Predators' Barry Trotz Explains Why He Kept Erik Haula

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz had been selling his pending unrestricted free agents all week long, but chose to keep one of them and told the media his reasoning behind it.

Mar 3, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) avoids the check from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Damon Severson (78) during the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images | Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

The Nashville Predators and general manager Barry Trotz were a seller coming into NHL Trade Deadline Day, as he dealt most of the team's upcoming unrestricted free agents.

Trotz traded Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild, Cole Smith to the Vegas Golden Knights, Nick Blankenburg to the Colorado Avalanche and Michael Bunting to the Dallas Stars.

Those were four UFA's that potentially could have walked for nothing in the offseason, but Trotz decided to deal all of them for draft picks that could be used later on. But when it came to Erik Haula who also is a UFA and is 35 years old, Trotz decided to keep him and told the media why.

"Barry Trotz says there were offers for Erik Haula, some of them 'very good offers' but that he decided to hold him to keep a veteran player around for the rest of the season," The Tennessean's Alex Daugherty wrote on X. "Compared the situation to Alex Carrier from 2024..."

Barry Trotz says there were offers for Erik Haula, some of them "very good offers" but that he decided to hold him to keep a veteran player around for the rest of the season. Compared the situation to Alex Carrier from 2024...

— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) March 6, 2026

Not getting any kind of return for a player that is likely going to walk in free agency in Haula is a massive mistake. The Predators are headed towards an inevitable rebulld, and Haula likely does not want to stay for that anyway.

Mar 5, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

But if Trotz is telling the media that he had offers for the veteran, good ones at that, he should have dealt him while he had the chance. The Predators likely will not make the playoffs this season, and Haula sticking around does not help them in the long run.

They should have dealt him when they had the chance and gotten something of value for him. He performed well for Team Finland in the Milan Olympics and raised his value, yet Trotz sat on his hands.

Haula would have been better suited for a contending team

Haula, now for the rest of the year, is going to be stuck on a team that is very likely to miss the playoffs. They are a few points out of the second wild card spot in the West, but with the deals they made and the roster as a whole, they are likely to miss the playoffs.

With that being said, Haula would have been better suited going to a contending team and helping them out. There had to have been teams with center needs looking for his services, like the Pittsburgh Penguins and other teams that actually needed him.

But Trotz made the decision to hold on to him just because he is a vet and wanted to keep him around the other vets that are still on the team. This was not a great decision for Trotz, and Haula should have been headed to a playoff team to help them.

But now Trotz is going to have to deal with the consequences of not dealing the veteran. Haula deserves better and should have been dealt.

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