Predators GM Trotz not happy with ex-Oilers defenceman Barrie
It isn’t going well in Nashville for former Edmonton Oilers defenceman Tyson Barrie.
A few days after it was leaked that the Nashville Predators had granted Barrie and his agent permission to seek a trade, Preds GM Barry Trotz went on a local Nashville radio show and said a few interesting things about the situation.
Trotz was talking with Jared Stillman on 102.5 The Game yesterday when he mentioned that he was unhappy with how Barrie has handled recent developments.
“Tyson’s game hasn’t translated as well as we had liked with [the Predators] this year,” said Trotz. “The other night, when [Barrie] was healthy scratched…different players react differently; I didn’t like the way he reacted to it.
“Very disappointed [the trade request] got out because there is only about four people in the world that know about any conversation about anything, and somehow it got out, so I’m very disappointed in that process, and it didn’t come from the Preds, I do know that.”
This should come as a bit of a surprise to Oilers fans who watched Barrie play in Edmonton over the last few seasons. From all accounts, the 32-year-old was a very popular teammate with the Oilers and only seemed to radiate positivity. When he was traded to Nashville at last season’s trade deadline, the consensus among Oilers fans was excitement for the incoming Mattias Ekholm and disappointment that Barrie had to go the other way.
Trotz did mention that some of Barrie’s frustration may be coming from the fact that he is a UFA at the end of the year and needs to be playing consistently to make sure he can secure another contract at the end of the season.
“I just think [Barrie], being in the final year of his contract, just feels that he has to be playing on a pretty regular basis,” said Trotz. “Everything is dictated on his play. He has to be a good player for [Nashville] so he can be a good player for anybody in the league if we do decide to move him.”
As for where Barrie could potentially be traded, logic would dictate that a reunion in Edmonton is unlikely. The Oilers have already found a more than ideal replacement for the power play in Evan Bouchard, and Barrie’s offensive skillset is not exactly what the team is looking to add to their defensive group.
Moreover, his $4.5 million cap hit would be a bit of a chore to fit for Edmonton and would require Nashville to either retain a significant portion of his salary or take back a bloated contract in a trade.
As the situation gets uglier, however, the more likely it becomes that will see Barrie on the move once again.