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Nashville Predators get Mike Fisher from Ottawa for draft picks

By Dirk Hoag
MONTREAL QC - SEPTEMBER 24: Mike Fisher #12 of the Ottawa Senators moves the puck around Mathieu Carle #72 of the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on September 24 2010 in Montreal Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
MONTREAL QC - SEPTEMBER 24: Mike Fisher #12 of the Ottawa Senators moves the puck around Mathieu Carle #72 of the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on September 24 2010 in Montreal Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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In a trade which was speculated about ever since he got engaged to country music star Carrie Underwood, the Nashville Predators have acquired center Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators, for their 1st-round draft pick this summer, and a conditional pick*** in 2012.

Mike Fisher

#12 / Center / Ottawa Senators

6-1

208

Jun 05, 1980

This is a tremendously surprising move, considering Fisher's contract, which still has two more full years remaining at $4 million and $3 million.

***The extra pick is the 2012 3rd-rounder if the Preds win one playoff round this spring, or the 2nd-rounder if they win 2 or more rounds.

Follow after the jump for a look at what "Mr. Underwood" brings to the Nashville Predators...

First, let's start off with the scouting report from his SB Nation profile page:

Assets
  • Is great on the forecheck and can kill penalties with aplomb. Owns good speed and is extremely tenacious. Has excellent two-way ability. Also possesses a great shot.
Flaws
  • While capable of scoring, he's not a go-to guy on offense because he lacks consistency in that department. His rambunctious style can lead to injuries.
Career Potential
  • Quality two-way center.

Well, the first part of that "Assets" section certainly endears him to this site, right? In many ways, Fisher brings many of the same things to the table that David Legwand does. He's more of a secondary offensive threat than a genuine top-line guy, but that meshes well with Nashville's overall gameplan which relies on contributions from all parts of the roster.

As noted in my review of possible trade targets last week, grabbing a proven NHL center with years left on his contract puts a long-term squeeze on the center spot. Next fall they'll have David Legwand, Matthew Lombardi, and Mike Fisher under contract. Nick Spaling & Cal O'Reilly will be restricted free agents this summer, while Marcel Goc will be unrestricted. My guess is one of those 3 will be gone, with Goc the most likely option given the fact that he can freely pursue a larger role somewhere else.

As of now, however, the Predators have added a legitimate forward without giving up any present-day value off the roster.

And remember, the Preds still have New Jersey's 2nd-round draft pick from the Jason Arnott trade, so they'll still have a decent selection this summer.

For perspective, head over to Silver Seven for reaction from the Ottawa side.

Here are Mike's career stats:

YEAR TEAM GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG GTG SOG
1999 Senators 32 4 5 9 -6 15 0 0 1 0 49
2000 Senators 60 7 12 19 -1 46 0 0 3 0 83
2001 Senators 58 15 9 24 8 55 0 3 4 0 123
2002 Senators 74 18 20 38 13 54 5 1 3 0 142
2003 Senators 24 4 6 10 -3 39 1 0 0 0 47
2005 Senators 68 22 22 44 23 64 2 4 3 0 150
2006 Senators 68 22 26 48 15 41 7 2 3 0 193
2007 Senators 79 23 24 47 -10 82 6 2 4 0 215
2008 Senators 78 13 19 32 0 66 1 2 3 0 182
2009 Senators 79 25 28 53 1 59 10 0 6 0 212
2010 Senators 55 14 10 24 -18 1 3 0 1 0 132