Predators still looking to prey on trade market
The Nashville Predators have already taken a big bite out of the NHL's trade market, but there's still work to be done.
So says general manager David Poile, whose club is still floundering despite the recent addition of Ryan Johansen.
"Right now, we are a team that's out of the playoffs as of today, so we got to improve," Poile told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday.
Believed to be Stanley Cup hopefuls - if not legitimate contenders - heading into the season, the Predators sit one point behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, having lost six of their last seven games.
Moreover, they've scored only 117 goals (11th in the West) while allowing 127.
If the trend continues, Poile won't stay idle.
"I hope (Improvement) happens from within our club, but we're totally open (to more trades)," he said. "Because we haven't played as well as we had hoped to play at this point in the season."
Still, the GM believes he's built a playoff club, at the very least, and is confident things can turn around - even if he doesn't make any further moves.
"I think we have a good club that just hasn't done as well as we'd expected. But we have almost half a season to rectify that," he added.