According to nhl.com’s archives, Paul Fenton was named the AGM in Nashville right before the 2006 NHL Draft, and had been a part of the organization as the Director of Player Personnel for years. I will be delving into the last 11 years of Trades in the music city, to see if Paul Fenton’s work has benefited the Predators.

TRADES:

Starting in 2006, the Preds traded Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, a 2007 1st (who would end up being Jonathan Blum), and a 2007 4th (Phil Desimone) all in exchange for the services of Peter Forsberg.

Ryan Parent played just over 100 games with Philly, notching a whole 7 points with 15 minutes per night, basically a serviceable 4th-5th Defenseman.

Scottie Upshall played 3ish seasons with the bullies, scoring only 64 points over that time.

Long-Time Wild fans may be familiar with the play of Jonathon Blum (who has since left for Russia). Phil Desimone did not have a significant NHL career.

Peter Forsberg played 17 games with Nashville, scoring 15 points. Forsberg also played in 5 playoff games, scoring 4 points.

Doesn’t sound like that worked out.

That same year, Nashville swapped Mikko Lehtonen for Buffalo’s 3rd, which turned into Mike Santorelli. Mikko Lehtonen did not suit up with the Sabers.

Nice.

The following off-season, Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen were exchanged for Matt Ellison and the Jon Blum pick.

Hartnell and Timonen were crucial parts of Philadelphia’s run for a cup in 2010. Matt Ellison did not play a game with the Predators.

Ouch. 1/3.

That same summer, Nashville gave up franchise first goalie Tomas Vokoun for two 2nd’s in 2008 (Nick Spaling and Aaron Ness) and a 1st that same year, who we will get back to. Vokoun was at the end of his career and Nashville was able to get something from him, not bad.

New season, 2008. Cars, Ratatoullie, Obama and Nashville trading the 15th pick down to Ottawa for their 18th and 3rd in the next year. At face value, the trade sounds just fine. Until you learn that Nashville took Chet Pickard (Calvin’s brother whose best save percentage in North American professional hockey was an .889 through 7 games in the AHL) and Ottawa took Erik Karlsson.

2/5, next.

The Aaron Ness pick and that mystery 1st I alluded to were wheeled to the Longest Island in New York, in exchange for moving up 2 picks. With the 7th Overall pick from New York, Nashville took Colin Wilson. Two picks later at number 9, The Island took Josh Bailey. Now, a year ago, this is sort of a wash but the trend favors Josh Bailey after a 71 point season. Colin Wilson isn’t an awful player, racking 237 points in a flea’s weenie over 500 games with Nashville but, Josh Bailey definitely has the advantage here.

Side note, I don’t particularly subscribe to the notion that certain players make other players a lot of money. Whether it’s Connor McDavid making Jesse Puljujärvi a boatload of cash or Auston Matthews making Connor Brown a bunch of money, I don’t like the sentiment. Sure, Josh Bailey had never scored over 60 points in a season before being on a line with Mat Barzal however, If Mat Barzal’s playing style fits great with Josh Bailey’s, then who cares what Josh Bailey did in the past? They work now, they are getting points, and the Islanders are better for it. Anyway, moving on, a little faster.

Colin Wilson (Left) and Chet Pickard (Right)

The pick for AHL Fringe Starter Harri Sateri to the Sharks for the picks to take Anders Lindback and Craig Smith. Advantage Fenton. 3/7

2008’s 2nd and 3rd picks to Arizona (then Phoenix) in exchange for Arizona’s ’08 2nd sounds a little rough but it was Roman Josi, so I’m sure Nashville fans don’t care. 4/8.

Ryan Jones and a 2nd (Charles-Oliver Roussel??) from Minnesota for Marek Zidlicky, 5/9.

Jason Arnott for Matt Halischuk and the pick to take Magnus Hellberg at #38 in 2011. 6/10.

Dan Hamhuis (483 games with NSH) for Ryan Parent, who gets dealt again, Hamhuis was still very serviceable so advantage Philly. 7/11: slushie break.

Dustin Boyd and Dan Ellis for Sergei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn was a moody man who knew how to play hockey but not how to get along with people in suits. Ellis never really found a good home so I give this one to Nash. 8/12.

The pick that turned into Stefan Noesen for Mike Fisher. I believe Mike Fisher has a bigger effect on the Nashville locker room than Stefan Noesen would have on the score sheet. 9/13.

The 81st pick in 2011 (Nick Shore) to Los Angeles for the picks to take Chase Bailsy and Jimmy Vesey. 10/14

Cody Franson and Matthew Lombardi to Toronto for Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney. 10/15.

3 assets (nobody important) for Hal Gill. Gross. 10/16.

The pick to take Jacob De La Rose for Sergei’s brother Andrei Kostitsyn, which ended in behavioral issues. Who would have guessed. 10/17.

The pick Calgary used to take Albertan rookie sensation Mark Jankowski was given up for Paul Gaustad and the 5th round pick used to take future starter Jusse Saros. Big win. 11/18.

Anders Lindback, Kyle Wilson and the pick that would be Nikita Gusev for Sebastian Caron and 3 picks that turned into Pontus Aberg, Colton Scissons and Jonathan-Ismael Diaby. Summarized: Career backup, below average call-up and a really good KHL playing, German slaying forward that the Golden Knights will probably turn into a 150 point scorer for a steadily growing young forward, a good depth center and a since waived defenseman. While Gusev is in Russia, I give this to the Preds but if Gusev comes to the NHL and lights it up, it will be no longer. 12/19.

Now, I notice a difference in the quality of the trades, for the better.

Michael Latta and Martin Erat for Filip Forsberg. 13/20.

Matt Hendricks for Devan Dubnyk. 14/21.

Kevin Klein for Michael Del Zotto. 15/22.

David Legwand for Calle Jarnkrok, Parick Eaves and Julius Bregman (working his way through the AHL for San Jose). 16/23.

Devan Dubnyk for Future considerations (hehe)

Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling for James Neal. Big trade. James Neal is a damn good scorer, no doubt about it. Patric Hornqvist in my opinion is one of the moves that propelled the Pens to two straight cups. Nick Spaling is good depth and was used in the Phil Kessel Trade. 16/24.

Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen. This trade will be analyzed for years to come. In my opinion, Ryan Johnasen boosts the Nashville forward core more than Jones boosts the Columbus D-Core. 17/25.

Jimmy Vesey to Buffalo for the pick to take U of M forward Rem Pitlick. 63 points in 74 games on a good gopher team. Vesey is good, but he more than likely would not have signed with Nashville anyway. 18/26.

Shea Weber for P.K. Subban. Franchise defining. 19/27.

Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev and a 2018 2nd for Kyle Turris. Not so easy. Girard AND Kamenev are both very good prospects. Girard is already playing well in Colorado and he is only 20. I think this is a pretty bad trade in all honesty. 19/28.

Victor Ejdsell, a 1st and a 4th for Ryan Hartman and a 5th. Nothing good can come from trading a top prospect to a divisional rival, and the push didn’t work. 19/29.

These are only about half of the trades Nashville has made since the summer of 2006, I just analyzed the trades that felt the most significant. If this feels like “cherrypicking” or “pandering” well, here’s a link; make your own decisions, comment that I’m a big dumb idiot. 19 of the 29 “important” trades Paul Fenton may have had a hand in were good trades for Nashville. In the last few years, Nashville has upgraded themselves from playoff contender to cup contender. Fenton has a lot of experience following a great GM in David Poile. Fenton will fit in just fine with the Minnesota Wild.