Nash Daily: Inside David Poile’s Final Trade, Pittsburgh Gearing Up

It’s been 47 days since the NHL Draft was in Nashville. Training camp is a few weeks away for the Predators, so let’s look back at how it all ended for former general manager David Poile.

Eleven picks were made to bolster the prospect pool, but one of the skaters taken was no thanks to a trade that was made, the final deal for Poile on the draft floor.

It was a former Predator Tom Fitzgerald who made the final deal with Poile before going into retirement.

He was on Spittin’ Chiclets and was asked about the deal he struck with Nashville, something the original Predator never anticipated whatsoever.

General manager and executive vice president of the New Jersey Devils, Tom Fitzgerald hugs general manager David Poile. Photo by Jeff Vinnick

GM Barry Trotz was the one who initiated the trade with the Devils tapping Fitzgerald on the shoulder and asking to have a word with him in the back. He agreed to the deal handing Nashville their final pick with Poile at the helm.

“I put my head down, I called my wife and told her to watch the end in the seventh round. I started tearing up. Because it really hit me. The magnitude of it and the impact he had on the game,” Fitzgerald said on the podcast.

Nashville drafted Penn St freshman Aiden Fink who is going into his first season of college hockey.

“I didn’t really know it was a big deal until my dad sent me the video of David Poile’s last pick,” Fink said. “It’s a special pick and I may be a special player for him.”

Around the NHL & National Hockey Now

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: A lot has been going on with the Pittsburgh Penguins here in the last week. From adding defenseman Erik Karlsson to prospect, Nathan Legare, the Penguins are stocking up under new director of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas. Could the Penguins be a cup contender this coming season with some of the latest offseason additions?

Florida Hockey Now: Going into his seventh season in the NHL Gustav Forsling is on the rise in the Flordia Panthers organization. He was second among defensemen scoring 41 points in all 82 regular season games last season. So, could the 27-year-old be the next big defender down in southern Florida?

Vegas Hockey Now: The Vegas Golden Knights have been tearing up the NHL since they entered the league seven seasons ago. Chris Gawlick was reminiscing a few days ago on the first few years of the franchise and asked questions like ‘Who had the first-ever Golden Knights shutout?’ ‘Who scored the first-ever hat trick?’

Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter: @KieserNick