Nashville Predators Acquire Nicolas Hague
The Nashville Predators are banking on defenseman Nicolas Hague to elevate their game after acquiring him from the Vegas Golden Knights in a high-profile trade. On June 29, Nashville sent Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sissons to Vegas while retaining half of Sissons’ salary in exchange for the 6-foot-6 defenseman, who has signed a four-year contract worth $22 million. This investment underscores the team’s aspirations for Hague to take on a pivotal role with the Predators, with General Manager Barry Trotz envisioning him in a top defensive pairing.
Concerns About Hague’s Track Record
Despite these lofty expectations, Hague’s track record may raise some eyebrows. Throughout his six seasons with the Golden Knights, he has typically played on lower defensive pairings, never managing more than 17 points in a season. For example, during the 2024-25 season, he accumulated just 12 points over 68 games, coupled with a minus-2 plus/minus rating—the weakest among Vegas defensemen. This raises questions about whether he can contribute offensively in a league increasingly reliant on scoring from all positions.
Predators’ Strategy for Scoring Enhancement
The Predators are actively seeking ways to enhance their scoring capabilities, especially in light of their strategy to incorporate younger, larger players into the lineup. In fact, Trotz emphasized that both wing and defensemen need to step up to mitigate a shortage of depth at center. While Hague has been part of a system last season that focused on offensive output, his lack of scoring potential stands out.
Potential Partnership with Roman Josi
To counterbalance this, Hague is projected to partner with Roman Josi, a dynamic offensive contributor who has consistently tallied around 52 points across his lengthy NHL tenure. Even during a particularly challenging season for Nashville, where the franchise stumbled and Josi battled health issues, he recorded an impressive 38 points before his late-season absence.
This collaboration poses an intriguing dilemma: Can Hague, who lacks a substantial offensive record, effectively complement Josi, who thrives in an attacking role?
This partnership will be pivotal, as Josi previously transitioned through various defensive partners last season, largely due to injuries disrupting stable pairings. One potential strategy is to distribute offensive responsibilities across the lineup, allowing Josi and Hague to function cohesively while avoiding over-reliance on any one pairing.
Expectations for Hague’s Impact
Adding Hague to the mix might enable Josi to flourish offensively, especially if Hague’s physical presence helps open up the ice. There’s a hope that this dynamic could lead Josi to surpass 60 points for the first time since the 2023-24 season. However, this arrangement may not meet expectations as Hague steps into a top-four role—something he has yet to prove he can handle effectively.
Nashville fans should keep their expectations tempered when it comes to Hague’s immediate impact. Trotz has expressed a preference for robust, physical players, but these attributes alone will rarely satisfy the scoring demands of a playoff-contending team. If the expectation is that Hague will measure up to Josi’s offensive output from the outset of the season, the statistics suggest otherwise. As the team looks ahead to the October 9 opener, it remains to be seen if Hague can bridge that gap effectively.
