NASVHILLE (AP) - Out with the old, in with the youth.
That sums up general manager Chad Blouin's Thursday afternoon. The newly named GM had a busy day fielding offers for the team's top talent, resulting in two trades being completed and another on the way.
The club's first ever trade saw veteran winger Scott Walker, along with defenseman Mark Eaton and prospect Shea Weber head to Calgary in exchange for forwards Chuck Kobasew and Eric Nystrom, as well as the 19th overall pick in the 2004 OTHL entry draft.
"Scott's been a leader on this club for a few years no, so it was a difficult deal to make," said Blouin. "But we felt the package that was offered was too good to turn down, especially considering the direction we're trying to go here."
While certainly not the biggest deal of the day, Blouin's second trade saw one of the team's biggest players shipped out. Robert Schnabel, a 6' 6" 232lb defenseman is heading to Vancouver in return for the Canucks' 5th round choice in the upcoming draft.
Though not confirmed as of yet, sources indicate that the Predators and New Jersey Devils have agreed in principle to a deal that would see the departure of former second overall pick David Legwand. The 24 year-old center is reportedly on the move to New Jersey, with a package including 23 year-old defenseman David Hale as the return. While not official, the deal has apparantly reached the league's head office, and all that's left for the deal to take place is the commissioners' stamp of approval.