The Nashville Predators are reportedly engaging in discussions with other teams regarding defenseman Brady Skjei, according to David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period. Pagnotta indicated on "DFO Insider with Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta" that Skjei's name is circulating, and Nashville is open to listening to offers. This development comes amid a period of significant roster adjustments for the Predators, who hired Chris MacFarland as Team President of Hockey Operations and General Manager five months ago. MacFarland has already completed ten trades since taking on his role, with reports suggesting more transactions could be on the horizon.
Pagnotta shared insights from "a few teams" indicating that while conversations involving Skjei are taking place, there is some "reluctance to take on that remaining contract in its entirety" from potential suitors. Skjei, who is 32 years old, signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Predators in July of 2024. He is currently in the third year of this deal and has four additional years remaining on his contract after the current season, carrying a $7 million cap hit. His contract also includes no-trade protection, adding a layer of complexity to any potential move. Despite the contractual challenges, Pagnotta noted that a player of Skjei's "caliber, different environment, his experience, past experience, especially in those Carolina days, is a hell of a guy to have on that back end," suggesting interest from playoff-contending teams who might otherwise struggle with cap space.
During his tenure with Nashville, Skjei has been a consistent presence on the blue line, having played in all 172 games for the team over the last two seasons and the start of the 2026-27 season. Across these games, he has recorded 13 goals and contributed 48 points. He has averaged 22:08 minutes of ice time per game, demonstrating his significant role. His defensive contributions over this period include 185 blocks, 136 hits, and 65 takeaways. This season, Skjei has tallied two points, alongside 14 hits, eight blocks, and three takeaways defensively, while averaging 19:51 minutes of ice time.
He has primarily played on the second-line defensive pairing, often alongside Nick Perbix. However, the Predators have been actively experimenting with various defensive pairings throughout the first eight games of the current season. The team's recent acquisitions of defenseman William Trudeau off waivers and defenseman Jayden Struble via trade further indicate that the blue line remains an area of ongoing evaluation and potential adjustments early in the season.