Barry Trotz explains what makes Alex Ovechkin special and unique Although the Predators might have missed out on the No. 1 overall fantasy, the chance to add high-ceiling talent to their roster is still very much alive — and Trotz seems intent on making it count.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
St. Francis honors former coach with tournament, career fair
LORETTO, Pa. (WTAJ) — St. Francis University hosted an esports-focused college and career fair to honor the legacy of their inaugural coach. The Luke Trotz College and Career Day saw 14 high schools across the area participate in three video game tournaments: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2, and Rocket League. If they were not playing, students could talk with colleges that offer esports programs, take a tour of the campus and learn about careers related to video games. The fair was named after Luke Trotz, the first head coach for the St. Francis esports team. Trotz died in the summer of 2021 but left a trail of programs blossoming in Central Pennsylvania. 'Without Luke Trotz, there wouldn't be an esports program in this area,' Central Cambria's Esports coach and event organizer Lisa Urbassik said. 'There wouldn't be one in this entire part of Pennsylvania. He helped us start the majority of the local programs. He started most of the college programs, at least nudging them along. He was really the driving force in this area.' Nonprofit partners with Drone814 to save lives in Central PA The careers shown to students ranged from video game design, computer art design, STEM and STEAM programs. 'It's a big door of opportunities for everyone that's around this kind of thing,' Homer-Center junior Katie Fairbanks said. 'They have different fields of technology that you can go into, which is really surprising and really cool, honestly in my opinion, from a younger generation's perspective.' 'Esports is really showing the digital, the media, and all of the opportunities that are out there for them,' Urbassik said. Not only do those careers entice students but teach them valuable skills through the world of video games to level up in life. Through the event, multiple players from different teams caught up with one another, but some stayed back at their schools to participate in the event. The relationships grew with these students outside of their gamertag. 'It really does bring it to a whole another level,' Urbassik added. 'It lets them meet up.' 'Even the career abilities to how to be a part of a team, how to critically think and how to be able to do multi-step things,' Forest Hills esports coach Ben Grove said. 'That's stuff that's maybe taught in schools, but applying it into real-world scenarios. I think that's where for Esports, that's the biggest component in the selling point for any organization that's here today.' Grove, a close friend of Trotz, sees the impact he has made on teams across the county, with his logo, Trotz's initials LT with a red halo above it. Each time he sees that logo, he is reminded of the work he did to create a community inside of his own. 'There's a lot of weight behind that and what Luke stood for,' Grove said. 'Values, integrity and character. All of those things matter so much for what a student needs to be beyond just playing a game. It's those life quality characteristics that matter the most.' Prizes were given to winners of each tournament, with one student winning the Luke Trotz Award — a scholarship given to the student courtesy of the Trotz family. However, Grove finds the event more to be an open door to a community and a chance at growth rather than being the champion. 'I think that's a big bonus to giving them a place in a home where they have an identity, and that's what Luke would definitely wish to see here today,' Grove said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC Sports
19-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators to play NHL Global Series games in Stockholm in November
MANALAPAN, Fla. — The Country Music Association Awards ceremony kicks the Nashville Predators out of their arena for a long stretch every November. This year, they'll use that absence to travel to Sweden. The NHL announced Tuesday the Predators are facing the Pittsburgh Penguins in regular-season games in Stockholm on Nov. 14 and 16 as part of the league's Global Series. 'I think it'll be a good event for us,' Predators general manager Barry Trotz told The Associated Press. 'We're either going on a long trip out West or we can go to Europe.' The games at newly renovated Avicii Arena are set to be the 47th and 48th games the league has held in Sweden and make it the 15th season with regular-season action outside North America. The visit is perhaps one last chance for aging Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Swedish defenseman Erik Karlsson to play in Scandinavia. The Predators have a prominent Swede in top-line winger Filip Forsberg, with starting goaltender Juuse Saros hailing from neighboring Finland. 'It's going to be really fitting for us,' Trotz said after a session at the NHL GMs meeting in South Florida. 'Not only we have some Swedish players - a guy like a Filip and a couple others that are really proud that they will go back and showcase their country, and I think Filip's going to try to showcase his hometown. I think for our players, there's not a better learning environment than travel and going to another country to learn more about the culture and understanding of that.' The Penguins have not played in Europe since 2008, fresh off winning the third Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. They have since won it twice more, in 2016 and '17. For Trotz, it will be a return overseas a quarter-century after he coached Nashville against Pittsburgh for two-season opening games in Saitama, Japan, in 2000. He wants his players to look forward to and enjoy the trip while also appreciating they will be meaningful games. 'You'll have the excitement of the start of the season and then you get into November and it starts to get into a little bit of the grind,' Trotz said. 'It might be a really good thing for us just to focus on that. But we've got to focus on it's not a vacation.' The NHL is returning to Sweden for the first time since 2023 after staging games in Finland and Czechia this season. Stockholm has hosted more NHL games than any other European city. Predators CEO Sean Henry said being selected to participate in a marquee event like this is a testament to the organization's support at home and abroad. 'This event will be particularly special for Filip Forsberg, who adores his home country, and the other Sweden natives on our team and in our organization,' Henry said in a statement. 'We had such an incredible time with our fans at the 2022 Global Series in Bern and Prague, and we can't wait for them to bring even more energy and enthusiasm in November.'
Boston Globe
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Predators to face Penguins in Stockholm in November as part of the NHL's Global Series
The games at newly renovated Avicii Arena are set to be the 47th and 48th games the league has held in Sweden and make it the 15th season with regular-season action outside North America. Related : The visit is perhaps one last chance for aging Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Swedish defenseman Erik Karlsson to play in Scandinavia. The Predators have a prominent Swede in top-line winger Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's going to be really fitting for us,' Trotz said after a session at the NHL GMs meeting in South Florida. 'Not only we have some Swedish players — a guy like a Filip and a couple others that are really proud that they will go back and showcase their country, and I think Filip's going to try to showcase his hometown. I think for our players, there's not a better learning environment than travel and going to another country to learn more about the culture and understanding of that.' Advertisement The Penguins have not played in Europe since 2008, fresh off winning the third Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. They have since won it twice more, in 2016 and '17. For Trotz, it will be a return overseas a quarter-century after he coached Nashville against Pittsburgh for two-season opening games in Saitama, Japan, in 2000. He wants his players to look forward to and enjoy the trip while also appreciating they will be meaningful games. 'You'll have the excitement of the start of the season and then you get into November and it starts to get into a little bit of the grind,' Trotz said. 'It might be a really good thing for us just to focus on that. But we've got to focus on it's not a vacation.' Advertisement The NHL is returning to Sweden for the first time since 2023 after staging games in Finland and Czechia this season. Stockholm has hosted more NHL games than any other European city.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who else could the Nashville Predators trade before the deadline? Here's three candidates
Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz is ready to move on from this disappointing season and build for the future. And given the surprising return for Gustav Nyquist − the Predators received a second-round pick from the Minnesota Wild for the 35-year-old forward − Trotz should sell off as many assets as he can. Nashville (21-32-7, 49 points) is in seventh place in the Central Division and 16 points out of the final wild card position. According to Money Puck, they have a 10.2% chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick, slightly worse odds than the Chicago Blackhawks (15.7%) and San Jose Sharks (23.1%). The Predators have 10 picks in the 2025 draft, including three in the first round, and four second-round picks over the next two drafts. With Trotz looking to add even more draft capital, here's who the Predators could trade away before Friday's deadline. The Predators already have three defensemen on injured reserve in Roman Josi, Jeremy Lauzon and Adam Wilsby, so they can ill afford to lose one more. But they should capitalize on rumored interest in Luke Schenn, who has been a consistent presence on their back end all season. D-MAN VICTIMIZED: New York Rangers' Matt Rempe the latest to victimize a Nashville Predators defenseman Schenn ranks third in the NHL with 224 hits while playing 15:32 minutes per night. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound defenseman won two Stanley Cups with Tampa (2020, 2021) and is exactly what many teams look for at the deadline: physicality, veteran presence and a winning mentality. Schenn is owed $2.75 million in 2025-26, which may turn some teams away, but moving Schenn when there's interest would serve Trotz's plan to rebuild on the fly. Similar to Schenn, McCarron has qualities that may interest a playoff-bound team. He's big, physical and plays a decent two-way game at the center position, including winning 54.8% of his face-offs. He lacks the speed and skill to get much done at the offensive end, but his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame would be a nice depth addition for a team looking to add some beef. In 211 games for the Predators, McCarron has 24 goals and 24 assists while averaging 11:55 minutes per night as a fourth-line center. He had a career-high 12 goals and 10 assists in 2023-24, during which he signed a two-year extension with Nashville. McCarron is under contract through 2025-26, but his bargain bin $900,000 cap hit is manageable. Since being drafted in the second round in 2012, Colton Sissons has been in the Predators' lineup for 11 seasons. An excellent defensive center, Sissons has 92 goals and 116 assists in 657 career games and a 53.7% career face-off winning percentage, which ranks among the best in the league over the past decade. A career-high 15 goals and 20 assists in 2023-24 had many expecting a big year, but Sissons struggled to start the season − he had two goals and zero assists in his first 33 games. He's turned it around somewhat, scoring five goals and 12 assists in his past 26 games and his low cap hit — he's owed $2.8 million through 2025-26 — could help the cause. Moving on from Sissons would be painful for the organization. He was a key role player during the team's recent success, including scoring a hat trick in Game 6 of the 2017 Western Conference Finals to send the team to its first-ever Stanley Cup Final. Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@ Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here's who the Nashville Predators could trade before the deadline
