The Nashville Predators have traded RFA Taylor Beck to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Jaime Devane.
Beck and the Preds had yet to workout a contract, and had an arbitration hearing scheduled for July 24th. On the surface, this move looks an awful lot like freeing up roster space for players like Kevin Fiala, Austin Watson, Miikka Salomaki and more.
Devane, drafted in 2009, has only played two NHL games to this point in his career, and none since 2013-2014. It’s unlikely he’ll be playing much in the NHL in Nashville with the backup of talent the organization already has in the pipeline. Beck, while a decent bottom-six option, is still exactly that: a bottom-six option that can be found anywhere in the league. Casualties were expected to happen because of the logjam of forwards outside the top two lines.
Nashville, Tenn. (July 12, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Sunday that the team has acquired forward Jamie Devane from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Taylor Beck.
Devane, 24 (2/20/91), has spent the majority of his three-season professional career at the American Hockey League level, posting 15 points (6g-9a) and amassing 253 penalty minutes in 118 games with the Toronto Marlies. The Mississauga, Ont., native also appeared in his first two NHL contests with the Maple Leafs during the 2013-14 season.
Toronto’s fourth selection, 68th overall (third round) in the 2009 Entry Draft, the 6-5, 220-pound left wing played for the Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers from 2008-12, recording 114 points (53g-61a) and 411 penalty minutes in 237 games.