First make a decision on a coach. Depending on who you pick for coach you should pick players who match the coach.
There are options out there but not too many open spots. Most of the RFA's are at defenseman. Only forward RFA's out there are Spaling, Beck, Rask and Moser.
If the Preds go for a complete overhaul they might have options. If they are going with a slight change then they should be ok with a major forward signing and another yr of experience on the D.
Here's what I have on the capgeek GM site
FORWARDS
Viktor Stalberg ($3.000m) / Calle Jarnkrok ($0.715m) / Craig Smith ($2.000m)
Filip Forsberg ($0.894m) / Colin Wilson ($2.000m) / Patric Hornqvist ($4.250m)
Gabriel Bourque ($0.775m) / Matt Cullen ($3.500m) / Mike Fisher ($4.200m)
Eric Nystrom ($2.500m) / Paul Gaustad ($3.250m) / Nick Spaling ($1.500m)
Richard Clune ($0.850m)
DEFENSEMEN
Roman Josi ($4.000m) / Shea Weber ($7.857m)
Michael Del Zotto ($2.900m) / Seth Jones ($0.925m)
Mattias Ekholm ($0.851m) / Ryan Ellis ($0.851m)
Victor Bartley ($0.667m) /
GOALTENDERS
Pekka Rinne ($7.000m)
Carter Hutton ($0.800m)
SALARY CAP: $68,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $55,283,976; BONUSES: $3,051,667
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $12,716,024
Biggest weakness is at left wing but I've been studying the left wing lock to see how that might effect this. Most of the scoring in on the RW. if we see a switch in defensive styles the LW has to be shored up. Speaking of defense, the PK is 25th in the league. That's unexceptable with a Barry Trotz team. Same with being 23rd in the league in GA per Game. There are two reasons for this. The lack of experience of the defensemen. But most importantly Pekka Rinne.
Where is the pluses? PP% Nashville who's been for the past couple of years has had a good PP%. The defense has talent. I'm almost tempted to ask for a defensive coach to coach up the team. The defensive foundation is there. Rinne, Weber, Josi, Jones, a strong 4th line.
If I had to boil this season down to one sentence, I will quote Jeff Marek. 'Give me a good goalie, I will give you a good coach.'
Next year, if the team can get a coach who's defensively strong, will be a contender. The lack of Rinne for a year cost Trotz his job.
IF it was me....
This team has the #1 defenseman and the #1 goalie but it's time to get a center and they have the resources to do that. Stastny would fit point wise and still moderately young. But there is the knock of Nashville can't get UFAs. There might be a need to overpay for him. It might be cheaper to overpay in a trade simply because forwards are beginning to backup in Milwaukee.
I believe this team is a playoff team next year thus the 2015 1st does not have as much value as some may think. If I have to trade that pick to give Nashville a chance at a cup, you damn right I would.
Things I would consider
Is Evander Kane on the market? He's having a down year and the Winnipeg media seems hell bent on shipping his ass out of town. he's 34th in scoring amongst LW's with a 'down year'. He's also 22 yo. If he can learn some lessons from Hornqvist about living near the net a line of Kane-Iron Hook-Smith is a 1st line.
Do I think the Preds have assets to get him? Hell, yes. First off, Winnipeg has Nik Petan in the system. I would dangle Brendan Leipsic as the chocolate to Petan's Peanut Butter as a start. Add in picks, roster players and I would be thrilled. My hope is as hope Winnipeg takes Stalberg in a package but I wont cry if they don't.
Vancouver might be in cap hell next year and the Sedin twins do NOT want to play with the coach. Let's think, what team has the players Vancouver's coaching staff want the most....Could Nashville do the boldest thing they could by offering a package of gritty spalls to the walls players to Vancouver for 14 Million of the Sedins? This would solve the LW and C need for the short term. Solves Vancouver's need in the long term. Also will drive the price up on Ryan Callahan which would be Vancouver's obvious target.
Speaking of which, Ryan Callahan. If Trotz were to stay another year I would give the moon for him and with Nashville's 12-15 milllion under the cap....that might happen.
Beck, Sissons, Moser, Watson, the 8 billion LHD in the Preds system
I've mentioned it, the Preds have a metric ****ton of LHD in the system. Makes sense when you have Weber, Jones, Ellis, Aronson in the depth chart...and only them on the depth chart. In this draft I would like to see some qualified RHD drafted. No overagers someone who's going to spend a lot of time in the NCAA's or CHL. Beck, I would look to move him. Maybe dangle him to Washington, 'hey if your like Latta, you are going to LOVE his former teammate.'
MDZ. If there is another coaching staff coming in I would try and hold on to him and see what they think.
Just some thoughts.