NHL free agency is underway, and teams are making big moves to improve their rosters. Some teams, like the Panthers, are working to keep their core players, while others are looking for new talent to help them make the playoffs. The Nashville Predators are getting a lot of attention for a trade that has sparked debate among fans and experts. After a disappointing 2025 Draft, many thought Nashville would use its cap space wisely, but their latest move has raised questions about their strategy.
Predators’ Trade for Nicolas Hague Draws Criticism
The Predators made headlines by trading with the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Nicolas Hague. Right after the deal, Nashville signed Hague to a four-year, $22 million contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. The trade also brought Nashville a conditional third-round pick in 2027. In return, Vegas received center Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.
After being moved to Nashville, Nicolas Hague has signed a 4-year contract worth $5.5M AAV.
In exchange for Hague, Vegas receives Jeremy Lauzon and Colton Sissons.
(H/T @DarrenDreger) pic.twitter.com/qcm5GfRJEL
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 30, 2025
Many fans and analysts have criticized this trade. Sissons was a steady presence for Nashville, known for his leadership and strong defensive play. Lauzon brought physicality and grit to the blue line. Losing both players in one move is a big shift for the Predators, who are trying to stay competitive in a tough Western Conference.
Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic shared his thoughts on the deal, pointing out that not every restricted free agent is worth a big contract. He wrote, “Not every RFA bet is made equal.” Luszczyszyn explained that teams sometimes focus too much on size and not enough on actual performance. He used Hague and Kevin Bahl as examples.
Luszczyszyn questioned Hague’s new salary, saying, “Even with the cap growing, a $5 million cap hit should still be reserved for defensemen who can actually play in the top four.”
He does not believe Hague has earned that role. Luszczyszyn added that Hague struggled in third-pair minutes with Vegas, which is a concern for a team like Nashville that needs reliable defense.
“To Hague’s credit, he’s at least been close to the caliber of a No. 4 defenseman in the past, but the Predators should be paying for what he is now, a fine third-pair guy, not what he used to be,” Luszczyszyn said. Many people agree that Nashville may have paid too much for a player who has not yet shown he can handle a bigger role.
Hague is known for his size at 6’6”, 245 pounds, and his physical play in front of the net. This could help Nashville replace some of the toughness lost with Lauzon’s departure.
However, many people believe the Predators paid too much for what Hague brings to the team right now. Last season with Vegas, Hague played mostly on the third defensive pairing and recorded 12 points in 67 games, which is below average for a defenseman with his new salary.
For several weeks, reports suggested that Vegas wanted to keep Hague, but contract talks did not lead to a deal. This opened the door for Nashville to step in and make a move. While the trade has not been popular with fans so far, there is still time to see how it works out for the Predators as they look to build a stronger team for the future.
