Report: Predators open for business after Niederreiter trade

The Nashville Predators have apparently determined which direction they'll go at the March 3 trade deadline.

After dealing forward Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, general manager David Poile's team is "very much open for business," Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reported on Saturday's edition of "32 Thoughts."

Marek added he believes captain Roman Josi, goaltender Juuse Saros, and star forward Filip Forsberg are untouchable, but anyone else is on the table.

Marek said he expects defenseman Dante Fabbro to be moved next week, while teams have reportedly been calling about power forward Tanner Jeannot. Both players are pending restricted free agents.

Fabbro, 24, was the Predators' first-round pick in 2016. He's put up one goal and seven assists in 53 games this season while seeing his ice time take a substantial hit; Fabbro is averaging 16:03 per contest, three full minutes less than the past three campaigns. He carries a cap hit of $2.4 million.

Jeannot, meanwhile, erupted onto the scene in his rookie year last season, posting 24 goals and 41 points in 81 games while leading the team with 318 hits. However, he's totaled just five goals and nine assists in 56 contests this campaign while being handcuffed by a shooting percentage of 5.7%. The 25-year-old's price tag is $800,000.

Nashville has made the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons but entered Saturday's slate seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

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