With just over a week before the NHL’s March 4 trading deadline and only five teams realistically out of the playoff chase, Nashville’s David Poile said recent conversations with his fellow general managers are following a similar pattern.
In one breath he and his peers are talking about what they might like to acquire if they’re buyers at the deadline. In the next they’re talking about what they might be willing to give up if they’re sellers.
“I’d be very hard-pressed to think that a lot would happen at the trading deadline,’’ Poile said Sunday. “That may be famous last words because every year there’s been a lot of trades at the deadline. But I don’t think the race has ever been as close as it is today. For most teams of any significance, you just don’t have any trading partners.’’
The Predators have several potential unrestricted free agents on the roster, including Ville Koistinen, Greg Zanon, Greg de Vries, Radek Bonk, Steve Sullivan, Vern Fiddler and Scott Nichol, but Poile said he doesn’t feel the necessity to make any decisions on them by the deadline.
“We have until July 1 to re-sign players if we want,’’ Poile said. “There’s always exceptions to what I’m going to say, but at this point, I would just as soon let’s play this out and get to the end, then we can sit down and talk to the player after the season.’’
Sullivan represents a particularly interesting scenario. He’s only played 19 games since returning from a near two-year layoff, so it’s hard to predict how much impact he’ll have down the line.
Poile seemed to indicate that Sullivan wouldn’t be moved at the deadline.
“His comeback is a process,’’ Poile said. “I don’t think he knows nor we know how full a comeback it will be, how healthy he’ll be. That’s really a conversation to have after the season, not right now.’’
Poile also said he could not envision any scenario in which he would ask any of his four players with no-trade clauses — Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont, Martin Erat and David Legwand — if they wanted to be moved.
Two goals, three points: The Predators will enter Tuesday’s game against Chicago as the NHL’s lowest-scoring team, having managed just 142 goals in 60 games — an average of 2.37 per game.
But it hasn’t necessarily kept the Predators from being competitive. They scored a combined two goals in their past two games, yet they came away with three points in a 2-1 overtime loss and a 1-0 overtime win.
“You grit it out,’’ forward Vern Fiddler said. “You battle and you get that extra point. If you have to go to overtime or shootout, you do what you have to do to get the extra point.’’
Admirals update: The Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s affiliate in the American Hockey League, remain in first place in the West Division despite the loss of Antti Pihlstrom, Ryan Jones and Alexander Sulzer to the Predators for large parts of the season.
Center Cal O’Reilly continues to lead the Admirals with 55 points (11 goals, 44 assists) in 56 games, followed by center Mike Santorelli (16 goals, 32 assists in 49 games) and defenseman Cody Franson (seven goals, 29 assists in 52 games).
Goalie Drew MacIntyre is 26-11-2, with a 2.43 goals against average and .917 save percentage.
Bonk update: Center Radek Bonk is scheduled to see a doctor before Monday’s practice. On Saturday Coach Barry Trotz said Bonk suffered the same upper-body injury (wrist) that caused him to sit out two games earlier this month.
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