The Nashville Predators have acquired Cody McLeod from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Félix Girard. The trade occurs prior to the Predators playing against the Avalanche in Colorado tomorrow afternoon and prior to the Milwaukee Admirals game tonight at home against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Press Release via Nashville Predators:
Nashville, TN – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Friday that the club has acquired forward Cody McLeod from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Felix Girard.
McLeod, 32 (6/26/84), has appeared in 659 games over 10 NHL seasons, all with Colorado, amassing 1,359 penalty minutes and 117 points (66g-51a). The Binscarth, Manitoba native has played in 28 games for the Avalanche this season and recorded 52 penalty minutes. He notched his first point of the season on Dec. 31 vs. the Rangers with a goal at 1:59 of the first period.
Originally signed by Colorado in 2006 as an undrafted free agent, McLeod has recorded eight fighting majors this season, fourth-most in the NHL. He led the League in fighting majors in 2015-16 with 12.
Girard was drafted by the Predators in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Draft and has played 172 career games with the Admirals. In that time he has scored 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) and has been a crucial part of the penalty kill. He has been a high quality face-off player and someone who has worn a letter for the leadership qualities he has brought to the locker room.
This move should send Girard to the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate the San Antonio Rampage. The Admirals will see Girard back in Milwaukee as an opponent on Wednesday February 15th.
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Admirals Roundtable 
I live in Milwaukee. I love the Admirals. I love the Predators. This trade flat-out sucks. Super upset. Gahhhh!
Unless this is a precursor to something else going down between Nashville and Coloroado it is hard to understand the motivation. It’s doubtful Felix was going to make it to the NHL, but what do they gain with McLeod?
Daniel, and on a totally different topic because I don’t have Twitter and don’t know where to put this comment, would you agree it’s pretty much 100% obvious now that Saros isn’t coming back to Milwaukee? (I think one could have made this conclusion a week or two ago, but it’s pretty much cemented now.)
FITF: I got that vibe in December and now I’d actually like to see Saros given a bit more of a run with the Predators. It’s astonishing how good he is. I figured this year he’d be given a full run in the AHL as “the man” to get that under his belt. He could well work into that role but with the Predators sooner than they could have ever imagined.
Yeah, I could easily see a Rinne/Saros tandem splitting games basically 50/50 next year already. I think they’ll give Saros a bit of rope this season (as in playing about as much as he has). He definitely seems to be the real deal and has shown/is showing he didn’t need the full year in the AHL as “the man.”