{"id":5165,"date":"2019-02-26T23:40:13","date_gmt":"2019-02-26T23:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=5165"},"modified":"2019-02-27T04:57:41","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T04:57:41","slug":"nashville-predators-acquire-wayne-simmonds-for-playoff-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nhl\/nashville-predators-acquire-wayne-simmonds-for-playoff-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Nashville Predators Acquire Wayne Simmonds For Playoff Run"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Nashville Predators have never been shy about dealing. GM David Poile has been regarded as a consummate ‘dealmaker’ as well as one of the best at his job in all of professional sports. Poile was busy at the trade deadline once again this year with the big acquisition being veteran forward Wayne Simmonds<\/a> from the Philadelphia Flyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simmonds will be a free agent this Summer and he and the Flyers were far apart on the terms for an extension<\/a>. Nashville gave up forward Ryan Hartman and a 2020 conditional fourth round draft pick. That pick will become a third round pick if the Predators will a playoff round this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 30 year old Simmonds should be a perfect fit in Nashville’s lineup. He’s known for tough, physical play and particularly in front of the net<\/a>. That quality is expected to help Nashville’s power play which has been inexplicably struggling all season. Despite his hard nosed reputation Simmonds is also a very skilled hockey player with 242 goals and 229 assists in 824 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings and Philadelphia Flyers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked by the media, Simmonds said he was excited to be joining one of the class organizations in the NHL:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I feel great. They have a great organization. Top notch. I’ve heard nothing but good things. Not to mention how good their team is. I’m looking to be another piece of the puzzle, fit in and help them win a championship.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nashville never got the expected value out of Ryan Hartman, who they acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at last year’s trade deadline. Hartman had underachieved in Chicago and wore out his welcome with then-head coach Joel Quenneville. Hartman was a former first round pick and the Predators gave up prospect Victor Ejdsell and a 2018 first round pick in the deal. The hope was that it would be a similar situation as Ryan Johansen who left Columbus due to a personality conflict with head coach John Tortorella but has flourished in Nashville under Peter Laviolette. It didn’t work out that way–Hartman had 10 goals and 10 assists in 64 games this season while averaging just over 13 minutes per game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier on Monday, Nashville acquired forward Mikael Granlund<\/a> from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Kevin Fiala. Granlund’s fianc\u00e9e was actually in labor at the time of the trade and due to this situation is being given extra time to make his Nashville debut. Granlund is a smooth, consistent scorer and playmaker with 15 goals and 49 points in 63 games this season. The Predators also acquired Brian Boyle earlier in the month to shore up their depth at center.
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