Nashville Predators Cap Space: Examining the Preds' salary in the off-season

The Nashville Predators have a GM not named David Poile for the first time in franchise history, and Barry Trotz has been very active in changing the team.

When Trotz took control of the team, he said he wanted to change the culture, and armed with plenty of cap space, he has done just that. The Predators still have $8,779,135 in cap space, even after all the moves they have done.

With Nashville still having plenty of cap space, and everyone signed, the Preds could be active on the trade front in the second wave of free agency.

The Nashville Predators' busy off-season

The Nashville Predators started the off-season with a shocker, as they bought out Matt Duchene and his hefty contract. They also traded Ryan Johansen for nothing and retained 50% of his salary to open up more cap space.

GM Barry Trotz spoke to the media on the subject (via NHL.com):

"The harsh reality is that we moved two very good players out. Both of them have been high contributors to the Preds organization, not only on the ice, but off the ice… They're good, good, good people. In the change that we did make, we wanted to fill [the void] with more good people."

With a lot of cap space, the Nashville Predators were one of the most active teams in free agency. Nashville inked defenseman Luke Schenn to a three-year deal worth $2.75 million per annum and followed it up by signing Ryan O'Reilly to a four-year deal worth $4.5 million per season.

Both O'Reilly and Schenn have won Stanley Cups which is key for this Nashville team which is looking to get back to the playoffs.

"Ryan O'Reilly's a serial winner, a Stanley Cup champion, a Selke winner," Trotz said. "He's been MVP in the playoffs. I've worked with Ryan at international events like the World Cup of Hockey. He's been on Olympic teams.

"He reminds me of a Joe Pavelski-type of guy that continues to produce. People follow him, and everybody around him is better. And for our young guys and our culture, that was a critical piece for us."

Even after those two moves, Barry Trotz wasn't done as he then inked Gustav Nyquist to a two-year deal worth $3.185 million per year. Along with re-signing some younger players, the Predators had an active off-season, and Trotz is hoping to have Nashville back in the playoffs next season.

"My intention is to make this team real good for a long time," Trotz said. "I don't want you to come to Nashville to retire. I want you to come here to win. And that was really important to me and these guys that we all have, they just want to win and they've got rings to prove it."

With nearly $9 million in cap space, the Nashville Predators still may have another move left in them.