With the recent “stepping down” of Barry Trotz and the hiring of Chris McFarland, there is a new era beginning in the southern hockey state. While the hiring of Trotz was initially seen as a good move based on his coaching résumé, he had no proven experience as a general manager, and it may have shown in the downturn of the Predators during his tenure. That being said, Trotz’s strategy was clear: add at the deadline by signing quality players to maximum-term contracts and hope they all panned out. Unfortunately for him, they didn’t, but there’s still a solid foundation for McFarland to work with.
McFarland’s Hockey Resume
Chris McFarland has a boatload of experience in front office roles. He is most notably known for his role as General Manager of the Colorado Avalanche from 2022-2026, making the playoffs all four years and winning the Presidents’ Trophy this past season in 2025-26. Despite taking over the reins of the Stanley Cup-winning team that Joe Sakic built, he was able to ensure it remained a perennial contender throughout his tenure. Before that, he served as the Avalanche’s assistant general manager from 2015-2022, acting as Sakic’s right-hand man. He was heavily involved in rebuilding the team into what it is today.
Nashville at a Glance
Looking at PuckPedia’s roster construction, Steven Stamkos and Roman Josi have two years remaining before becoming free agents. While the Steven Stamkos signing has been far from ideal, in a rising cap environment the deal is beginning to work itself into a contract Nashville can live with. However, with both key pieces set to be 38 years old at the end of their respective deals, their window is closing. McFarland is going to have to be really aggressive if he wants to take advantage of these final two years before the team may have to retool. What his current moves tell me is that he is focused on getting younger, which could make that eventual transition much smoother.
His first trade was acquiring Ross Colton from the Colorado Avalanche for a minor goalie swap and two third-round picks. Colton projects as a middle-six forward who can provide solid depth scoring, having notched 40 points in 80 games three years ago. If he can return to being a 0.5-point-per-game player in Nashville’s system, that could be a win for both the team and the player, especially considering he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. McFarland’s familiarity with the player leads me to believe he thinks so too.
His second trade was acquiring Nils Höglander from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2029 third-round pick. Höglander had a disappointing season last year, primarily due to a slow start after suffering a lower-body injury. At just 25 years old, the forward represents the perfect “buy low” scenario and supports the organization’s goal of acquiring younger players to develop. Slotted in as a fourth liner and entering his prime, a bounce-back season could pay off with two years of team control remaining. He could also learn a lot from veteran Alexander Kerfoot, who he’s projected to play alongside this season.
He then acquired Mavrik Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin from the Dallas Stars for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick. Outside of Lyubushkin, who is 32, McFarland once again added a young forward and was able to lock him up to a six-year contract carrying a $5.5 million AAV. That deal could set Nashville up well long term while allowing them to preserve their first-round picks if a rebuild becomes necessary. Bourque is coming off a 41-point campaign in which he played all 82 games. It was a career year for him, and this contract should cover what are expected to be his prime seasons. Lyubushkin fills a depth role on the blue line and is more of a penciled-in option on a strong defensive corps, but he still has an opportunity to prove he can provide more.
His final move was acquiring Jack Drury, Chase Bradley, and a 2029 third-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux. Drury is a standout addition. At 26 years old, he also signed a new five-year extension worth $4.5 million AAV. While he produced only 27 points last season, he helps balance out the offensive-minded veterans by solidifying the Predators’ bottom-six defensive centre depth, something McFarland clearly values. While the players Nashville gave up will no doubt become decent to good NHL players, this move shows that McFarland is committed to improving the team now while still acquiring young talent that fits the organization’s long-term vision.
On the signing front, their key acquisition was 31-year-old fourth-line centre Alex Kerfoot. He’s played for the Avalanche, Maple Leafs, and Mammoth before coming to Nashville, and he provides reliable depth down the middle.
While it’s still very early, McFarland has remained focused on acquiring young, talented players to build around the team’s aging core. I excitedly await what he does with the roughly $7 million in remaining cap space, but he’s already sending a clear message: young, talented players are the direction Nashville intends to pursue moving forward.
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